<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Witchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the use of certain kinds of alleged supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft, and may be male or female. While mythological witches are often supernatural creatures, historically many people were also accused of witchcraft, or claimed to be witches. Witchcraft still exists in a number of belief systems, with many modern practitioners.

The term "witchcraft" can have positive or negative connotations depending on the cultural context; for instance, in post-Christian European cultures it has historically been associated with evil and the Devil, while most modern witches see it as beneficial and morally positive.

In mythological contexts, witches are most often female, the male equivalent being a wizard, sorcerer, warlock or magician. In a modern Wiccan or Neopagan context, women and men are "witches" equally, the term "warlock" being reserved for those who have betrayed their fellows.

Anthropologists have tended to divide witches from sorcerers (those that practice sorcery), although the terms are often used without this distinction. Under the division, witches are fundamentally different from other people, whether born that way or transformed through the process of becoming a witch. In many belief systems, this physical difference can be tested. For example, one way that witches were tested during the witch hunts was to see if they would sink in water. Witches supposedly wouldn't, while non-witches would. Sorcerers, on the other hand, use techniques that could be learned by anybody, and are not physically different from the general populace. Sorcery is also generally thought of as being used for evil means, while witchcraft (in some traditions) could be for good or evil.

Types of Magic

Conjuration refers to any magic that summons materials or creatures to a wizard's aid. These materials and/or creatures may be from this world, or another plane of existence (ie, demons and spirits). Creatures called forth from other realms can be extremely powerful and cunning, and so a wizard must make careful use of following the summoning ritual correctly, lest he become the slave of his minion! Control over these magical minions is maintained through words of power and actions dictated by a ritual, including the correct components for the summoning. A magic cirle, sometimes including a pentagram at the center, prevents creatures from harming the wizard as long as he stands within it.

Divination refers to magic that accesses the natural powers of a deity, usually to tell the future. Medicine men and shamans are classified as diviners. Psychics and tarot card readers are also generally classified as diviners, though they do not claim any connection to a deity. Most means of divination are harmless, such as the practice in ancient China of baking chicken bones and interpreting the cracks within the bones.

Enchantment refers to magic that affects the nature of living or nonliving things. An enchanter can make a smart man act like a fool or cause a dull sword to suddenly become razor sharp.

Necromancy is the technical term for what is often called "black magic." Necromancy is associated with raising the dead, bestowing curses upon others, and summoning demons. As in conjuration, a magic circle is used when a necromancer summons an undead minion, a spirit, or demon. Blood and sacrifices- sometimes human- are common components for raising a creature through necromancy.

Throughout history, the term necromancy has also been used to refer to any act of magic that was judged to not be "divine" by nature. This would include any sort of "supernatural" healing, the ability to talk with spirits, or harmless druid magic (Puritans thought that the Devil resided in the forest). Most of these "supernatural" acts are easily explainable: "supernatural" healing was simply alternative medicine, usually making use of herbal remedies; "mediums" were schizophrenics, and "forest magic" existed in only the imagination.

Pyromancy refers to the art of controlling fire. In some literature, pyromancers may summon fire out of the air, but it is doubtful that anyone in the real world has ever claimed to see such a spectacular feat.