subject: Grimoires And Their History [print this page] The history of grimoires is as extended and tumultuous as human curiosity in magic has always been. From ancient Mesopotamia through the witch hunts of Europe for the duration of the Early Modern time extending to the present time, the occult has equally captivated and repelled. Grimoires are fascinating because they echo that curiosity at the same time as document the actual ebb and flow of general trends and belief in the occult.
The word grimoire arises from the Old French word "grimmaire," meaning a book which was written in Latin. After some time the meaning has developed into what we consider these days: a book about magic, much similar to a textbook, that consists of facts about charms, spells, the best way to summon magical entities like angels or demons, as well as the best way to make magical items. Several of these types of guides were definitely thought to have magical properties by themselves.
Interestingly enough, even though the word is European, the first known grimoire was written in the city of Uruk in Mesopotamia, sometime during the 5th century B.C.E. The ancient Egyptians of the same period also had a rich system of incantations, called heka, that focused on charms that provided protection and good health. This slowly changed as time passed, and by the time the Library of Alexandria opened, grimoires contained charms focusing on finances and sexual fulfillment.
Quite a few different early peoples possessed occult practices as well. The Jewish people were definitely looked at as well-informed in the magical disciplines; a lot of Biblical figures additionally had ties to the occult. Moses was purportedly had the ability to subdue demons, while the Book of Enoch included a section devoted to astrology. King Solomon was also looked at as a magical figure. On the other hand, these beliefs began being suppressed right after the Roman Empire became completely Christian.
This trend of suppression continued into the Medieval period. By this time, the Church had separated magic into "good" or "natural" magic, and "demonic" magic, which was deemed unacceptable. However, interest continued and grimoires reflecting current influences continued to be written. During this time, Moorish influences increased in the form of astral magic. Famous works include Arabic books such as the Picatrix and Sefer Raziel Ha-Malakh, as well as grimoires based on Biblical figures such as the Sworn Book of Honorius, based on King Solomon.
Early Modern Europe was not a favorable location for magicians. Although the introduction of the printing press ensured that publications of magic were definitely a lot more prevalent, and also there was renewed curiosity in Hermeticism and the Jewish mystical teachings of the Kabbalah, there were definitely several situations that would certainly make Europe a threatening spot to be. The Reformation, Counter-Reformation, along with the Inquisition, plus the witch hunts that ensued, ended up being disastrous. Quite a few grimoires ended up being placed on the "Indexes of Prohibited Books" and some were destroyed outright. Regardless of this, magicians continued to compose. Paracelsus, a Swiss magician, focused on the differences between beneficial and evil magic in his book "Of the Supreme Mysteries of Nature," whilst others produced demonological grimoires such as "The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy."
European anti-magic passion died down as the world moved into the age of Enlightenment. Rationalists and scientists nonetheless fervently opposed magic and witchcraft, but grimoires became widely accessible. Many of the works of this time period, like the "Libra de San Cipriano" concentrated on finding treasure; others focused on astrology.
Through the last century, there have been only a small amount of books of magic produced. The Book of Shadows, the Wiccan Grimoire, was published by Gerald Gardner in the 1940s; an additional recognized work is the "Simon Necronomicon," which is primarily based on a fictional grimoire seen in H.P. Lovecraft's books. Sufficient people are interested in the Lovecraft's Necronomicon that it is a popular request at libraries - sadly, the actual book doesn't exist. Nowadays, most grimoires occur only as guides in video games, fantasy stories, or TV shows.
Although these books of magic may not be written much anymore, interest in the occult will never die. If nothing else, the long history of grimoires should tell us that much.
