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Black Arts
The sum of all the
knowledge about spells, magic
and rituals that draw on
evil and malevolent powers.
The term is thought to come from the confusion of the etymology of necromancy with the Latin word niger,
which means 'black'. The Devil
was also portrayed as black.
In modern times, people who believe in or claim
to practice magic, or magick (alternative spelling), use the term to
describe the whole of knowledge on harmful magic, the kind they consider
taboo, invoked to kill, injure, or cause destruction, or for personal gain
without regard to harmful consequences to others, as opposed to the good
white magic that they do profess to carry out.
The term Black Arts could also be used to
describe a collective of rituals and practices that some group or person
does not approve of. In a lighter note, Black Arts is also the name for the
collective artistic achievements of black persons as a group, and of a
martial arts combat system.
See
Witchcraft,
Casting Black Magic Spells,
Commanding Spirits,
The Tarot Store and
Divination & Scrying Tools and
Supplies.
Sources: (1) Spence, Lewis,
An Encyclopedia of
Occultism, Carol Publishing Group; (2)
Pickering,
David,
Cassell Dictionary of Witchcraft,
Cassell Academic; (3)
The Encyclopaedia
Britannica Eleventh Edition Handy Volume Edition, Oxford
University Press.
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