Strixology

Strixology is a genre of writing about the reality and dangers of witches, their origins, character and power; often in the context of theology or of demonology.[1] (The Latin word strix can mean "screech-owl" or "witch".[2])

During the early modern period strixologists refuted the reality of witches and contributed to the decline of witch-hunts.[3]

As a systematic study, strixology emerged during the period 1431–1439 at the Council of Basel - an ecclesiastical council where theologians and demonologists met and debated what was seen as the Devil's work, magical observations and confessions of witches.[4] Those issues were not a primary purpose of the Council. Nonetheless, the subject of one of the discussions was a peasant named Stedelen who was believed to have committed maleficia[lower-alpha 1] and who said under torture that he was a part of a secret society of Devil-worshippers. This story was disturbing enough to be reported to the council by Peter of Simmental and described in great detail.[5]

This case and similar revelations were later used by the Dominican professor Johannes Nider, a participant at the Council's meetings, as examples in his Formicarius (1436-1438) a book that laid the foundations of strixology. Scholars cited this significant work for centuries.[6] Around the time Formicarius was published, there was a relatively small number of witch-hunt victims - estimated to have been in the hundreds.[7]

This changed at the end of the 15th century, partially due to the publication of the infamous Malleus Maleficarum which cemented belief in the reality of witches[7] and in the higher susceptibility of women to take part in witchcraft.[8] The book proclaimed that “evils which are performed by witches exceed all other sin which God has ever permitted to be done.…”.[9] The Malleus Maleficarum adamantly pushed its views on the threat of witches in society. The text boldly claims that "[witches] exist" and "to defend the opposite view steadfastly is altogether heretical"[10]