Demonology and Witch Hunting. Medieval Grimoires, Sabbaths, and Demonic Witches

A scientific overview of the phenomenon of witch hunting in Europe and Russia.

What signs were used to identify witches in different countries? What were the charges against Joan of Arc and Elizabeth Bathory? How were witch sabbaths described and what do these accounts say about the morals of the era? The author reflects on who magicians, witches, and necromancers really were and why their persecution reached such proportions.

The author traces the evolution of concepts of demons, magic, and female power from the Middle Ages to modern times. Through historical documents, court cases, and cultural archetypes, Marina Golubeva, a historian, candidate of philosophical sciences, and associate professor of psychology, shows how fear, superstition, and misogyny gave rise to mass hysteria.

Particular attention in the book is paid to the differences between Russian tradition and the contemporary return of the image of the witch.