Conceptualizing Knowledge in Early Modern Norway

This book addresses magical ideas and practices in early modern Norway. It examines a large corpus of Norwegian manuscripts from 1650-1850 commonly called Black Books which contained a mixture of recipes on medicine, magic, and art. Ane Ohrvik assesses the Black Books from the vantage point of those who wrote the manuscripts and thus offers an original study of how early modern magical practitioners presented their ideas and saw their practices. The book show how the writers viewed magic and medicine both as practical and sacred art and as knowledge worth protecting through encoding the text. The study of the Black Books illuminates how ordinary people in Norway conceptualized magic as valuable and useful knowledge worth of collecting and saving despite the ongoing witchcraft prosecutions targeting the very same ideas and practices as the books promoted. Medicine, Magic and Art in Early Modern Norway is essential for those looking to advance their studies in magical beliefs and practices in early modern Europe as well as those interested in witchcraft studies, book history, and the history of knowledge.

List of contents

Chapter 1. Finding Knowledge.- Chapter 2. Knowledge Cultures.- Chapter 3. Making Knowledge.- Chapter 4. Attributing Knowledge.- Chapter 5. Indentifying Knowledge.- Chapter 6. Situating Knowledge.- Chapter 7. Instructing Knowledge.-Chapter 8. Organising Knowledge.- Chapter 9: Conceptualising Knowledge.

About the author

Ane Ohrvik is Associate Professor in Cultural History at the University of Oslo, Norway. She has published widely on topics relating to magic and witchcraft, history of medicine, rituals, book history, and history of knowledge. 

Summary

Traces conceptual ideas of knowledge in Norway from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries


Assesses how magic and medicine were viewed as practical and sacred in early modern Europe


Utilises a wide range of early modern manuscripts from 1650 -1850, known as 
Black Books

Product details

• Authors: A. Ohrvik, Ane Ohrvik
• Publisher: Palgrave UK
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 08.05.2017
• EAN: 9781137467416
• ISBN: 978-1-137-46741-6
• No. of pages: 256
• Series: Palgrave Historical Studies in Witchcraft and Magic; Springer Palgrave Macmillan; Palgrave Historical Studies in Witchcraft and Magic
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Cultural history; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; B, Cultural History, History, European History, Social History, Social & cultural history, History of Medicine, Literature: history & criticism, Civilization—History, Europe—History—1492-, History of Early Modern Europe, Medicine—History, Books—History, History of the Book, Black Books;health;Scandanavia;witchcraft;book history