Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Sorcery
(4,105 words)

1. Introduction

1.1. Concept

Sorcery and spells occur in a variety of cultural contexts. Alongside divination and the use of oracles, they form part of magic in a wider sense. Pluriform sorcery as a form of social interaction is closely related to witchcraft (Witch), popular religion, superstition, and other topics. Recent scholarship has tended to avoid the term in favor of magic. However, despite many overlaps, there are clearly recognizable differences between magic and s…

Cite this page
Kuhn, Thomas Konrad and Ströhmer, Michael, “Sorcery”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 04 October 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_030661>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180208



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