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Chapter 10 - Common Magic

from Part IV - Old Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2015

David J. Collins, S. J.
Affiliation:
Georgetown University, Washington DC
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Summary

Common magic is set apart by its wide range of practitioners: priests and laity, educated and uneducated, men and women, specialists and occasional users. Gratian's chapter was important for shaping definitions of common magic because many later churchmen used it as the basis for their own writings. Much of information about common magic comes from the writings of clergy, especially for the Middle Ages. There are also sources for common magic written from a less hostile perspective: they recorded magical practices because they were useful or interesting. The common magic could be used actively to bring about a result, for example, to heal, predict the future or cause harm, and it could also be used defensively to ward off evil influences and protect people, animals and crops against the things that threatened them. One of the best-documented uses of common magic was for healing. Charms and amulets were widely used and recommended by educated people as well as uneducated ones.
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The Cambridge History of Magic and Witchcraft in the West
From Antiquity to the Present
, pp. 303 - 331
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2015

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  • Common Magic
  • Edited by David J. Collins, S. J., Georgetown University, Washington DC
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Magic and Witchcraft in the West
  • Online publication: 05 March 2015
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHO9781139043021.015
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  • Common Magic
  • Edited by David J. Collins, S. J., Georgetown University, Washington DC
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Magic and Witchcraft in the West
  • Online publication: 05 March 2015
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHO9781139043021.015
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Common Magic
  • Edited by David J. Collins, S. J., Georgetown University, Washington DC
  • Book: The Cambridge History of Magic and Witchcraft in the West
  • Online publication: 05 March 2015
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CHO9781139043021.015
Available formats
×