Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Galdrabók manuscript dates to the 17th century. Four different people wrote these pages over time with three scribes being Icelanders who worked during the late 16th century and a fourth scribe being a Dane working from Icelandic material later in the mid-17th century.
The Galdrabók contains a collection of 47 spells and sigils that mix Latin and runic material with Icelandic magical staves. Invocations appear for Christian entities, demons, and Norse gods while instructions guide users on herbs and magical items. Some spells protect against trouble with childbearing or headache and others address insomnia or pestilence affecting communities.
The book saw its first publication in 1921 by a Swedish publisher. They issued it as a diplomatic edition alongside a Swedish translation under the title A Icelandic grimoire from the 1500s. An English translation followed much later in 1989 by Stephen Flowers.
A new illustrated English-Icelandic edition appeared in 2024. Kári Pálsson an Icelandic folklorist published this version which combines the Galdrabók with the previously unpublished Jarðskinna manuscript. Modern readers now access both works together for the first time.
The grimoire holds significant status as a historical artifact today because its survival through centuries makes it a rare treasure for historians. The text remains a key reference for those studying Icelandic magic while scholars continue to analyze its unique blend of Christian and Norse elements. Its influence extends into modern occultism across various groups.