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A Short History of Magic

This article will be just a brief history of magic and conjuing. A fully detailed history would need a huge amount of space and would easily fill a series of books! So, this guide will give you a few details of how magic has evolved over the years and has become the wonderful art that it is.

As Old As The Hills

Magic is as old as the Bible. There are many references to magic in the Bible and even the 3 wise men were actually referred to as Magi which means “magicians”.
 

The Chinese

The Chinese influence on magic is very strong. A lot of magic as we know it today can be said to have its origins in China. Chinese magicians invented one of the most famous magic tricks of all time, one that virtually everybody has either seen or heard about – the linking rings! This has become such a classic effect and it is still performed today as much as ever.
 

The Ancient Egyptians

There are records of magic tricks dating back to the ancient Egyptians. The slaves that built the Pyramids were entertained by magicians and very important people such as royalty had magicians perform magic especially for them – such as making doors open as they arrived etc.

One of the most famous tricks to come out of ancient Egypt is the age old Cups and Balls effect. This trick is still performed today even though it is hundreds of years old. Like the Linking Rings, this effect has stood the test of time and is likely to be around as long as magic exists.

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