What Do We Know About Wizards‪?‬

The What Do We Know About? series explores the mysterious, the unknown, and the unexplained. Are wizards based in fact or fiction? Do they have supernatural powers to heal, shape-shift, and control the weather? Discover everything we know about these magical, legendary sorcerers.

Famous wizards throughout history have helped shape our modern understanding of their magic and folklore. From Merlin and The Sword in the Stone, to Gandalf of The Hobbit, we understand that wizards are wise, mythical figures, but are they real?

Over thousands of years, the image of a wizard has shifted across cultures and regions. Before the term “wizard” was widely used, wise, knowledgeable figures were known as shamans, alchemists, or magicians. In prehistoric Europe, they waved ivory wands and performed rituals to help tribes hunt for food. In the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia, magicians known as ashipu cast away evil spirits and curses. Mysterious and skilled spellcasters called druids living in France and Britain fought back against the rise of the Roman Empire. 

Find out everything we know about the legends of wizards in this new book for curious young readers.