Chaldean Magic: its Origin and Development. With Considerable Additions by the Author, and Notes by the Editor.

LENORMANT, François.

Published by London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1877

About this Item

First edition in English, from the French edition of 1874, with extensive additional notes by Lenormant. This is a scholarly work on the magical practices, religious systems, and mythology of the Chaldeans of ancient Assyria. The work is based on the translation of one of the tablets found by Austen Henry Layard in the library of the royal palace at Nineveh, which was inscribed with 28 incantations against evil spirits, the effects of sorcery, and disease. The study includes chapters on the development of Chaldean mythology, the mythology of the underworld, and the society's origin myths. Lenormant uses the text of the tablet to compare Chaldean sorcery to Egyptian magic and draws parallels and contrasts between the two occult traditions. He dedicated this edition to Samuel Birch, head of the Egyptian and Assyrian departments at the British Museum, where the tablet was held. François Lenormant (1837-1883) was a French archaeologist, Assyriologist, and numismatist. In 1867, he was among the first to recognize in the cuneiform inscriptions on the tablets of Nineveh the existence of a non-Semitic language, which he named Akkadian (today known as Sumerian). In 1874, he was appointed professor of archaeology at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and in the following year he collaborated with Jean de Witte in founding the Gazette Archeologique. Octavo. Wood-engraved head- and tailpieces. Original strong green cloth, spine lettered and stamped in gilt in compartments with bands ruled in black, frame, titles, and central device in black to the front board, dark reddish grey surface-paper endpapers. Lightly rubbed, head and tail of spine crumpled, corners bumped, the lower just through, short, light scuff to back cover, endpapers barely cracked in front inner hinge, small light greenish yellow book ticket of D. Wyllie & Son, booksellers of Aberdeen to the front pastedown, some foxing as often, but an unusually well preserved copy; very good.

Seller Inventory # 172780

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Chaldean Magic: its Origin and Development. With Considerable Additions by the Author, and Notes by the Editor.
• Publisher: London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1877
• Edition: 1st Edition