The Burning Times is the title Pagans have given to the time when hundreds of thousands of people — mostly women — were killed as Witches. The time period began roughly in the thirteenth century, reached its height in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and still occurs in many ways today.

The victims came from a wide background of cultures, social statures, and religious beliefs. They were killed because they were different, unpopular, unwanted. Old widows with land were accused of Witchcraft so that the town could take over their land and acquire their wealth. Young women were accused by jealous wives whose husbands who had wandering eyes. If there was a problem with the animals or the crops, the latest newcomers to the town were held suspect. And as the years progressed, midwives and healers whose practices rivaled that of male doctors and the Church were brought forth on charges of Witchcraft and heresy.

People began to set themselves up as professional Witch hunters, and it became a very profitable profession. Witchcraft was the Church's scapegoat for all the problems the people had, and women were believed the most susceptible to its supposed evils. 85% of those killed were women. It was not unusual to find only a handful of women left living in a given village after a Witch-hunt had taken place.

Witchcraft is still feared — and discrimination exists today in many ways, shapes and forms.

Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it — thus the popular phrase "Never Again The Burning Times".

Notes Concerning Numbers and Times...
Before even the creation of the artwork, I spent months buried under a pile of books dealing with history, anthropology, social sciences, and religion. The numbers and opinions varied greatly from source to source, with even the most recent information conflicting, each spouting their own assuredness about what they had brought to light. After discussing it with some more scholarly folk with whom I would trust my life, I decided to use the dates and numbers you find within this site. The numbers aren't terribly obscene like the 9 million claim (more like 115,000-250,00), and the dates have references. But, the truth of the matter is this: It doesn't matter how many people died, or when they started dying, or what religion they practiced, or what sex they were. It's the fact that they DID die — they died simply because of who they were. If you're going to debate and make issue of the times and dates, well, you're missing the whole point of this site.