The Witch's Athame ─ The Craft, Lore & Magick of Ritual Blades

The tools of a Witch help her connect with the divine and the magical. Most books on Witchcraft briefly discuss those tools, but where does a practitioner go for more detailed information? The Witch’s Athame takes a deeper look into the significance of what Gerald Gardner described as the “true Witch’s weapon.” For the new Witch this book goes through all the steps in finding just the right athame, consecrating it, and then using it in ritual. For the experienced practitioner the book serves as a thorough history of the athame; tracing the use of ceremonial knives from ancient times to the grimoire tradition of the Renaissance and finally to the modern day. The past and the present of the athame are all represented. From modern athames made of stone and crystal to folklore about knives in magical usage, this book connects the reader with Witches, Magicians, and Pagans from across the centuries.

Jason Mankey (California) is a Pagan blogger, a columnist for the Ipinion Syndicate, and a writer for Patheos. He has journeyed across North America to various Pagan and Magickal festivals, where he talks about rock and roll, Pagan deities, and various aspects of Pagan history.