The Witch-Cult in Western Europe: A Study in Anthropology by Margaret Alice Murray is a pioneering work that examines the historical and anthropological aspects of witchcraft and the witch trials that occurred in Europe, particularly from the late medieval to early modern periods. Murray, an anthropologist and Egyptologist, presents a controversial thesis that suggests that the witch hunts were not simply a product of superstition or mass hysteria but were rooted in an ancient, organized pagan cult that survived the rise of Christianity. In this book, Murray explores the evidence of witchcraft practices, rituals, and beliefs across various regions in Western Europe. She argues that the accused witches were often practitioners of a pre-Christian religion that worshiped a horned god, celebrating nature and fertility. Murray meticulously analyzes historical records, trial documents, and folklore to construct her argument, positing that many of the rituals described in witch trials were remnants of these ancient pagan practices.