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| Torture techniques included thumb screws, iron maidens, witches shackles, the rack, and having their finger nails removed. |
During the 16th and 17th centuries, Europe experienced a mass hysteria towards those suspected of being vvitches or practicing vvitch craft. Historically this period in Europe has been referred to as "The Great Witch Craze" which in the very title emits a disregard of the severity of the brutality that took place. Unspeakable torture and cruelty was done to women and men suspected of consorting with the devil or evil spirits. Evidence points towards a grossly under discussed gender genocide.
The following is an excerpt from "A Brief History of Witchcraft Persecutions Before Salem" by Linder Douglas: "Over the 160 years from 1500 to 1660, Europe saw between 50,000 and 80,000 suspected witches executed. About 80% of those killed were women. Execution rates varied greatly by country, from a high of about 26,000 in Germany to about 10,000 in France, 1,000 in England, and only four in Ireland. The lower death tolls in England and Ireland owe in part to better procedural safeguards in those countries for defendants."
Women burning at the stake. Often times the victims would be drowned or hung before being burned.
A wood cut of a "Witches Sabbath"
The North Berwick Witch Trials of 1590
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