killed in the most gruesome of ways during this period resulting in what is probably one of the biggest acts of genocide this world had ever seen.
The deaths of accused witches were not always at the stake. Many witches died during torture and during “provings”. Looking back on the methods employed, it sends a shudder down one’s spine. James I (1566-1624) of Scotland even wrote a book called Daemonologie. The purpose of this book was to explain how to identify a witch. Some of the methods employed were:
Identifying the Witch’s Mark: James I held that the Witch’s mark was a place on the body where a witch can experience no pain. The location of this area allegedly differed from one witch to another. Hence, every inch of the accused witch’s body was pricked with needles to locate the Witch’s Mark.
The Water Test: In Daemonologie, James I proposed that only real witches can float in water. He based this theory on the fact that water was a holy substance and as a result it would not take a Witch to its depth. As a result, an accused Witch’s hands and feet were bound before being thrown into a lake or a river. If innocent, the accused would drown. And die. If guilty, the accused would be burnt at the stake. Either way, the accused ended up dead.
Rose Ariadne has been practicing ancient forms of Witchcraft for over 25 years. Get more info about the history of witchcraft here: http://www.askroseariadne.com/editorials/great-history-of-witchcraft.html
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