The first reported evidence of magic dates the ancient art back to 2600 BC, as hieroglyphics were discovered in an egyptian tomb, thought to be depicting cups and balls, the famous magic trick. However, numerous scholars have disputed this claim, stating that this may have just been a game.

Later in history, magic was often confused with religion and some ancient magicians used magic to fool people into changing their religious beliefs. Some people even say that Jesus Christ himself was an ancient magician.

One of the first examples of modern day theatrical magicians was Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, a french man who lived in the 1840s. Robert-Houdin invented a number of stage magic props nad performed for crowds of spectators.

The early 20th century saw the maturity of the art of magic, with performers such as Harry Houdini taking to the the stage.

The next era of magic was fuelled by the catalyst known as television during the 1970s, with a series called "The Magic Land of Alakazam" starring Mark Wilson. 1974 saw a broadway performance named "The Magic Show" starring Doug Henning. He later went on to star in the broadway show 'Merlin', which further rocked the magic world.

A range of magic celebrities have since graced the limelight, with the likes of Penn & Teller, David Blaine, David Copperfield and Criss Angel becoming almost household names.