Final Exam Flashcards
maleficium
black magic
in what ways are witches commonly depicted?
usually female
young: sexual temptation, innocent but evil
old: angry and envious, betrayal of women by society
cross-cultural witchy characteristics
autonomous, aggressive, cunning, possessing arcane wisdom/knowledge, unmarried/widowed, ambitious
When did witchcraft first appear?
both in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia
Goetia
Greek word “goes,” denotes diviners, magicians, healers, and seers; term for European sorcery
Grimoires
traced back to Mesopotamia with cuneiform tables
Magic in Mesopotamia
guiding principle to understand natural phenomena like ghosts, demons, and sorcerers; spells and potions were part of disciplines
The Code of Hammurabi
2000 BC: first laws regarding magic, very harsh
Witch of Endor (1000 BCE)
one of the earliest stories of a witch: King Saul outlaws Necromancy (communicating and raising the dead) but he ended up seeking out a witch to help him win the war he was losing. Saul ended up be betrayed b witch and then committed suicide
magos
Greek origin of word magic, had negative connotations
Theurgy
magic practiced by respectable priests or miracles workers associated with religious rituals
Katedesmos
curse tablet that was used for supernatural interventions, “to bind”
Hecate
Greek goddess of witchcraft, sorcery, the moon, ghosts, and necromancy
Circe
young beautiful enchantress who used plant potions to transform her enemies into animals (deceptive)
Medea
young, beautifully, sorceress who kills her own children as revenge (treacherous)
Roman witch concept
“Magus” and “magia,” old, ugly, frightening, and powerful, female practitioners were become more frowned upon in Roman society
Erichtho
Roman witches depicted as horrific, a likely testimony to how men viewed powerful women; epitome of the fictional “horror-witch” and necromancer
Medieval Period
Practicing harmful magic was just one of many accusations levelled against any heretic, along with sexual promiscuity and child-killing
Malleus maleficarum (Hammer of witches)
tide began to turn with the publication in 1487 CE by Heinrich Kramer
Witch Hunting
a central step was linking witchcraft and heresy, “diabolical witchcraft” emerged held that magic involved a pact with the devil
Early Modern Period
40,000-80,000 executed, about 90% women “burning times” in Europe
Bamberg Witch Trials
1627-1632 CE
“early trials were unique b/c they also had trials and deaths of elites; including priests and landowners
-1,000 people, burned 139 people at once
Witch Exams and Signs
Malleus outlined directions, looking for any instrument of witchcraft, like a mark on the body, “witch’s tit” for suckling demon also commonly found
Witch hysteria contributions
-Little Ice Age
-Plagues
-Religious wars
-Advances in medical profession
-Hyperinflation (widespread instability and poverty)
Beer and witches
Brewing was a women’s task up until the 1500s, the nun Hildegard von Bingen was famous for her beer recipe. Women would boil it with cauldrons, broom sticks for the door for business, and wear tall pointed hats at the market. Witch hysteria allowed an opportunity for men to accused female brewers of witchcraft
The inverted mother
A woman whose supernatural forces harmed children and pregnant women essentially being the “invasion of maternal protection”
Transformed by suffering
women who lived ordinary lives than due to intense suffering and loss, they were transformed into dangerous creatures
Women as warning
give warning to the living/those who have endured loss and torment
Patriarchal defiance
woman who went against the patriarchy
Lamashtu
Sumerian child-snatcher and bringer of disease goddess; trait” suckling infants with her poisoned milk
Head of a lion and ears/teeth of a donkey, kept at bay with complex rituals, plaques or amulets
Origins of Lamashtu
casted out of heaven or sent to earth to control human population
Pazuzu
summon him with metal amulet around neck of woman in labor, would battle with Lamashtu out of mutual hatred
Lillith
demon known as lilu/lili that preyed on men, women, and children (death or sterility)
Jewish religious depiction of Lillith
by 500-600 Ce, in the Talmud, description of demonic Lilith would come in middle of night and make them climax so they could have demon babies
Alphabet of Sirach (700-1000 CE)
Adam’s first wife in Jewish folklore, same time and from same clay as Adam (his equal). Lilith questioned Adam’s order of things and ran away, if she did not come back all her demon babies would die.
incantation bowls
bowls with charms encrypted as protection from demonic forces, buried upside down under thresholds of houses
Cihuateteo
Aztec myth of divine woman, spirits who died in childbirth, honored like fallen warriors; their bodies possessed special powers and magic (had to protect their remains from warriors)
Tlamatlquiticitl
Aztec midwife; thought it was very important to have maternal care for all levels of society
how did the Aztec widwife say in the pregant woman’s home before birth?
around 5 days
Aztec childbirth
given herbal teas, squatted to give birth, and placenta was buried in a corner of the home
Medusa’s origin
after being raped by Zeus in temple of Athena, Athena cursed Medusa with reptilian hair and grotesque face
What island did Sedusa, Stheno, and Euryale sisters (the Gorgons) live on?
Sarpedon
Who was after Medusa’s head?
Perseus, a demi god, who was tricked by Polydectes (used a polished shield as a mirror ro sneak up on her sleeping, only looking at her reflection)
How did Medusa die?
