Occult: Decoding the visual culture of mysticism, magic and divination

A clear, concise and detailed historical analysis of the eclectic and arcane visual and material culture of the occult. Searching for the philosophers' stone in the pursuit of transmutation and immortality; harnessing the properties of the natural world to cast magic spells; seeking visionary experiences to connect with the spiritual world; conjuring demons to enact our desires; using the tarot and astrology to divine the future - the quest to understand the mysteries of the universe and to tap into its powers has fuelled manifold occult philosophies from the early esoteric traditions of the ancient Egyptians to the practices of modern occultists. For hundreds of years, occult - or hidden - knowledge has been recorded in esoteric manuscripts, enshrined in illustrated grimoires, inscribed in stelae, incorporated in cryptic paintings and embodied in arcane ritual objects. Delve within these pages and pore over myriad intricate images, ornate manuscripts and intriguing ritual objects, and discover the meaning concealed within the secret ciphers, mysterious symbols and covert rituals of the occult.