historical horrors

Ancient cradles of civilization worshipped powerful female deities and revered women who practiced the holiest of rituals. Trained in the sacred arts, these priestesses became known as wise women and wisdom keepers in their communities. They may have been some of the earliest manifestations of what we now recognize as the witch. 

The Magic Circle by John William Waterhouse

So why the flip-flop from beloved healer, trusted guide, divine femme to witch, bruja, evil doer? Who decided to brand these women as witches? How did the benevolent image of a wise woman transform into the malevolent figure of the witch bandied about in fear today? 

Way before the advent of Christ or Christianity, conquering hordes of Indo-Europeans eager to amass wealth and property expanded westward. They brought a warrior culture that valued aggression and male Gods of War filled with avarice and blood lust. 

witchcraft & folk magic - Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

In biblical times the belief held was when Hebrews settled in Canaan 1300 years before the common era, their male-centric monotheistic view of creation came along and was imposed too. Obeying the Bible, fearing witchcraft to be dangerous, and prohibiting its practice as a pagan vice developed as the tribes grew and spread. 

With the men taking over dominion, their male gods soon came to dominate the once-revered female deities. Division within human society occurred as soon as human beings began to live in groups. The differences between men and women were made obvious. 

Merga Bien, Fulga witch trials - wikimedia commons

These are recognized by human beings and are incorporated through sexual division of labor. Groups in which social arrangements did not support the survival of children became extinct. The females hunted and gathered around their homes. The men defended their territory and went to war over those who encroached. 

The sexual division of labor made it absolutely essential for groups to develop a system by which women [the child bearers] could raise children. The more primitive the conditions, the more years of care were required. 

Macbeth and the Witches by Sir Joshua Reynolds

As groups grew larger a more elaborate division of labor developed. People specialized in military functions. People specialized in arts and crafts. People specialized in taking care of the community - in hunting and gathering. 

What started as an equal division of labor started being exchanged and traded. Freely at first but soon usurpers started taking over using accumulated force or wealth. Perpetuating patriarchy [male supremacy] is a historical system. 

Examination of a Witch, by T. H. Matteson, 1853

Females were now at risk - what started out as symbiotic support, tipped toward thinking males were superior and their roles in society were accepted as more dominant. The female sex held sway as long as they had beauty and could produce offspring - preferably males to carry on bloodlines. 

While the world required utility [the ability to reproduce] of women, they judged them more severely too. As the lesser sex. As wild. As wanton. Pagan and not god-fearing if not domesticated and tame. Wanting them submissive and subdued or otherwise condemned and burned as witches. 

a Samhain offering

Patriarchy was and still is created by human beings. It has a historical beginning - it will come to an end as well - provided we human beings decide to end it. Time to exorcise these demons.