author
Walter William Skeat
1866–1953
Best known for pioneering studies of the Malay Peninsula, this English anthropologist brought folklore, religion, and everyday custom into clear view for later readers and researchers. His books helped shape early English-language understanding of Malay life and belief.
1 Audiobook
Malay Magic Being an introduction to the folklore and popular religion of the Malay Peninsula
by Walter William Skeat
About the author
Born in Cambridge on October 14, 1866, Walter William Skeat was an English anthropologist and ethnographer, and the son of the noted philologist Walter William Skeat. He was educated at Christ’s College, Cambridge, and later worked in British Malaya, including service in Selangor.
Skeat is chiefly remembered for his field-based work on the peoples and traditions of the Malay Peninsula. Reference sources describe him as a pioneer in the ethnography of the region, and his writing is especially associated with Malay folklore, popular religion, and customary life. Among his best-known books are Malay Magic and Pagan Races of the Malay Peninsula, works that became important foundations for later scholarship.
He died in London on July 24, 1953. A suitable verified portrait image could not be confirmed from the pages reviewed, so no profile image is included here.