Sex and the Single Witch
On witch-hunting and the pursuit of sexual knowledge in early-modern England.
The Easter Witches of Sweden
Today's lighthearted Easter tradition traces its roots to the witch trials and conspiracy theories of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Feminism’s Hidden Spiritual Side
Sometimes the pursuit of gender equality requires a little witchcraft.
Is There a Witch Bottle in Your House?
In the 16th-18th centuries, vessels filled with nails, thorns, hair, and other materials, were used as a form of ritual protection against witches.
Witches’ Marks Protected Spaces from Evil
Throughout history, people tried to protect spaces from evil with apotropaic marks, ritual concealments, and other charms.
Ectoplasm and the Last British Woman Tried for Witchcraft
Spiritualist medium Helen Duncan was photographed emitting ectoplasm, supposedly proof of her ability to contact the dead.
Sir Thomas Browne’s Vulgar Errors
If you're suffering from exhaustion, hallucination, or a coma, then you have Sir Thomas Browne, dead 335 years now, to thank.
What Caused the Salem Witch Trials?
Looking into the underlying causes of the Salem Witch Trials in the 17th century.