The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca

by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

While most people are familiar with the classic image of a witch as a frightening figure riding through the night sky on a broomstick, true witchcraft is something very different. "Witches and Wiccans" explores witches and witchcraft throughout the ages, in both folklore and history. It discusses what people have believed about witches in different time periods, witchcraft practices from different cultures around the world, and how societies have perceived those called witches. With this look at the modern Wicca practices, the principles of Wicca, and how they differ from the witches of legend, readers will gain a better understanding of what modern-day practitioners do to commune with the unseen forces.

Genres: Witchcraft, Nonfiction, Reference, Paganism, Occult, Witches, Wicca

120 pages, ebook

First published December 31, 1989

About the author

Rosemary Ellen Guiley is a leading expert on the paranormal, and is the author of 45+ books, including ten single-volume encyclopedias. Since 1983, she has worked full-time in the paranormal, researching, investigating and writing. She has done extensive field work investigating haunted, mysterious and sacred places, and has had numerous strange and unexplained experiences. When she is not on the paranormal road, she is working on new books and writing for TAPS Paramagazine, FATE magazine, and the Journal of Abduction-Encounter Research. Rosemary lives in New Jersey, and spend much of her time traveling the spooky byways of one of the most haunted states in America, Pennsylvania."

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great reference encyclopedia for witchcraft in Europe and North America. This is an encyclopedia and I thought it was pretty cool. It was not cheesy but well-researched and informative. The entries are extensive and include rites and practices (necromancy, familiars, initiations, pacts with the devil, etc.), charms and herbs (mandrake, poisons, stones, blood, etc.), short biographies of prominent individuals both ancient and modern (like Henry Agrippa, John Dee, and Gerald Gardner—the father of contemporary Witchcraft as a religion), and many historical accounts throughout the ages.

A couple of the many things I learned were:
1. allotriophagy: vomiting or disgorgement of strange objects, usually when someone is possessed by the devil or a demon; like snakes, worms, toads, seaweed and foam.
(like in the movie The Possession when the little girl vomited moths)
2. Pope Innocent III: his Papal Bull of 1484 triggered the European witch-hunts by aggressively hunting and burning suspected witches; also publishing the Malleus Maleficarum in 1486 that acted as a manual to weed out and execute witches from the community.
3. witches flying on brooms: though popular in folklore, brooms are mentioned only once in all English witch trials; the various witchcraft laws between 1542 and 1736 outlawed many witchcraft practices but did not prohibit flying.
3. Fraudulent Mediums Act of 1951: was the first law enacted in England that made witchcraft no longer a crime.

I actually enjoyed reading this in it's entirety. It is great for anyone interested in random witchcraft information or it could be used for research. Highly recommended. Thanks!

[Charissa Weaks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need information on witches, ancient and contemporary, this is a great research tool. Highly recommend to writers, especially.

[Aaron Woodsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of information. I'm a sucker for a good encyclopedia, and this one is put together very well. Another one that was a little hard to find but was worth the effort.

[Lady Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 / 5

As everyone can assume, reading an encyclopedia takes a lot of time. In fact, if anyone were to ask me if I'd recommend it, I'd say ONLY do it if:

A) You're a bookworm (like me) that can commit and handle reading a long encyclopedia full of info upon info upon info, and

B) If you're REALLY interested in the topic(s) that the encyclopedia covers.

It is not a quest for the faint of heart, my friends.

That being said, in terms of being thorough and informative if you want to get your know-how on the basics of Witchcraft and Wicca, this encyclopedia is a great place to get a wealth of information. It has some depth, but mostly the overview of topics covered is more impressive than having great detail on any one topic.

It took my a while to get through it, but it's been a delightful addition to my morning reads. Really enjoyed it overall and, to fellow Wiccans and Witches, yes, I do recommend at least considering it as an addition to your shelves. Read it sparingly and, bit by bit, I'm sure you can get through it.

[Sophie Avett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a die hard fan of this woman. I don't even care that her books are hella expensive. I really don't. Frankly, I have yet to find another author quite like her. The book is exactly what it sounds like, an encyclopedia of all things witches. You're not going to find specific spells, rites, etc.-- this is much more about the history of witchcraft than help practicing it. She does cover "witch-related" events, too, like haunting and such. And the information in this paranormal encyclopedia is organized. Very organized.

