Margaret Murray was a British archaeologist and anthropologist, born in 1863. She is best known for her work on ancient religions and her theories about the role of witchcraft in European history. Her most notable book, *The Witch-Cult in Western Europe*, published in 1921, argued that many witch trials were rooted in a surviving pagan religion. Murray's ideas were influential in the early 20th century, particularly in the study of paganism and witchcraft. However, her theories have been criticized and largely discredited by modern scholars. Despite this, her work contributed to the popularization of Wicca and other neo-pagan movements.