history as necromancy

 

Alexander Cummins, PhD is an historian, cunning-man, and consultant whose practice centres around sorcery, philosophy, medicine, and the dead. In particular, his work focuses on cunning-craft, necromancy, and divination.

His doctoral thesis from the University of Bristol explored the history of magical approaches to the emotions: from mapping personality with astrology, to managing emotionality with herbs and amulets, to the manipulations of aphrodisiacs, the evil eye, and the conjuration of spirits. His areas of research span topics such as folklore and spellcraft, hauntings and ancestor veneration, and handbooks of demonology and ritual magic.

Dr Cummins writes for both academic and esoteric publishers, facilitates a range of workshops and lecture series, teaches in both universities and and virtual classrooms, consults privately with clients and organisations, and speaks at a wide variety of events. Inquiries can be directed to consultantsorcerer@gmail.com

Al co-hosts the podcast Radio Free Golgotha with Jesse Hathaway Diaz, and is a founding editor of the Folk Necromancy in Transmission series. His favourite animal is currently a tie between fox and octopus. 

 

 

“Necromancer (necromantes) he that practises that wicked Art, a Master of the Black Art, one that seeks to the dead; or consults with Satan in the shape of a dead man. The Hebrews describe him thus; he made himself hungry, and then lodged among the Graves, that the dead might come to him in a dream, and make known to him that which he asked, &c. Others there were that clad themselves with cloathes for that purpose, and spoke certain words, burned Incense, and slept by themselves, that such a dead person might come and talk with them in a dream.”
- Thomas Blount, Glossographia (London, 1661)