Welcome to What The Heck season 4! This podcast explores unexplained phenomena using stories gathered from various sources, then applies an academic research method to find theories and solutions for each one. So far, we've been unsuccessful in finding any concrete answers, but a few of the stories we've covered have been solved. Today, in the final episode of the season, we're diving head first into the history, myths, and modern views of witchcraft. The last deep dive episode was way back at the end of Season 1. This year, I took on an even bigger challenge- making the huge amount of information about witchcraft through the ages into an easily available resource. We're all over the place this week, looking at definitions, comparing beliefs, unpacking fictional depictions, and looking at the very real fear of witches across the Western World. Strap in, it's a long and bumpy ride! Where did witchcraft come from? Why was it so feared that it was made illegal? What happened during the witch trials? What's true and what's made up? Listen in to find out!

Links for other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References for the episode:

Blumberg, Jess. “A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials.” Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2007, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489.

Lewis, Jone Johnson. “A Timeline of Witch Hunts in Europe.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 22 Jan. 2013, https://www.thoughtco.com/european-witch-hunts-timeline-3530786.

Winsham, Willow. England’s Witchcraft Trials. Pen and Sword History, 2018.

Wren, Delores E. The History of Witchcraft: Traditions, Practices and the Trials of Witches, Wizards and Warlocks. Spells, Rites and Rituals, Sorcery and Magic from Ancient Times to Modern Day Wicca and Neo-Paganism. Independently published, 2023.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address. Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

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