The history of black magic and witchcraft, or “The Craft”, is complex but traditional Witchcraft is rooted in the so called “British Mystery Traditions”, for example the Picts, who existed before the rise of Celtic consciousness, the Celts, and some Celtic Druidism.
Witchcraft predates Christianity by about 28,000 years.
A variety of archaeological discoveries, reveal that the history of Witchcraft can be traced as far back as the Paleolithic peoples who worshipped a Hunter God and a Fertility Goddess. Cave paintings, that are dated at around 30,000 years ancient, depict a man with the head of a stag, and a pregnant woman standing in a circle with eleven other people.
Modern American Witchcraft has its roots in British Witchcraft, brought to the United States in the late 1950′s by English and American initiates of Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Celtic Witchcraft. These are different forms of this tradition. All of these cultures form part and parcel of the history of Witchcraft.
The ancient Greek Mysteries of Eleusis, Italian Mysteries of Rome, Etruria and the general countryside, Mysteries of Egypt and Persia before Islam, and various Babylonian, Assyrian and other mid-eastern Mysteries also find a place in the history of witchcraft and its beliefs and traditional practices. Perhaps the best way to describe witchcraft is to call it a modern religion, based on ancient witchcraft traditions. But do bear in mind that not all those who practice witchcraft today are “witches”.
Witchcraft is a both a belief system and a way of life. Over the years information about how our ancestors lived and worshipped has been lost due to actions of the medieval church. But, modern crafters have tried to reconstruct the history of witchcraft in an effort to lay the foundation for their practices.
During ancient times Witchcraft was called “The Craft of the Wise”. This name was derived from the fact that most Witches aligned themselves with the forces of nature. They also had knowledge of herbs and medicines, gave council and were vital in the village and community as Shamanic healers and leaders. The history of the craft indicates that crafters once had a prized place in society which is quite a contrast to how they are viewed today.
Ancient crafters felt that man was not superior to nature, the earth and its creatures. Instead they were only one aspect of the world. The thought of sustainable development to maintain balance and equilibrium was central to the belief systems of the ancient Witchcraft. The views on nature then is a far weep from the way that man views the earth today.
In the last several hundred years, witchcraft and witches have been incorrectly labeled as evil and unrighteous. Where do these thoughts that form so much a part of the history of Witchcraft originate? Some crafters believe that the medieval church of the 15th through 18th centuries made these myths.
This was done in an effort to covert people to Christianity. The history of Witchcraft contains many tales of the persecution of witches based on so called “evil” practices.
Another theory about the history of Witchcraft is that as medical science became more prominent in society those who did these initial studies did not know female physiology, especially menstruation. This mystery seemed to fit in with the churches agenda in labeling healers as evil heathens and placing power and respect in the hands of male physicians.
Many of these myths and superstitions have survived in modern times giving The Craft a terrible name. While the craft is essentially witchcraft, those who practice it usually do not refer to it as such because of these negative connotations. The history of Witchcraft is vital since it is the persecution of those who practiced it that has led to its current ethic of religious freedom first.
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