This is a past event
*Please also note that this event takes place on Wednesday 04 November, not on a Thursday as was incorrectly advertised previously*
Join Professor Bill Naphy as he explores the history of Witchcraft in Aberdeen and looks at how women were profiled and subsequently identified as witches.
In the first 6 months of 1597, Aberdeen and its shire were the centre of a witch-hunt which took the lives of over two dozen women. This talk will examine this particular witch-hunt (which was a catalyst for further hunts across Scotland) both to consider its progress but also why certain locales and individuals were investigated. The key to this will be an understanding of how elite men of the time had a particular ‘profile’ in mind of who was ‘likely’ to be a witch when they went looking to uncover witches. They used this profile because they were convinced that their world faced a grave threat from secret groups of people working with Satan to overthrow Christian society. In other words, faced with the threat of hidden ‘terror cells’ allied to the ‘great enemy’, these elite men used a profile as a quick and efficient way to identify those most likely to be involved in the conspiracies.
Online registrations have now closed. If you would like to attend this event please email us on alumni@abdn.ac.uk and we will register you.
Please note that this session will be recorded and shared online.
- Speaker
- Professor Bill Naphy
- Hosted by
- Development and Alumni Relations
- Contact