Jersey has always been known for the extensive witch trials that occured from 1562-1748. However, this connection to the pagan world does not begin under the reign of the tudors but extends to a time before the birth of Christ, as far back as 7500 BC. The neolithic and paleolithic history of the island has been preserved through ancient burial sites (dolmens) and areas that can be considered to have been used as a way of establishing a spiritual connection with the Gods and ancestors. It is the connection with the paranormal and pagan mythology that I want to explore, understanding what occured around the island and the exploitation of 66 individuals accused of the ‘diabolical crime of witchcraft’.
I want to use works created by Andrea Eichenberg, Bernd and Hilla Becher, and Sesh Sareday to produce a photobook exploring this elaborate history so many know so little about. By exploring this hidden world, I can observe societal opinions, seek the meanings of the dark arts and challenge the theories that have been created to rationalise the unexplained. Extensive research into the methodology of convicting witches and rituals thought to have been conducted will provide an alternative view to what is typically known as fact within the official records that detail the persecution of so many islanders.
Key sites of interest include the prison that was Mont Orgueil Castle; dolmens and burial grounds uncovered across the island that can be used within a typology study; and La Rocqueberg, the supposed meeting ground of witches where minimal evidence was found to suggest that the Devil was danced with at this site. Chris Lake has presented a map of the island displaying pin-pointed positions of megalithic remains and sites considered to be haunted within Jersey Folk Lore, connecting each position with a series of ‘ley-lines’ – paths of spiritual connection that held the keys to ancient powers of the natural world. My project will use this as a way to establish key focal points that can be photographed and included in the study.
