About this Event
The witch's familiar, said to be a half-animal, half-demon hybrid was integral to the witch trials in England and New England. The role of the familiar became so important that that it literally became the law in the Massachusetts Bay Colony--to be a witch was to interact with a familiar. To be a witch was a crime punishable by death. But the witch's familiar has perplexed historians for years. Krystina Yeager has began to explore the belief in the witch's familiar and how it was a culmination of the overall changing beliefs in the 16th and 17th centuries when it came to the devil, the witch, and God himself. Join her on April 12, 2025 at the Witch House from 6-7:30 to learn more.
Krystina Yeager (she/her) is a historian with an MA in history, specializing in the early modern witch trials of England and New England, with a particular focus on the role of the witch’s familiar. She has presented her research at conferences across the country and internationally, shedding light on the intersections of folklore, law, and religious transformation in witchcraft accusations. Krystina likes to say is is mostly interested in the history that people don't like to talk about and how highlighting these stories upend the established historical narrative over time.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
310 Essex St, 310 Essex Street, Salem, United States
