The Black Raven: A Study in the Folk Necromancy of Early Modern Germany – Alexander Cummins and Brian Johnson (Hadean)

Description

A German-language grimoire composed sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century, The Black Raven first appears to be a loose assortment of conjurations and ritual directions — but closer analysis reveals it as a cohesive toolkit for the treasure-hunting nigromancer: conjurational means for petitioning devilish lords of earthly riches, rites for laying the ghosts who haunted their troves, and planetary spiritwork for timing such endeavours.

Since immured treasure was widely believed to be guarded by malevolent spirits, and often haunted by the shade of its former owner, the Black Raven combines protective, banishing execrations with protocols for liberating the restless dead — freeing both spirit and hoard for the benefit of the living.

Presented here in English translation for the first time, alongside a transcription and facsimile of the original German manuscript, with framing essays by Cummins and Johnson situating the text within early modern ghostlore, folk nigromancy, and the wider Faustian grimoiric corpus.