The Way of the Táltos: A Critical Reassessment of a Religious-Magical SpecialistPota taltosov: Kritično ovrednotenje posvečenca v religijo in magijo
Studia Mythologica Slavica November 23, 2022 László Kürti
The táltos, a Hungarian magical practitioner, shows connections with both historical magical specialists and recent ethnographic materials. This article examines the táltos's role in Hungarian religion, magic, and folkloric practices, its links with neighboring South Slavic, Romanian, and western magical traditions, and its relation to linguistic, symbolic, and bodily expression in Hungarian traditional culture. The analysis focuses on body symbolism, mythical horse symbolism, and possible altered states of consciousness.