Conjuring the Arab Magician - Intercultural Histories of Magic

This Element reassesses narratives of intercultural transmission in medieval European magic, highlighting complex processes of compilation and attribution often obscured by broad labels. Following an Introduction that lays out the methodological framework, Section 1 ('The Wise Saracens') explores a medieval Christian magician's depiction of Islam and the figure of the Arab magician, illustrating how authors blended genuine intercultural exchanges with imaginative attributions. Section 2 ('The Seven Names') reconsiders a Latin magical text traditionally labeled 'Arabic magic,' demonstrating that its complex, multicultural components resist any simple claims of a lost Arabic original. Section 3 ('The Almandel Problem') presents another contested text, showing how philological evidence often complicates a linear model of transmission. Finally, this volume offers a complete edition and translation of The Book of Seven Names, discussed in Section 2.

List of contents

Introduction; 1. The Wise Saracens: Berengar Ganell and his view on Islam; 2. The seven names: revisiting an 'Arabic Magic' work 27; 3. The Almandel problem: do we have to assume a lost source?; 4. Concluding remarks; 5. The book of seven names: edition; 6. The book of seven names: translation; Bibliography.

Product details

• Authors: Gal Sofer, Gal (Bengurion University of the Negev) Sofer
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 31.01.2026
• EAN: 9781009547222
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0954722-2
• No. of pages: 75
• Series: Elements in Magic
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Theatre, ballet; RELIGION / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Islamic Studies, Magic, spells and alchemy, Magic, spells & alchemy, Conjuring & Magic, Conjuring and magic, Islamic & Arabic philosophy, Islamic and Arab philosophy, Relating to Arab people