Menu
Your Cart

Catalog Orders: Orders are packed almost daily. Orders placed on business days before 2 PM Pacific will often go out the same day.

Custom Item Orders: 500 or fewer can be completed in 1-3 business days upon receiving completed artwork. 1,000 or fewer? 5-7 business days. More? 1-2 weeks.

VISIT THE SHOP! Explore Our Catalog IRL! Zines, Magic, Buttons & More Await at The Spiral House. Book Your Browse Today!

Demons and Spirits of the Land: Ancestral Lore and Practices

Demons and Spirits of the Land: Ancestral Lore and Practices
Demons and Spirits of the Land: Ancestral Lore and Practices

Demons and Spirits of the Land: Ancestral Lore and Practices

An exploration of the wild spirits that once roamed the lands and inhabited the waters and the pagan rites used to gain their good will

- Explores medieval stories and folk traditions of brownies, fairies, giants, dragons, will-o'-the-wisps, and demons

- Explains the specific rites performed to negotiate with the local spirits and ensure their permission before building on new land

- Shows how these beliefs carried through to modern times, especially in architecture

Our pagan ancestors knew that every forest has brownies and fairies, every spring its lady, and every river malevolent beings in its depths. They told tales of giants in the hills, dragons in the lakes, marshes swarming with will-o'-the-wisps, and demons and wild folk in the mountains who enjoyed causing landslides, avalanches, and floods. They both feared and respected these entities, knowing the importance of appeasing them for safe travel and a prosperous homestead.

Exploring medieval stories, folk traditions, spiritual place names, and pagan rituals of home building and site selection, Claude Lecouteux reveals the multitude of spirits and entities that once inhabited the land before modern civilization repressed them into desert solitude, impenetrable forests, and inaccessible mountains. He explains how, to our ancestors, enclosing a space was a sacred act. Specific rites had to be performed to negotiate with the local spirits and ensure proper placement and protection of a new building. These land spirits often became the household spirit, taking up residence in a new building in exchange for permission to build on their territory. Lecouteux explores Arthurian legends, folk tales, and mythology for evidence of the untamed spirits of the wilderness, such as giants, dragons, and demons, and examines the rites and ceremonies used to gain their good will.

Lecouteux reveals how, despite outright Church suppression, belief in these spirits carried through to modern times and was a primary influence on architecture, an influence still visible in today's buildings. The author also shows how our ancestors' concern for respecting nature is increasingly relevant in today's world.

Claude Lecouteux is a former professor of medieval literature and civilization at the Sorbonne. He is the author of numerous books on medieval and pagan beliefs and magic, including The Book of Grimoires, The Tradition of Household Spirits, A Lapidary of Sacred Stones, and The Secret History of Poltergeists and Haunted Houses. He lives in Paris.

Write a review

Please login or register to review
  • Stock: 1
  • Weight: 14.00oz
  • ISBN: 1620553996
$18.95

