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What was the swimming test used on people accused of witchcraft?
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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.
The "swimming test," also known as a water ordeal, was a method used during early modern witch trials to determine the guilt or innocence of an accused individual.12
In this practice, the suspect was bound and cast into a body of water, such as a pond or river. The interpretation of the results was based on a superstitious belief regarding the nature of the water:31
- If the person sank: They were considered innocent, as it was believed the "sanctified" water had accepted them. They would then be rescued.12
- If the person floated: They were assumed to be guilty, as it was believed the water had rejected them, indicating they were a witch.12
This test was primarily employed at the local level, often by those lacking the oversight of superior courts. While it was a common feature in the folklore and practices surrounding witch hunts, it was not universally accepted; many 16th-century writers and legal authorities debated its efficacy and criticized its use.14