They Believed That: A Cultural Encyclopedia of Superstitions and the Supernatural around the World

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Description

This encyclopedia is the perfect guide to the weird, magical, superstitious, and supernatural beliefs of people from all over the world.

This book is devoted to those human beliefs that fall in the "gray zone" between science, religion, and everyday life call them superstitious, supernatural, magical, or just wrong. In an often incomprehensible world where lightning or plague could end life quickly or drought could condemn a poor family to agonizing death, superstitious beliefs gave people a feeling of understanding or even control. They have continued to shape societies and cultures ever since.

This book covers a range of superstitious, supernatural, and otherwise unusual beliefs from the ancient world to the early 19th century. More than 100 entries explain beliefs, discuss historical evidence, and explain how each belief differs across cultures. This book is a perfect gateway for anyone curious about superstitious and magical beliefs, with topics ranging from the everyday, such as dogs and iron, to legendary figures, such as Hermes Trismegistus and the Yellow Emperor.

Reviews

This reference work does a good job of including representative entities with associated beliefs from different centuries and cultures. * Booklist *

Author Bio

William E. Burns is a historian who lives in the Washington, D.C. area.