The Icelandic Galdrabók

Record summary

AI-recalled lead: The Galdrabók is an Icelandic magical manuscript copied in the seventeenth century, containing spells, rune formulas, protective signs, healing operations and references to Christian, Norse and continental magical motifs. Its compact entries make it useful for comparing manuscript transmission, practical magic and the blending of learned and vernacular traditions in a North Atlantic setting. The manuscript records prescriptions, not verified results. Questions include the dating of individual entries, scribal copying, intended users and how much of the material reflects practice rather than compilation.