how did people identify witches during the 15th and 16th century in Europe?
what were some things that the witches had or did that made people accuse them of being witches.
2007-05-20 16:40:49 · 6 answers · asked by anna 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
Witch marks. Moles or freckles or something that could be pierced and not bleed. (usually with a fake pricker that would retract on itself & not pierce the skin). If an old woman looked at a cow or sheep or something & it got sick she could be accused of putting a spell on it. Knowledge of healing herbs could also be called witchcraft. Hope this helps
2007-05-20 20:54:27 · answer #1 · answered by SKCave 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People could do pretty much anything and be accused of being a witch. If a man who was married found a woman besides his wife attractive, that woman could be accused of being a witch. If a woman lived in a house without a man, she could be accused of being a witch. If someone missed church they could be accused of being a witch.
2007-05-20 23:46:06 · answer #2 · answered by Violet 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ithing they used to do was, when you were accused of being a witch, they'd throw you into a deep lake. If you could swim, you were a witch and they'd kill you. If you sank, then you weren't a witch, but you're dead anyway!
Even if you had a pimple or a mole or something like a birthmark or beauty spot, they'd think you were a witch. Basically, if you didn't look like them, talk like them, walk like them or act like them or just if they didn't like you, they'd want you gone, the easiest way to do this is to say that somebody's a witch.
2007-05-21 03:49:25 · answer #3 · answered by Hannah B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They would look for strange animals hanging around the accused house, and claim them as familiars, or the devil's servants. They would look for the accused in church, if she didn't attend, she was evil, looked at deaths in her family or close community for evidence of misdeed....they did a lot, they wold hang a woman if she didn't confess, they would burn innocent people. hey never actually killed a person who admitted to witchcraft because they were afraid that the witch would do something evil to her, and they beleived that w awitch could not be killed. It was weird, and it traveled over to the american colonies, where the Salem Witch trials happened in Massachucetts.
2007-05-20 23:47:29 · answer #4 · answered by Senator D*L*P™ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being left handed was a major tell tale, glad I wasn't born then I'd be dead for sure.
2007-05-21 05:38:13 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if they floated in the water they werent witches, if they didnt...well...im sure you can figure it out.
2007-05-21 11:37:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