The Great, the Little, and the Authoritative Tradition in Magic of the Ancient World

Abstract

Abstract This paper develops “magic” as a category useful for describing local forms of an institutional or “great” tradition (using the classic terminology of Robert Redfield): ritual acts, symbols and materials, and constructions of local ritual expertise to interpret elements of a great tradition. Ultimately the paper contributes to the historical relationship between (centralized expressions of) “religion” and “magic” (as some quality or dimension of ritual).