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Sorcery & Witchcraft
Celtic & Norse Religion
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Witchcraft & Sorcery
Witchcraft has existed in nearly every
region of the world and is found in western sources in plays by
the early Greeks. A witch is a shaman, often with the connotation
of someone who performs magic to harm others.
See
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In shamanistic religion there is not a concept of dualistic good
and evil as found in Christianity. Shamanism and use of magic was
an earthy belief system that most peoples turned to in order to
find help for their problems. Use of magic to do harm, however,
existed even with indigenous primal relgions. With the advance of
literate religions with a priestly caste, and with many other primal
religions, witchcraft was seen as an evil competition to their own
religious practices and the practices of witches were condemned
and feared.
Today's word "witch" probably comes from the term "wicce"
for a female witch, "wicca" for a male. It might also
be from the German word "weihen", consecrate. In earlier
English the term "witch" would also be used for the male
practitioners or shamans which we now call sorcerors, warlocks and
wizards. The term "wicca" is related to the word "wicked"
and the word "wizard is related to the term "wise."
Roman Catholicism sought to destroy the indigenous religions, witchcraft
and witches in Europe as a threat and competition which was thought
to stand in the way of control of the area. As shamans were often
women, and women were also a problem in the doctrine of the Roman
Catholic system, they needed to be demonized, as was Eve, and Mary
Magdalene in the doctrine. Even though Mary of Magdala was present
at the Cross and the person first to see the Resurrected Christ,
she became a "prostitute" in Catholic tradition. Patriarchal
traditions have often labeled women as either girls (innocent pure
virgins) or women (sometimes whores who cannot control their sexuality
and are not to be trusted). Mary the Mother of Christ, on the other
hand, belonged to the category of "virgin", and her tradition
persisted unblemished throughout Catholicism, often strengthened
by indigenous traditions of a goddess and blessed mother encountered
in countries where Catholicism was later spread.
Slavic beliefs:
Norse beliefs:
Icelanding witchcraft and sorcery museum:
Anglo-Saxon witchcraft:
Various cultures:
With social systems and mythologies that encouraged bravery and
lessened fear of death, the Norsemen and Celts made Frightening
warriors:
Vikings raised fear in the hearts of men as their ships' dragon-heads
appeared through the fog like sea monsters and sliding onto
shore the fiercest Beserker Vikings came wildly swinging their
battle axes. The largest longships could carry more than 60
warriors who could quickly embark from their shore-landed ships.
A medieval prayer echoes the fear of the Europeans: "From
the fury of the Norsemen, good Lord deliver us." (see John
R. Hale: )
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Julius Caesar wrote of the naked British
Celtic warriors that "all Britons paint themselves with
woad, which turns the skin a bluish-green colour; hence their
appearance is all the more horrific in battle. They grow their
hair long, and shave every part of their body except the top
of the head and the upper lip." He also describes their
skill with chariots... "'This is their method of chariot-warfare.
First they drive their horses all over the place, throw weapons,
and by means of sheer fear of the horses and the noise of the
wheels create confusion in the ranks. Then, when they have broken
through the troops of the cavalry, they jump down from their
chariots and do battle on foot..."
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Our English names for the days of the week are mostly from the Norse: Sunday = Sun (same for the Romans);
Monday = Moon (same for the Romans),
Tuesday = Tyr or Tiw, Norse god of war (Roman = god of war or Mars);
Wednesday = Norse god Odin or Wodin (Roman = Mercury);
Thursday = Norse god Thor (Roman = Jupiter);
Friday = Frigga or Norse goddess of the hearth, wife of Odin (Roman = Venus);
Saturday = retains its Roman version for Saturn, god of the harvest.
Sunday = day of the Sun
The Brother Cadfael medieval monk mysteries by Ellis Peters are quite interesting for a look at Medieval England. Most of these are available in the paperback section in the library. The PBS series is published on VHS and DVD. Some of these are at the Long Beach Public Library on VHS, as is 13th Warrior, for you to check out.
