On Mon, 23 Aug 2010, Dennis Claxton wrote:
>> That sounds fascinating. Can you remember where he develops that?....
>> Being a careful historian, Ginzberg sticks very closely to his local
>> case and what he can back up with evidence. But in the introduction he
>> gives several indications that he personally believes the complex of
>> beliefs behind Benandanti practices are part of a tradition that at one
>> time spread all over Europe and which was continuous back to
>> pre-Christian times.
>
> I think he does believe that. How does that not square with the idea that
> demonizing those practices is part of the transition from medieval to early
> modern?
Because the demonization would have been there in the ancient and middle ages too. So demonizing those practices wouldn't distinguish the transition to the modern.
Michael