Perseus (used a polished shield as a mirror to sneak up on her sleeping, only looking at her reflection. Even after dying, her gaze was still potent
La Llorona
“the weeping woman,” child murder who stalks bodies of water in Mexico
La Llorona origin story
beautiful peasant named Maria caught eyes off rich nobleman, one night saw her husband kissing another woman by the river and drowned her sons out of rage
significance of La Llorona
myths kept children wary of bodies of water
La Malinche
indigenous woman who was translator of Hernan Cortes and became his mistress, but got set aside for a spanish woman. She then killed her son as in act of vengeance
Banshee (Ireland)
female spirit that haunts death of family member by wailing or shrieking, very benign and carried a silver comb
Pontianak
city named after long-haired ghouls that haunted the region’s first sultran; only attack men
Pontianak’s appearance
beautiful, pale with red eyes and long nails. blood stained dress and holding deceased baby, can also have no body
Penanggalans
heads of a woman trailing entrails, spirits of woman who died in childbirth
How do you stop a Pontianak?
coffin nail to the neck transforming them into subservient smiling wives
Futakuchi-onna
a Japanese woman who had a small appetite but behind her long, dark hair was a huge, gaping mouth that demands food and berates them for her transgression
Enheduanna
world’s first identified author during 3rd millennium BCE in Ur, Mesopotamia; high priestess of the moon diety Nanna. at his temple
Enheduanna’s life and career
“triple threat” as princess,
priest, and writer had divine authority as the embodiment of Ningal
Enheduanna’s writings
deeply personal, comments on difficult of the writing creative process and how to capture the divine wonders into words, always dedicated to the goddess of love (Inanna)
Enheduanna’s celestial knowledge
written praise of celestial deities has been recognized in the field of modern astronomy with a crater on Mercury, significant portion of astronomical mythology from the Sumerians
“I, Enheduann”
wrote in Sumerian on cuneiform tablets in first person
archaeological evidence of Enheduanna
Sir Leonard Wooley in 1927 first, also found a stone disk with her name, relationship to Sargon, and occupation
Disk of Enheduanna
alabaster relief inscribed with her dedication discovered by Sir. Leonard Wooley
Rebellion of Lugal-Ane
suspended from her office for refusing the legitimacy. of the city god Nanna
Exaltation of Inanna
wrote in exile and turned to Inanna to restore her back into office
Ennigaldi
world’s first museum curator (princess and priestess), Neo-Babylonian period Ur, daughter of Neo-Babylonian king: Nabonidus
Ennigaldi’s museum
1925, Woolley discovered at Ur with a various. number of items ranging from 2100 to 600 BCE but assembled together, stored the artifacts in temple next to the palace where she lived, items were also given labels in 3 different languages
World’s first archaeologist and last kinf of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
Nabonidus
Aspasia of Athens
scholar in Athenian culture, as a foreigner Aspasia was able to circumvent the legal restrictions on Athenian women
Who was both a philosopher. and teacher?
Aspasia
Who did Aspasia have a relationship with?
Pericles
Public opinion of Aspasia
when PeloponnesianWar broke out, her slander began, called her a “Socratic”
Hypatia
one of the first woman to study and teach mathematics and astronomy, lived in Alexandria
Alexandria
founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE, central to a museum/university that had over half a million scrolls, by 364city was beset by fighting among Christians, Jews, and pagans
Theon
Hypatia’s father taught her mathematics and astronomy, last known member of Alexandria’s museum
Hypatia’s work
by time she reached adulthood, she was running her own school and teacher for many who sought her out across the empire
Orestes
Alexandria’s governor and admirer of Hypatia, eventually became branded as witch/pagan in relation with Orestes
Theodosisus I
anti-pagan and drew out any pagan imagery, temples, and festivals
“Saint” Cyril of Alexandria
bishop who made religious turmoil worse and targeted Novatians, and eventually Oreste and Hypatia
Hypatia’s murder
got mobbed by Christian zealots and stripped naked, beaten and stoned to death with roof tiles in a church, victim of power-hunger and religious intolerance
Amanirenas
Kushite warrior queen, “one-eyed queen”
Kandakes
Nubia’s long tradition of female rulers also called candices, over 11 queens during Meroitic Period. Meaning= “great woman” referring to king’s mother or sister, sister of the king would be next heir
Rule of Amanirenas
ascension to the throne began 25 BCE with death of her husband
War with Romans
25-22 BC began fighting against Romans b/c of their invasion
Bad-assery of Amanirenas
invasion into Egypt by riding on elephants and fed Roman soldiers to her dogs
Amanirenas attacks
conquered cities in Rome and destroyed statues of Caesar Augustus
Amanirenas 2 important concessions
cancellation of the tax on Meroe and Roman occupation withdrawl from Second Cataract, on border of Egypt
Boudica
warrior queen of Iceni, a Celtic tribe in eastern Britain
Where were earliest British coins?
Iceni
Prasutagus
king of Iceni, husband of Boudica. He died in 60 CE, and his kingdom was annexed and his daughters were taken instead of him co-heiring his kingdom
who told Boudica’s story?
Publius Cornelius Tactius and Cassius Dio
What did Boudica do as rebellion after getting rapped and flogged?
raised an army of 120,000 people with tribe Trinovantes
boudica’s revolt
successful b/c Britain was led down by Wales druid site
What places did Boudica attack?
Colchester, a Roman colony of retired soldiers and Londinium, central place of trade was burnt down (evidence of blackened coins and burnt einkorn wheat)
Zenobia
rebel queen of Palmyra that took on Rome whoile they were in crisis with economy, major defeat by Persians
Palmyra
locaed in modern-day Syria, important for trade along the Silk road
Odaenathus
Zenobia’s husband and king of Palmyra, very successful and wanted to become “monarch of the east”, was murdered after returning from campaign in Cappadocia this is how Zenobia came to reign
Cassisu Longinus
a neo-platonist who helped her break from Rome and take over Egypt as an empire
Zenobia’s policies
religious tolerance and court was center of learning for scholars, both made her widely popular, appointed her own governors and still came her son as the subordinate of the Roman emperor (minted coins with Aurellian and Vaballethus)
Emperor Aurealian
her match, hardened adversery
Battle of Emesa
fought in 272 CE, with Aurelian defeating Palmyra and making she was captured at Euphrates River. Were used as displays of their triumph
