Book of Shadows

At a glance

History, context & interpretation

The text and its story

Rituals, spells, charms and lore copied by hand by each initiate. Doreen Valiente's 'Charge of the Goddess' is its most famous passage.

Traditional attribution

Handed down through initiated covens of witches.

Historical scholarship

Compiled by Gerald Gardner and reworked by Doreen Valiente for Gardnerian Wicca.

Context and curiosity

Traditionally each witch copies the book in their own handwriting.

Chronology and transmission

This text belongs to Modern Revelations (Britain). The catalogue gives its approximate dating as c. 1949–1957 CE and original language or script as English. The dated manuscript witnesses and traditional claims may not refer to the same historical event.

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Sources and further reading

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Shadows

Historical descriptions are educational summaries. Religious traditions, scholarly interpretations and unverified claims are distinguished where possible; imagery may be illustrative rather than an artifact photograph.