OXFORD author Philip Pullman is to officially open a new magic-themed exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum next month.

Spellbound: Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft will open at the Beaumont Street centre on Friday, August 31.

Fantasy author Mr Pullman, the author of His Dark Materials, will officially open the new exhibition at a private view the day before.

The museum’s website said: “This is the first exhibition to examine how magical thinking has been practised over the centuries.

“With exquisitely-engraved rings to bind a lover, enchanted animal hearts pierced with nails, mummified cats concealed in walls and many other intriguing objects, this exhibition shows that the need to use magic is driven by our strongest emotions: the need to be loved, our fear of evil and the desire to protect our homes.

“While belief in magic and rituals can be comforting, it has also led to the persecution of women as witches.

“This exhibition examines both the idea of the witch and the reality of how women were accused of witchcraft.

“Even today, our tendency to think magically has not changed as much as we might think. To illuminate the links between past and present, contemporary artists have created new works inspired by the exhibition’s themes.”

America’s Cool Modernism, featuring the work of artists Edward Hopper and Georgia O’Keeffe, runs until Sunday.