Shades of Witchcraft: Accusations Diversified
摘要
The study reveals that the broad term ‘witch’ encompasses several types of harmful magicians. This section examines the characteristics of these types, their distinct distribution, and the origins of this diversity. The most common accusations involved wicked neighbours—individuals suspected of causing harm without the assumption of regular magical practice. Overall, witch hunts in Lithuania primarily consisted of minor, routine confrontations with a modest supernatural element, lacking diabolical intervention. Community witches served as classic scapegoats, targeted by entire communities facing simultaneous misfortunes, such as crop failures, diseases, or natural disasters. Ambivalent witch-doctors were likely cunning folk blamed for harmful magic. Efforts to suppress folk magic formed part of the disciplinary measures imposed by various denominations, with Catholic clergy particularly demonising magic practitioners. These accusations predominantly arose from the central regions of the Grand Duchy, where Eastern and Western Christian influences intersected. Conspiracy and diabolic witches were associated with supernatural powers and believed to be part of a larger network of witches involved in harmful activities or communication with the Devil. Trials of such witches were more common in Samogitia, especially in areas heavily influenced by the Counter-Reformation.