Witchcraft. The ability of a person to cause harm by means of a personal power that resides within the body of the witch. Witchcraft in Pop Culture. Has become a bit distorted from traditional views of witchcraft: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N14Ho-VVPgA (from Disney ’ s Snow White)
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The ability of a person to cause harm by means of a personal power that resides within the body of the witch
Extent of the Roman Empire at its peak in ~120 C.E.Towards the end of the Dark Ages and into the Renaissance (the time of the Witchcraze), the “Holy Roman Empire” encompassed the areas on the map below of Galia (France) Italia (Italy) Brittania (British Isles) upper parts of Hispania (Spain) and eastern parts of Germania (Germany)
~1450-1650:Witchcraze in Continental Europe
In which many people (anywhere from 1,000 to many millions of people) were accused, convicted, and executed as witches
1486: Malleus Maleficarum (Hammer against Witches). A book put out by the Catholic Church that classified witches as:
Those who renounced the Catholic faith and devoted themselves, body and soul to the service of evil.
Engaging in orgies that included the Devil.
Shape-shifters that could fly and make magical ointments.
Mostly women, due to their weaker, stupider, more superstitious and sensual nature.
1640s-early 1700s:Witchcraze in England
On the outskirts of the Roman Empire, England had no Roman Law, no Inquisitors, no English translation of the Malleus Maleficarum until modern times, and a weak tradition of heresy.
Witches seen not so much as heretics, but instead as those who harmed livestock, caused diseases and hurt infants and children.
If found, they were tried under a Civil, not Religious authority. That is, until…
1640sKing James I (Scotland) was a big proponent of the Continental European Witchcraze and opened the door for its occurrence in the British Isles.Euro-American Witchcraft Timeline cont.
1640s-early 1700s: Witchcraze in the United States
1692Salem:A farming society at the edge of the settled world where accusations of witchcraft erupted resulting in the jailing of over 100 people and the execution of 19.
2 young girls (ages 9, 11) experimenting w/ divination techniques, apparently scared themselves and started acting strangely…
Trashing around, contorting themselves in odd ways, constantly jumpy/nervous
Other girls and women began acting the same.
All medical explanations were ruled out, so…
Witchcraft was suspected
Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba (a West Indian Slave) were accused
All were individuals living on the fringe of society.
Once accusations were made, screaming howling, visions and mysterious tooth marks appeared on those afflicted.
Why? Boredom? Attention? Divination did not work/things don’t go our way so someone must be to blame?Euro-American Witchcraft Timeline cont.
Found primarily in India, the Near East, parts of Europe and Mexico, the belief that a person is able to cause illness or some other type of misfortune simply by looking at or praising something or someone.
Power of the Evil Eye, like that of witchcraft, lies within the body of the individual. No spells, sorcery, chants, etc. are necessary to gain this power. It is innate.
If someone with the Evil Eye is jealous, the individual who is the object of that jealously may encounter misfortune, so…
In some cultures it is recommended not to show off one’s wealth/happiness in public for fear of this very occurrence.The Evil Eye