I do think she did her absolute best to collect a wealth of material. I think she did a fantastic job. I can't say there is another, more useful book (on the same subject) on my shelves. That being said, the pictures are in black and white, and they aren't awe-inspiring.

Otherwise, you'll find just about anything your heart desires in this book. That being said, you do have to know HOW to look. You're not going to find what you're looking for by just skimming through the book--there's too much content for that inane twittery. You're going to have to actually spend sometime searching the index and reading through various entries to find the exact information you're looking for. Now, I do write witches for the most part, but I can't say that I've used this book for much more than historical reference material just yet. I do think that has to do with the fact that there is so much "witch-related" content in here, rather than different types of witches. If it were the latter, I could see myself using this book a little bit more than I actually do.

I did order this one from Amazon, but I ordered it "used" to help cut the cost down. Either way, like I said, I love this author and would probably follow her supernatural ass to the grave.

[Macey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super informative. I really learned a ton of information in a short amount of time.

[Ronel Janse van Vuuren · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re going to write about witches, you need this book in your arsenal. A great overview of witches over time.

[Dannye Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating resource

[janice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly about the lives of modern witches/wizards. Was looking for more historical/fantasy research :/

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A USEFUL REFERENCE WORK

Author Rosemary Ellen Guiley wrote in the Introduction to this 1999 book, “The original intent of this encyclopedia was to provide a compendium of entries related to the history and aspects of witchcraft, up to and including the contemporary developments of Witchcraft, Wicca and Paganism… The focus of the book is on Western magic and witchcraft… As for contemporary Witchcraft, I have updated entries and added many new ones…. I have not attempted to provide an exhaustive account of the many and ever-changing permutations of, and debates within, Witchcraft and Paganism… Witchcraft the religion is but one aspect of the overall subject of witchcraft… I have capitalized Witch and Witchcraft when referring to contemporary religious persuasions, and have left it lowercase when referring to folk traditions and sorcery… Because the distinction between Witchcraft and witchcraft can be confusing, I have to side with the Witches who prefer the term ‘Wicca.’ … It is up to the public … to learn to distinguish between Witchcraft the religion and witchcraft the folk tradition.”

