When did witchracft/magic/divination start?

Question

which time did it start

Answer 1

beginning of time

Answer 2

It started with pre historic man for a way to explain the unexplainable. Remember that early humans did not know how lightening came from the sky or rain or how the one time it would be bright and the other was dark. To explain this - mostly while learning how to make tools, weapons, and went from nomadic gatherers and hunters, they discovered that because they can do these things to change the outcome of a battle or to increase their chances of killing animals for meat and figured out they can make fire on their own - by an accidentally made an epiphany came to them to believe that it must be a greater and unseen person to cause what the earth does. By happenstance the earth would quake at the time of year that the foods they ate were scarce and they did something else and the animals and plants came back - hence devine intervention.
Progress of man and being more aware of their surroundings as well as dreams and inventions came the divine intervention again. With this awakening and stronger brain power they started to notice spirits in their dreams and those of their ancestors would come to them to tell them things. With written language and symbolism coming about they found they could communicate with these spirits at most times and they would answer through divinations. With these new ways they would notice that these things would come to pass. I believe that some of the early humans had the ability of clairvoiance or had stronger parts of the brain than others and could actually see and hear spirits like some of us today.
With using these ways to speak to the earth to determine the outcome of something before it happened can actually be considered a religious ritual and was practiced up until the single deity beliefs as the Jews or Muslims - up until Babylonia fell. Many countries all over the world can trace these practices about or around the same time and the advancement of these rituals to this day has not changed much.
Thank you for asking a very intelligent question of our past and the way we communicate with the energy of the earth and its spirits of our ancestors.

Answer 3

The label Witch is the invention of the Christians. Though now, it has accrued honor because of many who have worn it proudly in adversity. What has always been is the crafts. Historically these have been many, but here are a few.

Dowsing
Midwifery
Healer
Bone setter
Herbalist
Maker of potions
Candle maker
Animal caller
Scientists
Teachers of philosophy
Psychic (divination)
Empath
Maker of poultices
Finder of Ley Lines

All of those within the above crafts were called Witchcraft by Christianity begining in the15th and 16th centuries. Many "Witches" were executed for practicing their craft. Most of the Crafts began before written history. Many of the crafters were Christian, but those that escaped the Pogroms and inquisitions abjured that religion for its basis in hatred, and ego.

In this day of Neo reconstitutions the title Witch has incurred honor from the actions of many who use it as their own.

Answer 4

Essentially witchcraft has been around since the dawn of man. It just wasn't called that until the creation of Christianity came about and they started to label those who "practiced sorcery", as they called it. Anything that had to do with the "living with the land and nature" was called witchcraft and was considered a sin, because it didn't conform with the way Christianity was to be worshipped. It is still being practiced today, in just about any part of the world, but because of the persecutions that face witches, they do it in secret, however it is beginning to surface more and more. Pretty soon it'll be as open as any other popular religion.

Answer 5

Witchcraft began with the first humans. The god was created from the hunting rituals that brought food. The goddess was created from the land and sun that kept them warm. Things were primal and simple enough that whatever it was keeping them alive was god, or a much higher power. It grew into magic with the belief that things happened out of the will of the gods. Fire, was one thing that cause a belief in magic.
In any religion there is magic. Christians believe in healing, Pagans believe in change. What it is that makes magic work in any situation is belief. If you have a pure belief that change will happen, in any situation, it will. That was what brought us magic, believing in it.

Answer 6

its probably the oldest religion in the known universe.
tbh, can't be arsed right now.
its all cool

Answer 7

It has its roots in pre-historic cultures, ie cavemen.