Includes everything from spells and omens to rituals and taboos, this dictionary touches on virtually every aspect of human culture. It embraces family life and the lore of farmers, sailors, miners, and actors; offers advice on the signs to observe when contemplating a journey or a marriage; reveals the significance of animals, plants, stones, colors, food and drink, the elements, and heavenly bodies; outlines the precautions to be taken after a death or during a thunderstorm; and discloses the motives behind seasonal customs at New Year, in May, at Halloween, and Christmas. Each entry is arranged alphabetically according to its central idea or object, and illustrated with a selection of chronologically ordered quotations indicating the history and development of each belief. A thematic index helps the reader discover surprisingly coherent patterns in these mysterious and often misunderstood methods of comprehending the world, and shows the strong underlying connections with witchcraft and pagan religions.--From publisher description.
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