Related to this history of our European ancestors is the example from a Biblical passage of the development of the English language through time and after the addition of French vocabulary. This is a PDF file:
Brigid
adoraton as Celtic High Goddess
and Catholic Saint
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Syncretism
of Gods, Traditions and Festivals
From Medieval European Religion
Celtic Samhain (Year's End):
Norse Blot (related to the Norse word blessing, or blood, sacrifice):
;
Medieval Christian practice of Halloween:
Modern Halloween:
Brigid: Celtic Goddess in
Ireland (may be the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian Legend) to
Catholic Saint:
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Christian/Jewish Views of Witchcraft
Witchcraft Museum in Cornwall:
Witches in England:
Some medieval sources relating to witchcraft:
Malleus Maleficarum first published in 1487
("The Hammer of Witches") is the famous text used as
a manual by witchhunters during the Inquisition and on:
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Ugly old women in Europe were especially vulnerable
to being accused as witches with the evil eye and burned at the stake
after much torture:
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Salem Witch Trials
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Salem witch hangings,
17th century Massachusetts |
National Geographic interactive site:
An account of the trials:
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Cotton Mather's Memorable
Providences, Relating to Witchcraft and Possessions (1689) and John Hale's text, A
Modest Enquiry Into the Nature of Witchcraft,
(1697) governed the examination of witches in Salem.
see text:
Swimming a Witch (also seen in Mesopotamia:
If the accused woman rises she is a witch and should be burned,
if she drowns she was innocent
Accused and executed as witches in Salem:
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Modern Versions of the
Old European Religions
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The Craft, Wicca, or Asatru,
to name a few
Italian witchcraft:
The Craft:
Asatru
religion:
;
Wicca:
Wicca and Witchcraft links:
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Adlavinnia Ember Fairy -- Asatru
Wicca Coven |
Celtic Wickerman, possible human sacrifice
at Beldane
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NeoPagan annual Burning Man Festival began
on the beach at San Francisco in 1986, moved to Nevada's Black
Rock Desert in 1990
Scotland has an annual Wickerman Festival
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The
Celtic Green Man
Green Man |
The Green Man
Celtic God was depicted as being one with nature, with hair
and clothes of leaves, often with a set of antlers, he is a "horned god." He is also closely associated with Robin
Hood legends, also known as the Green Knight and Robin Goodfellow.
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Baphomet
Many differing opinions exist
about the origins of this term. It is often used incorrectly
to describe a goat-headed demonic figure. It is also thought
to be a cipher for the Greek word for wisdom, "sophia."
The Knights Templar used a form of Baphomet in their churches.
The term may be derived from the Arabic word "Abu fihamat,"
meaning "The Father of Understanding," and associated
with Sufism. For the Templars, this term may refer to themselves
as religious caretakers of the temple.
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Baphomet of Satanism, notice the Kabbalistic
Hebrew letters |
Satanism
Unlike indigenous European religion, Satanism
always invokes evil spirits, Satan, or demons to accomplish desired
tasks, usually for self-aggrandizement. Turning to the dark side is
also a very old practice, but Satanism requires a belief in the dualism
of good and evil, god vs. the devil, and of the existence of Lucifer,
the devil, or Satan. The black and white strict theory of the dualism
of good and evil is first seen with the doctrines of the Zoroastrians,
then the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Satanism is a rejection of
orthodox religions and social norms and beliefs. Modern Satanism chiefly
follows the writings and practices of Anton LeVey. The Eastern concept
of Sat/Tan differs from the dualism explained above. See Wikipedia:
The existence and abuse from Satanic cults has
been much overblown due to its challenging, unorthodox doctrines and
perceived danger of the practice of sacrifice. Ritual murder and abuse,
however, are still known to occur from such groups.
Reading
Read chapter 8 prior to the next class
Terms to Know
Wicca or Wicce = Anglo-Saxon witch or shaman
Witchcraft = Literate religions view of witchcraft is that it is
the evil practice of magic by followers of Satan; witchcraft also
refers (incorrectly) to the pre-Christian indigenous, preliterate,
shamanistic religion of Europe
Sorcery = Evil use of magic by a shaman, or what Mary Patterson
refers to as "spiritual malpractice"
Shaman = Spiritual and intellectual figure and healer, sometimes
self-appointed, sometimes inheriting the office. He/she has the
ability to communicate with spirits and perhaps animals and animal
totemic spirits. Much respected and fulfilling many functions withing
the social group including leading ritual activity. Shamans include:
medicine man, witchdoctor, witch, and sorcerer. The terms witchdoctor,
witch and sorcerer are often labels for those who deal with the
dark side and are much feared among the people who use those terms
to describe the evil-working type of shaman. Common among primal
or traditional religions. In rationalized, literate religions we
see the office of priest replacing the shaman
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