Book Of Shadows
Seax Witchcraft was founded in 1973 by Raymond Buckland and seems to have a slight saxon basis. Buckland had been dissatisfied with the corruption and ego trips he saw in some covens and developed seax wicca to answer those concerns. The coven is democratic in that its leader is chosen by election. There is no binding or ritual scourging. Covens decide for themselves whether to worship clothed or skyclad. The rituals are published in The Tree : Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft. The tradition is also open to anyone.
Green Witchcraft
This style of witchcraft is styled around nature, herbs, healing and the earth mother.
Stregheria Italian Witchcraft
This style of witchcraft gained in popularity during the 1980s. It is claimed to have frown from the ancient Etruscan religion of Italian peasants.
Wicca is a variety of witchcraft that is founded on religious and magical concepts. Most of the adherents of wicca identify themselves as witches. Wicca is just only one variety of pagan Witchcraft, with specific beliefs and practices. Many Wiccans choose to call themselves Pagans. However, the umbrella term Paganism encompasses many faiths that have nothing to do with Wicca or witchcraft.
Contemporary Witchcraft
The term Contemporary Witchcraft refers to the various types of Witchcraft that are practised in the 21st century.
Hearth Witchcraft
The term Hearth Witchcraft is a nature and domestic style of witchcraft. It has sometimes also been called, "Cottage Witchery".
Hedge Witchcraft
Hedge Witchcraft is usually practised by the solitary Witch. It may sometimes be referred to as "hedgecraft,". It is similar to the shamanic art of crossing the boundary between this world and the Otherworld.
Bamberg Witch Trials
During the 16th and 17th centuries more than 100,000 people in Germany were tortured and murdered as a result of being accused of being witches. The witch hunts were led by fanatical rulers, spurred on behind the scenes by the Catholic Church. Using torture and inflicting horrible deaths on men, women and children over 100,000 people died. Some of the worst persecutions took place in Bamberg, a small state ruled by Gottfried Johann Georg 11 Fuchs von Dornheim. Dornheim established an operation of full time torturers and executioners. A witch prison was built in Bamberg and a network of informers was established. Accusations were not made public and the accused were denied legal rights. Torture was the rule and was applied to all those accused. Victims were put in thumbscrews and vises, dumped in cold baths and in scalding lime baths, whipped, burned with sulphur, put in iron spiked stocks and subjected to other forms torture. The torture did not stop even after condemnation. As they were led to the stake prisoners had their hands cut off. Many rich and powerful people fell victim and had their property and assets confiscated in Bamberg. Anyone who questioned what was happening was also tortured and killed. Through all of this Dornheim became a very wealthy man. In 1627 Dornheim built a special prison for witches that housed special torture chambers. Finally due to the fact that business was suffering Emperor Ferdinand was forced to issue mandates opposing the persecution in 1630 and 1631. Dornheim died in 1632. During the Bamberg witch trials children as young as 6 months old were tortured and killed.
