Why have societies all across the world feared witchcraft? This book delves deeply into its context, beliefs and origins in Europe's history. The witch came to prominence - and often a painful death - in early modern Europe, yet her origins are much more geographically diverse and historically deep. In this landmark book, Ronald Hutton traces witchcraft from the ancient world to the early-modern stake and sets the notorious European witch trials in the widest and deepest possible perspective while tracing the major historiographical developments of witchcraft.