This superb history of witchcraft brings lucidity and rational analysis to a captivating topic, shrouded in mystery. Using an array of historical records and a sober commitment to the facts, Wickwar examines the true causes behind our ancient fascination with the 'Black Art'; how, through the ages, a potent mixture of fear and superstition was able to provoke acts of gruesome barbarity. Witchcraft and the Black Art does away with sensationalism to provide a fresh, linear approach to the subject; a solid foundation for any general reader with an interest in one of the more sinister and bizarre chapters of our history.