Here are examples of the topical entries:
“BLACK MASS: An obscene parody of the Catholic Holy Mass firmly entrenched in the popular notion of Devil-worship. Black Masses are erroneously associated with all Witches. They are not performed by contemporary Witches, Wiccans and Pagans, who do not worship the Devil, and it is doubtful that they were ever performed, at least in any significant numbers, by witches of centuries past. The Black Mass exists more in fiction and film than it does in reality, though it is apparently performed by various modern satanic groups that worship the Devil.”
“BOOK OF SHADOWS: In contemporary Witchcraft, a book of beliefs, rituals, Witchcraft laws and ethics, herbal and healing lore, incantations, chants, dances, spells, divination methods… and miscellaneous topics, which serves as a guide for Witches in practicing their Craft and religion. There is no definitive book of shadows, which may be added to or adapted by separate covens… In addition, individual Witches add their own personal material. The book is to be kept secret, but some Witches have gone public with their books of shadows over the years.”
“BUCKLAND, RAYMOND: The introduction of contemporary Witchcraft into the United States was accomplished primarily through the efforts of Raymond Buckland, and Englishman who moved to America in 1962. Buckland also founded a new tradition of Witchcraft… and for more than two decades served as a leading spokesperson for Witchcraft. He holds a doctorate in anthropology…”
“BURNING TIMES: A term used by contemporary Witches and Pagans to refer to the period in Western history of intense witch hunting and executions, generally the mid-15th to mid-18th century.”
“CHURCH AND SCHOOL OF WICCA: Religious and educational institutions founded by Gavin and Yvonne Frost… The Church of Wicca, founded in 1968, is the oldest recognized church of Witchcraft in the United States, achieving federal recognition in 1972.”
“CHURCH OF ALL WORLDS: One of the first and most influential of contemporary Pagan churches… The Church of All Worlds (CAW) espouses pantheism, but it is not a ‘belief-based’ religion. Rather, it is a religion of experience, in which members… experience Divinity and honor the experiences and perspectives of others.”
“COVEN: The formal organization and working unit of Witches… Among contemporary Witches, it was once commonly believed that witchcraft had descended unbroken from prehistoric times as a pagan religion. Some Witches claim to be members of covens that data back generations.”
“COVENANT OF THE GODDESS: One of the largest and oldest Wiccan religious organizations…. (COG) is a nonprofit confederation of autonomous covens and solitary Witches… and is based in Berkeley… COG was formed in 1975 by elders from diverse Wiccan traditions in response to the rise of interest in Witchcraft, feminism, and environmentalism.”
"CROWLEY, ALEISTER: The most controversial and perhaps least understood magician and occultist of his time… Crowley joined the London chapter of the Hermatic Order of the Golden Dawn… he discovered he had a natural aptitude for magic and rose quickly through the hierarchy.”
“DEVIL: Christianity’s Prince of Supreme Evil. The Devil, or Satan, is not a god of contemporary Witches and Pagans. The notion that witches worshipped the Devil arose in the Middle Ages and Reformation, when belief in a personal Satan as the agent of all evil was particularly strong.”
“EVIL EYE: The causing of illness, misfortune, calamity and death by the looks of strangers and by envious looks. Amulets and incantations… ward the danger off.”
“FAMILIARS: Historically, low-ranking demons in constant intention to witches for the purpose of carrying out spells and bewitchments. Familiars usually assumed animal forms…”
“GARDNER, GERALD BROUSSEAU: English Witch and founder of contemporary Witchcraft as a religion… The posthumous assessment of him is that he was a con man, a reprobate and artful disassembler, yet he had great vision and creativity and was willing to try outrageous things.”
“GODDESS: In contemporary Witchcraft, the Goddess embodies the very essence of the Craft: she is the Great Mother, whose limitless fertility brings forth all life; she is Mother Nature, the living biosphere of the planet and the force of the elements… Most traditions of Witchcraft emphasize the Goddess aspect of the Divine Force… The Goddess also is recognized in Pagan traditions.”
“LEEK, SYBIL: English Witch and astrologer who moved to America in the 1960s and gained fame in publicizing the renaissance of Witchcraft in the Western world.”
“MACUMBA: The Brazilian form of Vodoun and Santeria, or the worship of the ancient African gods through spirit possession and magic… the word is an umbrella term for the two principal forms of African spirit worship in Brazil...”
“MAGIC: Magic is the art of changing consciousness and physical reality according to will… Magic, like science, works in conformance to the natural laws of the universe.”
“MALLEUS MALEFICARUM (The Witch Hammer): A comprehensive witch-hunter’s handbook, the most important treatise on prosecuting witches to come out of the witch hysteria of the Middle Ages…”
“PAGANISM: A group of contemporary religions based on Nature worship and ancient indigenous traditions, especially those of pre-Christian Europe. Witchcraft, or Wicca… comprises the largest segment of Paganism.”
“PENTACLE AND PENTAGRAM: The pentacle, a five-pointed star with a single point upright, is the most important symbol of contemporary Witchcraft…. A written or drawn pentacle is called a pentagram… The sacred symbol of Witchcraft often is misunderstood because of associations of the inverted pentacle, with single point down … with the infernal.”
“SABBATS: The belief that witches convened in sabbats, assemblies characterized by obscene behavior, dominated the Christian witch-hunts.”
“SALEM WITCHES: One of the last outbreaks of witchcraft hysteria… occurred in Salem, Massachusetts, from 1692 to 1693… 141 people were arrested as suspects, 19 were hanged and one was pressed to death.”
SANDERS, ALEX: Self-proclaimed ‘King of the Witches’ in his native England… A gifted psychic with a flamboyant style, he was for some years the most public witch in Britain.”
“SATANISM: The worship of Satan, or the Devil, the god of evil in Christianity. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, witches, along with heretics, were accuse of worshipping the Devil. Many confessed to it, probably coerced by torture.”
“SPELLS: A spell is a spoken or written formula that, in an act of Magic, is intended to cause or influence a particular course of events.”
“WARLOCK: A term for male witches, though most men in contemporary Witchcraft prefer to be called Witches or Wiccans like their female counterparts.”
“WICCA: An alternate and often preferred name for the religion of contemporary Witchcraft. Many witches prefer to call themselves Wiccans rather than Witches and say they practice Wicca… because the words do not carry the negative stereotypes attached to Witch and Witchcraft.”
“WICCAN REDE: The creed of contemporary Paganism and Witchcraft is expressed simply: Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An’ it harm none, do what ye will.”
“WITCHCRAFT:… there is no universal definition of ‘witchcraft.’ … In a neutral sense, witchcraft is Sorcery, the magical manipulation of supernormal forces through the casting of spells and conjuring or invoking of spirits.”
“WIZARD: A term used in various periods of history for male magicians, sorcerers or witches but seldom used in modern times.”

