Famous Magick and Spellcrafting books

What are the most famous Magick and Spellcrafting books in history? What is the oldest known book? Are any of the oldest ones still in existence and if so, where are they kept?

Are any 'lost books' thought to be purely mythical or do you believe they are real?

Heck, you don't believe in simple questions do you

I believe that there are some books in the Vatican library that lots of us would like to get our hands on. Very old magical texts which the Catholic church thinks should be hidden away

The diaries of John Dee are available. He was astrologer to Elizabeth I. Apart from that the oldest books that I have on my shelves are the works of Eliphas Levi, Francis Barrett's The Magus, Crowley's Goetia, various books by Isreal Regardie. Golden Dawn stuff which is based on The Key of Solomon. We also have the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Book of Enoch all of which are old and contain a certain amount of magic

However, I do believe there's someone round here who runs a book shop so she can probably answer you better than me

Julia

What a fabulous reply Julia (and a Happy Birthday to you again)

Very, very interesting list. We are bibliophiles and old books are a particular passion of ours and I don't mean owning them, I mean learing about them, learning from them, etc. When I asked the question I imagined that many books would have been lost or destroyed over the centuries. I'm not surprised about the Vatican though.

Yers, that's one library worth spending a lot of time in - there's no doubt there are a fair few eye openers in there.

Ook! wrote:

Yers, that's one library worth spending a lot of time in - there's no doubt there are a fair few eye openers in there.

I think if there is anything of interest it would most likely be in the Bodlen Library, underneath Oxford.

Legally, every book that published must send a copy to there, so theres probably loads of hidden books under there!

Well i know that in wicca some people believe that when a witch dies her Book of Shadows should be burned or buried with her, but to a book lover like me i find that HORRIBLE!

Ditto Kim.

Agares, I couldn't agree more.

I've studied Magic in the Ancient World as part of my degree. When I come back from Holiday, I'll let you know about the subject and the useful books. You can buy revised copies of them off the internet, so you can research at home. My specialty is ancient talismans and charms, and defixiones 'stone tablets with spells on them'.

Fascinating, I look forward to your return - have a great holiday by the way!

My degree is in Classical Studies. Ancient Greek and Romans with a bit of Egyptian and the surronding areas. I can read Latin and Ancient Greek. I know all the major myths and I had a good go at Classics in modern films. I got to write an exam paper on 'O Brother, Where art thou?' So cool. My specialty is in Magic in the Ancient World along with Ancient Astrology and Architecture of Greece and Rome. My dissertation was on Greco Pottery of the Early Classical period. What I found the most cheeky was I wrote an essay for Magic in the Ancient World and I managed to put a bonifide Harry Potter reference in and it still got marked!!

OH I know an old famous book which had rituals and spells and stuff in!!!!
The Egyptian Book of the Dead!!!!
Yay go me! I'm proud of myself! yeah...
Woo go egypt