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Magic, Metallurgy and Imagination in Medieval Ireland

Three Studies

John Carey author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Celtic Studies Publications,U.S.

Published:1st Aug '19

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Magic, Metallurgy and Imagination in Medieval Ireland cover

This book is a study of the rich and fascinating traditions found early Irish literature concerning smiths and the fashioning of metal. The smith had a special status within the traditional societies of early Ireland and elsewhere in the Celtic-speaking world. The figure is associated with magic and the supernatural, as well as having special legal status, and a marginal and ambiguous position within the community. John Carey is an internationally known expert on Old Irish language and literature and includes here texts and translations of magical spells, incantations, and narratives connected with smiths and their craft.

The texts and translations alone make this volume a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in magic and belief in medieval Ireland. Carey's accompanying essays are thought-provoking, and remind the reader just how many gaps there are in our understanding of early Irish belief, and how much work remains to be done. * The Medieval Review *

ISBN: 9781891271281

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

148 pages