The Galdrabók

Forbidden Icelandic Folk Magic

Kári Pálsson

“Write these letters on white vellum with your blood.”

Once forbidden by the church on penalty of severe punishment and even death, Iceland’s occult symbols have been subject to a remarkable transformation over the past few decades: They can now commonly be seen used as tattoos, in media such as video games, and even as components of business logos. Most books containing these symbols, known as grimoires, were confiscated and destroyed. However, a small number survived, most famously the Galdrabók. In this new and approachable edition of the Galdrabók, folklorist Kári Pálsson presents his original English translation and an edition of the grimoire’s original Icelandic text beside another grimoire never before published: the unique and quite mysterious Jarðskinna manuscript.

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