Why have societies all across the world feared witchcraft? This book delves deeply into its context beliefs & origins in Europe's history The witch came to prominence-and often a painful death-in early modern Europe yet her origins are much more geographically diverse & historically deep In this landmark book Ronald Hutton traces witchcraft from the ancient world to the early-modern stake This book sets the notorious European witch trials in the widest & deepest possible perspective & traces the major historiographical developments of witchcraft Hutton a renowned expert on ancient medieval & modern paganism & witchcraft beliefs combines Anglo-American & continental scholarly approaches to examine attitudes on witchcraft & the treatment of suspected witches across the world including in Africa the Middle East South Asia Australia & North & South America & from ancient pagan times to current interpretations His fresh anthropological & ethnographical approach focuses on cultural inheritance & change while considering shamanism folk religion the range of witch trials & how the fear of witchcraft might be eradicated