While I was as the Encaustic Conference I played hooky from one of the presentations and took the train from Beverly, Mass to Salem, Mass. While I was sorry that I missed it., I could not miss going to Salem! I visited the Peabody Museum http://www.pem.org/, a great place to visit, I also visited the Witch Museum watched a play and saw the dungeon where they kept over 300 people accused of witchcraft some cells only large enough to stand in, the water table is high so these cells would become flooded so disease rats came, the cruelty and ignorance of the Puritans is quite astounding http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/. I woonder if we can compare it to anything that goes on in our time 2010? still it is a strange page in our shared American history: Wikeppedia: "The episode is one the most famous cases of mass hysteria, and has been used in political rhetoric and popular literature as a vivid cautionary tale about the dangers of isolationism, religious extremism, false accusations, lapses in due process, and governmental intrusion on individual liberties."
Salem, Mass. has a strong Witches community, some O the shops it a little Kitchey but fun! I did not have enough time to really get into the Salem scene but it looks like they have a ball (a witches ball).
This is my slide show of the Memorial next to the cemetary in Salem of the 19 Souls falsely accused of being witches and hung with the exception of Giles Cory who refused to give into pressure and say he was a witch was pressed to death. Giles Corey endured the torture for two days. On the third day, Corey cursed the Sheriff and Salem, then promptly died. But he never entered a plea. He was eighty years old. Corey Giles was buried in an unmarked grave in Salem on Gallows Hill as ordered by the Judge.
The dog they hung is also not in this memorial the poor creature was accused of turning from a witch into a dog.
"If it be possible no more innocent blood be shed...I am clear of this sin" Mary Easty, hanged Sept. 22, 1692
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