Vampires and alchemy and murder-investigating witches, oh my!
- Have you seen the Highgate Vampire who has reportedly been spotted in the cemetery where revolutionary communist Karl Marx and TV presenter Jeremy Beadle are buried?: I think of the Highgate “vampire” as modern folklore rather than an actual creature but no less intriguing for its immateriality. Though of late only seen by occultists (I suspect the resemblance of their drawing to the famous picture of Aleister Crowley is no coincidence) I suspect a new movie could trigger all kinds of new sightings.
- Alchemy in Art History? As Above, So Below: Part of Vice.com’s City of the Seekers about Los Angeles visionaries, this article covers the current Getty Research Center exhibit about the intersection of alchemy and art. Lots of luscious alchemical illuminations at the link. Some neat stuff at CotS as well.
- Margaret Murray, Murder, and Witchcraft: Archy Fantasies podcast is new to me but this episode and a glance through the related blog suggests inquisitive skeptics are in charge. In this episode the hosts discuss archaeologist/folklorist Margaret Murray and her search for her theorized witch-cult. Though her theory was ultimately disproved she had a formative influence on modern Wicca, and at age 87(!) involved herself in a murder investigation in search of members of the “old religion”.