Explore the wide world of magic and belief—how people have explained the unknown and attempted to influence events through charms, spells, and rituals. This book surveys the history, theories, and practices of magic and fetishes across cultures, offering a clear, accessible look at how these ideas shape religious and social life.

From the power of names, words, and talismans to the workings of sympathetic and private magic, the text traces how people think and act when facing the mysteries of illness, luck, love, and fate. It also examines the roles of magicians, the psychology behind magical practices, and the emergence of fetish worship as a stage in the development of religious thought.

Definitions and core ideas of fetishism and magical practice

How contagious and sympathetic magic are believed to work

Roles of talismans, amulets, and ritual objects in daily life

Insights into magicians, rituals, and the psychology of belief

Ideal for readers curious about the roots of ritual, belief systems, and the ways cultures interpret and engage with the unseen.

Book Description

In this work, published in 1910, anthropologist A. C. Haddon (1855-1940) turns his expertise to folk religion, exploring magical and fetishistic practices from Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. A useful introduction to its topic, it is also an important work in the history of modern anthropology.

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