History and Archaeology

Exploring the influence of the Norse god, Odin, in the modern world, Richard Rudgley reveals Odin's central role in the pagan revival and how this has fuelled a wide range of cultural movements and phenomena, including Nazi Germany, the 1960s counterculture revolution, the Lord of the Rings, the ecology movement and the occult underground. Rudgley argues that it is Odin and not Jesus Christ who is

New England has long been associated with witches. And while the Salem witch trials happened long ago, the prejudices and fears engendered by the witchcraft hysteria still live on in our culture. What forces were at work that brought the witch hysteria quickly from Europe to the new American colony, a place of religious freedom - and what caused these prejudices to linger centuries after the fact?

Unbeknownst - or unacknowledged - by many, there is a long tradition of psychedelic magic and religion in Western civilisation. As Thomas Hatsis reveals, the discovery of the power of psychedelics and entheogens can be traced to the very first prehistoric expressions of human creativity, with a continuing lineage of psychedelic mystery traditions from antiquity through the Renaissance to the Victo

Baron Giulio Cesare Andrea Evola, known to the English-speaking world as Julius Evola (1898–1974), was an Italian philosopher, magician, painter, occultist, Orientalist, linguist and champion mountain climber. Often considered a pillar of Neo-Fascist thought, Evola opposed Fascism and called himself a “radical traditionalist. “In this exploration of Evola's inner and outer life from World War II i

Born in the Soviet Union and descended from a matrilineal line of witches, Natasha Helvin offers a rare look into the secret practices of Russian black magic, passed down from teacher to disciple for generations, both orally and through their grimoires bound in black. Drawing from her own experience, Helvin provides insight into the fundamental ideology of black magic practitioners, from the unive

The story of the notorious outlaw Jesse James's assassination at the hands of Robert Ford has been clouded with mystery ever since its inception. Now, James's great-great-grandchildren Daniel and Teresa Duke present the results of more than 20 years of exhaustive research into state and federal records, photographs, newspaper reports, diaries and a 1995 DNA test in search of the truth behind Jesse

Exploring the mystery of why so many ancient cultures, separated by time and distance, share remarkably similar cosmological philosophies and religious symbolism, Laird Scranton reveals how this shared creation tradition upholds the idea that ancient instruction gave birth to the great civilizations, each of which preserves fragments of the original knowledge. Looking at the many manifestations of

Amid the European refugee crisis, with the background of Southern Europe having become the point of arrival for hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants, Monica Bettlheim, an American archaeologist, is trying to recapture her former fame. She has a mission to uncover prehistoric cultures that conventional archaeology and history both fear and deny. Her search is sponsored by an eccentric aristo

In this exploration of the history of the runes from 1500 CE to the present day, Stephen Edred Flowers examines the five periods of runic revival: the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Romantic period, the early 20th century, and the late 20th century. For each period, he discusses both the scholarly studies and those focused on the esoteric mysteries of the runes--and how these two branches of

A guide to the history and practice of Kimbanda, the black magic tradition of Brazil • Explains how Kimbanda´s presiding deity Eshu embodies both masculine and feminine principles, both god and devil, and thus represents human nature itself with all its vices and virtues • Discusses Kimbanda´s magical practices, initiation rites, sacred knives, and sacrificial offerings • Detai

Exploring the initial stages of psychedelic study in Europe and America, Thomas Hatsis offers a full history of the psychedelic-fuelled revolution in healing and consciousness expansion that blossomed in the 1950s--the first “golden age” of psychedelic research. Revealing LSD as a “wonder child” rather than Albert Hofmann's infamous “problem child,” the author focuses on the extensive studies with

The fossil record confirms that humanity originated in Africa. Yet somehow we have overlooked that Africa is also at the root of all that makes us human--our spirituality, civilization, arts, sciences, philosophy, and our conscious and unconscious minds. In this African-revisioned look at the unfolding of human history and culture, Edward Bruce Bynum reveals how our collective unconscious is Afric

Every Thread a Story is a tribute to ethnic minority artisans of China's Guizhou Province. It is also a tribute to the heritage craft traditions and techniques passed down through the generations of their families. The book introduces more than a dozen contemporary artists from four ethnic groups working in the techniques of their ancestors, including indigo dyers, embroiderers of varying techniqu

The first major book on Vikings by a Scandinavian author to be published in English, The Wolf Age reframes the struggle for a North Sea empire and puts readers in the mindset of Vikings, providing new insight into their goals, values, and what they chose to live and die for. Tore Skeie ("Norway's Most Important Young Historian") takes readers on a thrilling journey through the bloody shared hist

The 1930s came in with the Great Depression and went out with World War II. But amid the political upheavals and social unrest, it was a decade that saw many traditions shaken to their foundations and new thinking taking centre-stage, from the abdication of Edward VIII to the launch of BBC television. In this book the black-and-white contrasts of this revolutionary decade are captured vividly in w

The 1970s was a decade of extremes, from the grim chill of the winter blackouts to the majestic heatwave of the Queen's Silver Jubilee, from the gaudy glitz of glam rock to the trim monochrome of ska, and from the austerity of the three-day week to the hilarity of Carry On films, bubble perms, kipper ties and ankle-swinger flares. In the context of the 20th century as a whole, the 1970s is the bla

First published in 1872, The Underground Railroad is a fascinating collection of slaves' own narratives of their escapes from bondage. Their accounts provide a horrifying window into the reality of the 'peculiar institution' and the trials they had to endure to escape it. This abridged collection consists of a wide variety of slave narratives faithfully recorded by William Still, a conductor on

Celebrate spring and summer as a time of renewal with Flora the Roman Goddess of flowers and learn about balance in Litha. As the nights get longer, create beautiful garlands of herbs to ward off evil spirits. Explore the magic of each month, with mystical tips and practical projects, and delve into the annual cycle of a modern mystical year. With supersitions and sayings, crystals, birds and

From Christian true believers in the Apocalypse and the Rapture, to New Age enthusiasts of prophecies concerning the year 2012, Doomsday lore has become a staple of our cultural life. Yet, no matter how many times the predicted end of the world fails to materialise, the belief remains robust. Felser traces Doomsday End myths throughout history to discover why and how we are obsessed with apocalypt

In their startling new book, Steven and Evan Strong challenge the “out-of-Africa” theory. Based on fresh examination of both the DNA and archaeological evidence, they conclude that modern humans originated from Australia, not Africa.The original Australians (referred to by some as Aborigines), like so many indigenous peoples, are portrayed as “backward” and “primitive.” Yet, as the Strongs demonst