Isac Fribergs svartkonstbok: magia e medicina in un manoscritto svedese del XVIII secolo

The article explores the Isac Fribergs svartkonstbok (1770), a significant example of a Swedish black book of magic held at the Skövde Stadsmuseum. Through a dual approach – synchronic-literary and diachronic-historical – the study analyses the manuscript’s heterogeneous content, which ranges from verbal charms and complex exorcisms to practical medical recipes and alchemical references. The first part of the article defines the svartkonstbok genre, highlighting its origins within the scholarly and ecclesiastical milieu and its role as a repository of useful knowledge for managing the hardships of rural life. Central to this analysis is the performative power of the word and of its executioner. In the second part, by applying Bengt af Klintberg’s structural classification of charms, specific formulas for healing, protection, and social coercion are examined. Through the study of the manuscript, finally, the article provides a meaningful glimpse into cultural and social aspects of 18th-century Scandinavia.