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How did sympathetic magic supposedly allow a witch to harm another person?
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Witchcraft
El conjuro or Las brujas (“The Conjuring” or “The Witches”), oil on canvas by Francisco Goya, 1797–98; in the Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid.
Sympathetic magic is based on the belief that a person can be supernaturally influenced through objects that represent them or have been associated with them. This practice relies on two primary principles:1
- Homeopathic magic (Law of Similarity): This assumes that things resembling one another have a causal connection. For example, a practitioner might destroy a wax image or effigy of a victim, believing that the harm inflicted upon the representation will be transferred to the actual person.12
- Contagious magic (Law of Contact): This assumes that objects that have been in physical contact with a person retain a connection to them even after separation. A practitioner might use items such as hair, nail parings, or pieces of clothing belonging to the intended victim to perform rituals meant to cause harm.12
These methods operate on the assumption that the symbolic or physical link between the object and the individual allows the practitioner to exert influence over the victim's well-being.12