My 6 Year old granddaughter asked why witches wear pointy hats
A little too dark to explain to a child, but we can see nothing changes in over 500 years.
So if you traveled back in time to the Middle Ages or the Renaissance and went to a market in England, you’d probably see an oddly familiar sight: women wearing tall, pointy hats. In many instances, they’d be standing in front of big cauldrons. But these women were no witches; they were brewers. They wore the tall, pointy hats so that their customers could see them in the crowded marketplace. They transported their brew in cauldrons. And those who sold their beer out of stores had cats not as demon familiars, but to keep mice away from the grain. Some argue that iconography we associate with witches, from the pointy hat to the cauldron, originated from women working as master brewers.
Just as women were establishing their foothold in the beer markets of England, Ireland and the rest of Europe, the Reformation began. The religious movement, which originated in the early 16th century, preached stricter gender norms and condemned witchcraft.
Male brewers saw an opportunity. To reduce their competition in the beer trade, some accused female brewers of being witches and using their cauldrons to brew up magic potions instead of booze.
Unfortunately, the rumors took hold. Over time, it became more dangerous for women to practice brewing and sell beer because they could be misidentified as witches. At the time, being accused of witchcraft wasn’t just a social faux pas; it could result in prosecution or a death sentence. Women accused of witchcraft were often ostracized in their communities, imprisoned or even killed.
Some men didn’t really believe that the women brewers were witches. However, many did believe that women shouldn’t be spending their time making beer. The process took time and dedication: hours to prepare the ale, sweep the floors clean and lift heavy bundles of rye and grain. If women couldn’t brew ale, they would have significantly more time at home to raise their children. In the 1500s some towns, such as Chester, England, actually made it illegal for most women to sell beer, worried that young alewives would grow up into old spinsters.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I'll drink to that!
In my childhood doll collection, I have a doll in national Welsh costume. She wears a tall black hat, not pointed but very tall. When my daughter was young, she got scared of witches. I showed her the doll, told her that her great granny was Welsh, (true), and that stupid people who don't like the Welsh made up the whole story of witches and told ugly stories about Welsh hats. My daughter was no longer afraid, since that tall black hat is our heritage. So, I have no references and no verification, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
(Thank you for the factual tale, but I don't think it would have been as effective in soothing my daughter's fear. Good to know tho!)
