Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Val Camonica Witch Trials



Val Camonica Witch Trials

The Val Camonica witch trials were two large witch trials which took place in Val Camonica in Italy, in 1505-1510 and 1518-1521. They were among the biggest Italian witch trials, and caused the deaths of about 60 persons, in each trial: 110 in total.

The best source for the trials is considered to be the Venetian Marin Sanudo, who was the chronicler to the Council of Ten from 1496 to 1536. The documentary evidence was destroyed by order of Giacinto Gaggia, the bishop of Brescia, to prevent it from being used by the anticlerical opposition.


Cernunnos

Cernunnos (also Cernenus and Cern) is a pagan Celtic god whose representations were widespread in the ancient Celtic lands of western Europe. As a horned god, Cernunnos is associated with horned male animals, especially stags and the ram-horned snake; this and other attributes associate him with produce and fertility. Cernunnos is also associated mainly as the God of the Underworld.

Everything that we know about this deity comes from two inscriptions from France and one from Germany.


[Music: 'Butterfly' by Tapping the Vein; 'I Walk Alone' by Tarja Turunen; '(Theme From) Midnight Express' by Giorgio Moroder]