They believed that? : a cultural encyclopedia of superstitions and the supernatural around the world / William E. Burns.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Burns, William E., author.

Burns, William E., 1959- author.

Series:

Gale eBooks

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Superstition--Encyclopedias.

Superstition.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxiii, 296 pages) : illustrations

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Santa Barbara, California : ABC-CLIO, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, [2023]

System Details:

text file HTML

Summary:

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.

Contents:

Acupuncture

Alchemy

Alectorius

Amber

Ambergris

Amulets and talismans

Aphrodisiacs

Apparitions

Ars Notoria

Astrology

Bananas

Barnacle Goose

Bathing

Benandanti

Bezoars

Bibliomancy

Black mass

Blood

Blood libel

Brunonianism

Cats

Caul

Chocolate

Coffee

Comets

Curses

Death

Decay of nature

Defensive magic

Devil's mark

Diana

Divination

Dogs

Doll magic

Dowsing

Dragons

Dreams

Earthquakes

Eclipses

Elemental systems

Elementals

Elephants

Evil eye

Excrement

Execution magic

Fairies

Flat earth

Fossils

Foxes

Frogs

Garlic

Gender and sexual difference

Geocentrism

Geomancy

Ghosts

Goats

Gold

Golem

Great chain of being

Hand of glory

Hares and rabbits

Hepatoscopy

Herbs

Hermes Trismegistus

Hieroglyphics

Horses and donkeys

Horseshoes

Humours, Theory of

Hyenas

Ifa Divination

Incantation bowls

Incubi/Succubi

Intersex conditions

Iron

Jinn

Kabbalah

Left-handedness

Lettrism

Lightning

Lilith

Love magic

Luck

Lycanthropy

Macrocosm/microcosm

Magnetism

Mandinga pouches

Mandrakes

Menstruation

Mesmerism and animal magnetism

Mirrors

Mistletoe

Monsters

Moon

Mummies

Natural magic

Naturphilosophie

Necromancy

New world inferiority

Obeah

Onions

Oracle bones

Otoliths, Fish

Palmistry

Physiognomy

Pigs

Possession and exorcism

Pre-Adamites

Precious stones

Pregnancy and childbirth

Prodigies

Race

Rain

Rainbows

Rats and mice

Ravens and crows

Relics

Roses

Rosicrucianism

Royal touch

Sabianism

Saffron

Sage

Satanic pact

Scrying

Second sight

Seventh children

Sex change

Sibyls

Silver

Snakes

Solomon

Solstices and equinoxes

Spiders

Spontaneous generation

Sun

Swallow stones

Syphilis

Tarot

Tea

Theriac

Toads

Tobacco

Trepanation

Twins

Unicorn

Vampires

Volcanoes

Weapon-salve

Wild hunt

Witchcraft

Wolves and coyotes

Yellow Emperor

Yijing

Yin/Yang

Yoga

Yokai.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [283]-288) and index.

ISBN:

9798216182856

9798216182863

9781440878480

144087848X

OCLC:

1363829803