NEW IN THE CATALOG

Origin: Myth & Lore
Embrace the beauty of the natural world and the promise of fresh beginnings with Issue #8: Flora, Fauna & Fresh Beginnings!This captivating zi..
$12.00
Origin: Weird Walk
Embark on a transformative journey through Britain's captivating landscapes with Weird Walk!     ..
$28.95
Gotta love a zine that starts with:"Merry Old Soul is an anti-fascist zine of seasonal culture for all people. We stand against weaponization..
$3.00
Gotta love a zine that starts with:"Merry Old Soul is an anti-fascist zine of seasonal culture for all people. We stand against weaponizati..
$3.00
Origin: Finn
Chart Your Course Through Change with "Maps" by Finn OakesLife throws us curveballs. Wildfires, pandemics, floods – sometimes it f..
$5.00
Dive into the wacky world of self-publishing with Basic Paper Airplane #14: Book Tour!This unique zine, created by Portland's own Joshua James..
$4.00
Journey Through Portland's Quirky Charm in a Coming-of-Age TaleBrace yourself for a unique adventure set against the backdrop of late-2000s Po..
$14.00
n this captivating collection of essays, Staring Contest, author Joshua James Amberson offers a unique perspective on the human experience through the..
$15.00
Unleash your inner writer with Writing Exercises (And Various Approaches to Life on Earth)! This pocket-sized zine by Two Plum Press is packed with 40..
$12.00
Embrace the magic with Tales from Fiddler's Green 2: Midnight Flowers! This captivating collection, published in December 2023, features a mesmeri..
$20.00
Rediscover the Joy of Walking: The Fellow That Goes AloneEmbrace the transformative power of a solitary stroll! "The Fellow That Goes Alone: ..
$12.00
Unveil the Mysteries: The Casting and Use of the Magic CircleEmbrace the magic within! This captivating Fiddler's Green Leaflet by Clint Marsh..
$12.00
Origin: Weird Walk
Weird Walk Issue Seven: Embark on a Journey Through Winter's EmbraceImmerse yourself in the captivating world of Weird Walk Issue Seven, a 48-..
$13.00
Issue 10 of Grimoire Silvanus, a zine with an interest in nature, folklore, magic, and the land.Inside issue 10 - Baltic sigils, strange carvings,..
$10.00
These are super cute mediumhag stones! These are larger than our other hag stones. You can use them to spy on fairies at your peril! You could make th..
$3.00
Scavenged Rituals: The Ritual Object is the fourth issue of this captivating zine delving into the world of esoteric arts and ritual practices. Prepar..
$8.00
Acorn Trinket Charm Box Acorn Trinket Charm Box
New Hot
Acorn Trinket Secret Stashes for Tiny Trinkets!These charming little acorn charms are more than just meets the eye. Crafted from natural wood..
$5.00
Origin: Hellebore
As winter nights grow long and crackling fires ignite, delve into the spectral heart of Britain with Yuletide Hauntings. This A5 magazine, bathed in t..
$15.00
Slingshot # 138 Winter 2023 -FREE! Slingshot # 138 Winter 2023 -FREE!
New Free Out Of Stock
Origin: Slingshot
Immerse yourself in the radical world of the Slingshot Collective with Zine 138 - a compilation of diverse voices from the anarchist grounds of Berkel..
$0.00
Chime Candle Holder with Handle Chime Candle Holder with Handle
New Out Of Stock
This piece resembles a classic candle holder, featuring a cup sized perfectly for a mini candle atop a coordinating plate. it's perft for spell cn..
$10.00
Conjuring the Commonplace: A Guide to Everyday Enchantment & Junk Drawer Magic Conjuring the Commonplace: A Guide to Everyday Enchantment & Junk Drawer Magic
New Out Of Stock
In "Conjuring the Commonplace," Cory and Laine, explorers of North American folklore and magic, explore the magic concealed within common ob..
$24.99
Illuminate your life with "Lighting the Wick," an enchanting guide to the ancient art and modern magic of candles. This beautifully illustra..
$16.00
Goblin Mode: How to Get Cozy, Embrace Imperfection, and Thrive in the Muck Goblin Mode: How to Get Cozy, Embrace Imperfection, and Thrive in the Muck
New Out Of Stock
Immerse yourself in the whimsical world of "Goblin Mode: How to Get Cozy, Embrace Imperfection, and Thrive in the Muck." This enchanting gui..
$17.99
It's a cast irom caluldron for buring herbs or incense or whatever needs burning. This one is bright apple green.Remember! Safety first!3&..
$13.00
It's a cast irom caluldron for buring herbs or incense or whatever needs burning. This one is  Blue!Remember! Safety first!3" x ..
$13.00
It's a cast irom caluldron for buring herbs or incense or whatever needs burning. This one is a Red!Remember! Safety first!3" x 2.5&q..
$13.00
It's a cast irom caluldron for buring herbs or incense or whatever needs burning. This one is a vibrant pink!Remember! Safety first!3"..
$13.00
Origin: Myth & Lore
Witches on Film Zine - A mini zine discussing 8 pivotal films about witches from 1900 to 1969 ..
$8.75
Origin: Myth & Lore
Witches, Warnings, & Widdershins, the seventh issue of the acclaimed zine Myth & Lore, is a celebration of all things witchy. With over 110 pa..
$12.00
Need a low budge halloween costume?Skip the costume drama with our witty "This Is My Costume" Button! This tongue-in-cheek design is per..
$2.00
Origin: Hellebore
Embrace the shadowy allure of Hellebore in Issue 10: The Darkness Issue. As Samhain marks the onset of the darker half of the year, we embark on a cap..
$15.00
Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Grimoire Silvanus with Issue 9. This captivating zine is a celebration of nature, folklore, magic, and the..
$10.00