955 – Picture

Physical description:

Reproduction of a picture from 'The Discovery of Witchcraft', 1584, showing witch prickers - one with a retractable blade and one with a bend in the blade to prevent cheating.

Museum classification:

Persecution

Size:

100 x 150 mm

Information:

Prickers or Bodkins were used to find and test the 'Devil's mark' or third nipple. A witch was supposed to feel no pain when the mark was pricked. The first two illustrations show a pricker with a retractable blade thus enabling the witch finder to cheat. The pricker on the right has a device to prevent such cheating.

Resource:

Picture

Materials:

Paper

Prickers or Bodkins were used to find and test the 'Devil's mark' or third nipple. A witch was supposed to feel no pain when the mark was pricked. The first two illustrations show a pricker with a retractable blade thus enabling the witch finder to cheat. The pricker on the right has a device to prevent such cheating.