The Cult of the Black Virgin

Why do some of the most famous statues of the Madonna in Western Europeand more than 450 images around the worldhave faces and hands that are black? And why is such a surprising phenomenon so little known? Ean Begg's groundbreaking investigation of the subject is now updated to include a substantial new Foreword, appendix, and a comprehensive directory to help readers locate sites where black Virgins can be found.