Return to the ancient foundations of medicine in this
fascinating exploration of magic, healing, and science.
Drawing on her background in pharmaceutical science and her experience as a witch, Sian Sibley offers a unique exploration of the spiritual and magical foundations of the healing tradition. The Slow and Fatal Dance returns to a time when belief, magic, and community were inseparable from the practice of physic: when medicine lived in kitchens and herb gardens; when it passed through the hands of grandmothers and midwives, who understood the threshold between life and death; and when words, ritual, herbs, and charms were woven into the fabric of healing.
The first part of the book traces the fascinating history of medicine, from ancient Egypt to the rise of modern science, with particular attention to the healing traditions of Greece, Rome, medieval Europe, and the Islamic world. Written in clear and accessible prose, it also examines the persecution of female healers throughout history and the changing story of childbirth and women's healthcare.
The second part explores individual illnesses and ailments - from fever and toothache to poisoning, melancholy, grief, and epidemic disease. Each chapter examines the remedies and healing practices associated with a particular condition, revealing threads of continuity that span thousands of years. Combining rigorous scholarship with sharp analytical insight, Sibley explores the vital significance of these ancient cures on modern healing practices.
Drawing on a rich range of primary sources - including the Physicians of Myddfai, the Anglo-Saxon Leechbooks, Bald's Leechbook, the grimoires, and the Egyptian Magical Papyri - The Slow and Fatal Dance uncovers the forgotten roots of medicine.
At a time when many people are rediscovering ancestral traditions and holistic approaches to wellbeing, The Slow and Fatal Dance offers a compelling exploration of the meeting point between medicine, magic, and science. It will appeal to anyone interested in the history of medicine, folk healing, herbal traditions, or the enduring relationship between science and magic.
