Women had there hair shorn before being tortured and tried as Witches by the inquisition. Do you know why?

Apr27

Women had there hair shorn before b...

Posted at 12:30 AM • 11 Comments

This is not a myth, but the reasoning was based in a Myth.
Hint: Twisted Old Testament Myth

They believed that women were a threat and hid special powers in their hair.
The Inquisistors James Sprenger and Henry Kramer and the book that came into print and what had became the standard witch-hunter's manuel, the 'Malleus Maleficarum' (The Hammer of Witches). It surveyed the literature of demonology and witchcraft and suggested guidelines for prosecutors.
Sprenger and Kramer were aware that torturing a witch was dangerous work, and provided their students safety tips. It is necessary for instance, to strip the witch naked and shave the hair "from every part of her body." This was because witches "in order to preserve their power of silence …..are in the habit of hiding some superstitious object in their clothes or in their hair, or even in the most secret parts of their bodies, which must not be named. During his probing search the inquisitor must be watchful not only for demonic charms but for "witches marks," that is, for any physical blemishes that have been place there by the Devil. Thus any birthmark, wart or mole might provide him with damning evidence of a satanic pact.
This lend on the other means of torture like pricking to get them to confess. Very sad as well as disgusting.
One of the passages that was used from the Bible is in Exodus 22:18: "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" .
Started back in 1484 December 9 by Pope Innocent VIII when the Bull Summis desiderantibus was issued, approving a promt move by two German inquisitors, Sprenger and Kramer, against a horrific list satanic crimes, that began in Northern Germany.

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11 Responses

To make wigs for children at the Dana Farber Institute?
References :

✭ *wink* on April 27, 2009 at 5:57 am.
They believed that women were a threat and hid special powers in their hair.
The Inquisistors James Sprenger and Henry Kramer and the book that came into print and what had became the standard witch-hunter's manuel, the 'Malleus Maleficarum' (The Hammer of Witches). It surveyed the literature of demonology and witchcraft and suggested guidelines for prosecutors.
Sprenger and Kramer were aware that torturing a witch was dangerous work, and provided their students safety tips. It is necessary for instance, to strip the witch naked and shave the hair "from every part of her body." This was because witches "in order to preserve their power of silence …..are in the habit of hiding some superstitious object in their clothes or in their hair, or even in the most secret parts of their bodies, which must not be named. During his probing search the inquisitor must be watchful not only for demonic charms but for "witches marks," that is, for any physical blemishes that have been place there by the Devil. Thus any birthmark, wart or mole might provide him with damning evidence of a satanic pact.
This lend on the other means of torture like pricking to get them to confess. Very sad as well as disgusting.
One of the passages that was used from the Bible is in Exodus 22:18: "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" .
Started back in 1484 December 9 by Pope Innocent VIII when the Bull Summis desiderantibus was issued, approving a promt move by two German inquisitors, Sprenger and Kramer, against a horrific list satanic crimes, that began in Northern Germany.
References :
http://www.kajuju.com/?p=228

http://www.malleusmaleficarum.org

http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/WitchHistory.html

http://www.controverscial.com/Malleus%20Maleficarium.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/pricking

http://history.wisc.edu/sommerville/367/367-131.htm

✭ pat m on April 27, 2009 at 6:19 am.
Because they know they're going to be guilty, and therefore burned at the stake, and hair smells like butt when it's on fire?

Haha, just kidding. I can only guess, but wasn't it something about they might have mystical magic powers all tangled in their hair?

If I'm wrong, you can blame 'The Crucible', and my high school english teacher.

=)
References :

✭ jen the red on April 27, 2009 at 6:58 am.
Hairs are the part of women's beauty. They had their hair shorn before being tortured. This is torture only if you do something which results in ugliness.
Anyways! if there is some other answer, i would like to know it.
References :

✭ Pallavi S on April 27, 2009 at 7:41 am.
have you ever smelt buring flesh before? even if you just burn yourself on the stove by accident for a second. hair however smells horrid. they would cut their hair off so they did not have to bair with the smell
References :

✭ Richie K on April 27, 2009 at 8:15 am.
I believe they did it to make her look ugly, because it would be easier to torture and kill those who are not feminine in appearance. There are also legends that hair holds magical properties, depending on the color of the hair, but I believe they may have used that as an excuse, seeing as the convicted were usually innocent human beings.
References :

✭ Rhiannon on April 27, 2009 at 8:27 am.
I know that many cultures consider hair to be a gift, to keep it clean -a luxury and to show it -a status symbol.
References :

✭ likes Eeyore on April 27, 2009 at 8:57 am.
many reasons as stated above: partly because some believe magic to be tied in hair, for more obvious reasons: to mentally break them down and to cut down on the smell.
References :

✭ Becky C on April 27, 2009 at 9:30 am.
Hair, especially long, strong, lustrous hair, was seen as a symbol of power/virility in some cultures: IE. Sampson & Delilah.
References :
Partly cos I'm a mythos junkie, and partly cos I worked on a Pantene Ad campaign pitch years ago.

✭ erisian trubble on April 27, 2009 at 9:36 am.
They believed that the witches' power resided in the hair and that if it was allowed to be left on the head while the witch was being tortured or killed that she could call upon the Devil to come aid her and they'd all be screwed. They also shaved their heads because they looked more ugly and therefore the people watching the torture or burning or hanging were less likely to feel "guilty" or "sad for" the one being killed. Without hair we look a lot crazier, and someone who has been tortured would undoubtedly look wild eyed and in pain. With hair it would be easier to feel sympathy for them.
References :

✭ anatketani on April 27, 2009 at 9:51 am.
Actually, In my studies, I've found the reason they shaved their heads, was to look for the mark of Satan. Witches were thought to have Satan given powers, and In exchange, He left a mark somewhere on the accused body. The mark could be interpreted from anything like a scar, to a freckle. So if the accused had no blemishes on their currently visible skin, They would shave off all body hair to look for the mark…

- Chase
References :
Just different books that I've read….?

✭ Chase Cole on April 27, 2009 at 10:03 am.

Left Handed Scissors for Hairstylists

If you're a lefty… you're in the right place

Women had there hair shorn before b...

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