SEMITIC MAGIC: ITS ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT
Book Details + Condition: Luzac & Co (London). First Edition, 1908. Part of the publisher's "Oriental Religions Series". Hardcover. 286 pages, with Index, List of Biblical Quotations, and Erratum to rear. A thorough scholarly discussion of the ancient practice of sorcery and magic, with examples of conjuring spells and incantations. Contents include: Demons and Ghosts; Deomoniac Possession and Tabu; Sympathetic Magic; Atonement Sacrifice; Redemption of the Firstborn. Other topics include the evil eye, conjuring demons and spirits, wizards and witches, jinn, Lilith, monsters, charms, talismans, amulets, magical ceremonies, exorcism, a ceremony for rebuilding a temple, taboos on marriage and childbirth, and much more. All are kinds of magical practices culled from various Semitic peoples — the Hebrews, Mesopotamians, Arabs, Algerians, Moslems, Egyptians, Chaldeans and more. Firm binding; rubbed corners and edges; chipping to top of spine, with small section of cloth missing at bottom; old call number to bottom spine; perforated and numbered stamp to dedication page; scuffing to rear endpapers, with bookplate to front; interior is clean and free of markings.