This book will be very helpful to those studying such subjects.

[Cristy Emmnm · Rating 4 out of 5]

To say this book is "read" or "finished" is kind of silly since this is a reference book and, honestly, those aren't books you read cover to cover and then move on from...they're for referencing, regularly or irregularly as one might. I use this book for research. Originally, I discovered this book at my former library when looking for something to browse for discovery purposes in research. A very good find. Ultimately, I ended up ordering a used library copy from AbeBooks and which the "witches" entry is missing (some asshole destroyed a library book to steal five pages of the witches entry UUUGGGH), the rest of the entries are precisely the kind that I need. Guiley could have written a more dense book but it's still a very good one. Especially for browsing and discovery, or for those who want a good place to get some short definitions.

[Weavre · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic reference book. What do you do when you come across an unfamiliar word in any good book? Check the dictionary, right? But what if it's an unfamiliar name, say of an obscure American colonist tried for witchcraft? Or the name of a modern Pagan organization with which you're not familiar? They're not in the OED or Webster's, but they're in here! I've loved having this book, even though I'm ready to pass it on now.

[Claudia Loureiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Reference Book! This book is very nice. You can tell that the author did a lot of research. If you are looking for a reference book that describes witchcraft terminology, this is a great source of information. The author also discusses historical events and famous pagan people. If you want a book on doing spells and how to practice witchcraft, I recommend Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reference book did not appeal to me as it has many others~ I found in non in depth and found other reference books more informative ~ I rate it as boring sorry to say but that's my honest review sorry

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Kell · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book touting itself as an encyclopedia, the author sure does make a lot of insertions of what she thinks witchcraft is or isn’t. When I got this book at first I was excited but the more I’ve read the more it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. She tries to separate the modern witchcraft movement from its folkloric basis and it just doesn’t sit right with me. There is good information but you need to be aware this is not a scholarly work on witchcraft.

[M.F. Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book @ ten years ago, and refer to it frequently for all things witchcraft. Lately, I've been searching for information on men who have been tried and/or executed for witchcraft. Didn't find much on the subject, but the book is still informative and interesting

[Ray Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book really interesting. I really liked the historical aspects of it. There were decent sources cited and I ended up finding a few other books that I wanted to read. I would recommend this to someone who is just casually reading. It was enjoyable.

[Kathy Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of Rosemary's encyclopedias are fantastic research tools. Not to mention they are just extremely interesting reads.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference tool

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-have Encyclopedia. Very detailed and lots of information. It helped me greatly in my research into the occult.

[Ella Hebbron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and useful.

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of wonderful information

[Kevin Test · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't believe in the supernatural, but I did enjoy this book when I had it. It's factual as opposed to superstitious.

[Jhef · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was very young and living in Maryland I used to walk the library and sit down in the aisle and read this book. It fascinated me endlessly. In my later years I rediscovered this book and had to own my own copy. It serves as a decent reference, but for me the memories from my childhood make it 5 stars.

[Sabrina Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent work from Rosemary Ellen Guiley, a highly useful resource for both the neophyte interested in witchy folklore and the knowledgeable reader looking to expand the breadth of their learning in the subject. This Encyclopedia covers everything from ancient folklore to modern-day witchcraft practitioners and gives concise, fact-based overviews with every interest. A book to own.

[Paranorm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the definitive works on witchcraft and its rich history. Guiley is an incredibly talented author and researcher. This book contains nearly everything you would want to know about witchcraft.
Amazing reference piece.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun to read. Full of beautiful and or spooky myths and factoids. Like all books that I give five stars I must own this book someday.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative book on the historical references of witches and witchcraft. Explains major figures in the craft and symbolic references.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not something read cover to cover of course but had an enjoyable time jumping all around from topic to topic. Excellent addition to the bookshelf.