AN INTERACTIVE map of Scotland showing the name and place of residence of all citizens known to have been accused of witchcraft in centuries gone by has been released.
East Lothian features heavily, with practically every town in the county harbouring at least 10 men and women accused of practising the dark arts.
The map, created by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, enables the viewer to see the full names of all the people that were accused of being witches in any area, and often will have the name of the accuser alongside, as well as where they were detained and, for some, where they were executed.
The research for the map took place in the university’s School of History, Classics and Archaeology over the late 1990s and early 2000s, with the interactive map collating the data launching this month.
Ewan McAndrew, who worked on the study and map, said: “The main thing we have taken from the project is how people engage with finding witches near them – localising this terrible history makes the past relatable.”
To see the interactive map, visit witches.is.ed.ac.uk
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