Possible Origins of The Witch Hat and Other Accoutrements of the Witch ~ Part One

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The hat that the popular and fictional image of a witch wears is tall, pointed conical with a crooked top and wide brim. There are several theories of where this hat may have originated. These theories go back as far as the 2nd and 4th centuries with the mummified remains of the "witches" of Subeshi who wore black hats that were very tall. The next theory is from the Fourth Council of the Lateran in 1215. An official order that all Jews had to wear identifying headgear known as a Judenrat. The Jews were already accused of Satan worship and black magic and so this hat easily became associated with such things. The Quaker hat, although not pointed, was a focus of much cultural controversy and conceivably also became a part of the demonic symbolism. To bewitch and torment a witch's victims it is said that they would take on such images as dogs, snakes, hares, birds(especially ravens or crows), and, the most popular, the black cat. Down through the centuries animals have been associated with sorcery and worshipped as familiars or helpers to witches, wizards, and warlocks. Such as the owl with Athena, the raven with Proserpina, and the goat with Pan. In ancient times it was believed that you could make offerings or even perform rituals to help you communicate with these deities since animals were closer to nature than humans. Image is courtesy of Adobe Stock free images.