2018 participants
Cathleen Burton
The Salem Witch Trials (1692–1693) relied on accounts of visions, called spectral evidence, to convict suspected witches. The Salem courts kept extensive records of examinations, testimonies, and indictments, all now available online. By examining the documents this project aimed to identify the material culture associated with occult practice during the Salem Witch Trials, in order to gain a better understanding of the Puritan image of a witch. The puritans believed that witches’ magic caused unfortunate occurrences in everyday life, therefore everyday items, such as farming equipment, are regularly noted in the trials. In some cases, witches used poppets and pins as part of their magical actions: these objects were also mentioned in British witch trials and European folk traditions. The Puritans imagined witches riding on sticks, accompanied by the devil in a high crowned hat: a view which certainly contributed to the modern image of a witch riding a broom in a pointed black hat."
Funding source: Newcastle University
Supervisor: Dr Jane Webster