witchcraft

Also known as witchery, spellcraft, magic

thumb|Depiction of witchcraft in John William Waterhouse's painting The Magic Circle (1886)

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Wikidata facts

Image: Shona witch doctor (Zimbabwe).jpg

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Commons category: Witchcraft
P8168: 6.5×55 mm

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~45 min read

Article

32 sections

Contents

Concept
Etymology
Beliefs about practices
Witchcraft and folk healers
Witch-hunts and thwarting witchcraft
Accusations of witchcraft
Modern witch-hunts
Religious perspectives
Ancient Mesopotamian religion
Abrahamic religions
Jewish
Christian
Islamic
Modern paganism
Regional perspectives
Africa
Americas
North America
Latin America
Asia
East Asia
Middle East
Europe
Early modern and contemporary Europe
Oceania
Witches in art and literature
See also
Notes
References
Works cited
Further reading
External links

thumb|Depiction of witchcraft in John William Waterhouse's painting The Magic Circle (1886)

Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. Though the idea of witchcraft is largely imaginary, it has nevertheless served in many cultures as a way to explain the presence of evil. The belief in witches has been found throughout history in a great number of societies worldwide. Most of these societies have used protective magic or counter-magic against witchcraft, and have shunned, banished, imprisoned, physically punished or killed alleged witches. Anthropologists use the term "witchcraft" for similar beliefs about harmful occult practices in different cultures, and these societies often use the term when speaking in English.