As a seeker, I really like to explore a lot of different aspects of this "witchy" path. Therefore, not only have I been studying a couple of Wiccan traditions, but also some traditions of Traditional Crafting.

As you may, or may not know, Trad Crafters hold Wiccans of any tradition with some disdain. Most of the sites I've visited enjoy the company of certain individual Wiccans, but definately frown upon Wicca as a whole. One trad crafter went so far as to actually say, "Don't read Buckland."

Well, I've been reading "The Witch Book" by Buckland, and I can certainly see where he's bent some history, and some categories with questionable Gardnerian ideology. He still references several studies that have been thoroughly discredited, and still recounts Gardner's story as true, factual history. (He leaves out the part where Gerald Gardner and Ross Nichols were good friends, and that Gardner was a fellow druid and nudist with Nichols.) However, Buckland has done an enormous amount of research into the craft that reaches far back into history, and delivers a concise, textbook format that provides access to a variety of subjects.

Now, I haven't seen too much history, or anthropology on the Trad Crafter sites. Most of them give a brief description of the ways of a trad crafter, then encourage the seeker to find his/her own way down the crooked path by doing individual study and research. Adrian Eglinton of "Blue Moon Manor" probably goes further to explain traditional crafting than anyone, even having several "youtube" presentations. However, even his presentations are lacking historical context, except as anecdotal references.

Now, there is no way I believe Wicca is an ancient religion; there is far too much evidence against it as such. But, it seems that Wicca is the only "witchy" path that is really interested in digging up the histories of the old path. (Druidry, as taught by OBOD, is very much into the history of pre-Christian peoples of Western Europe, but I'm confining this missive to witchcraft.) It is because of this that I find Wicca (regardless of some New Age pollution) a satisfying and rich path on which to walk.