Steilneset Memorial: 17th-century archives on witchcraft trials connecting past and present

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article is a reflection upon the impact of the author’s use of archival material at Steilneset Memorial in Finnmark, Northern Norway, a Memorial commemorating the victims of the Finnmark witchcraft trials, 1600–1692. Its aim is twofold: First, to illustrate how the original court records were used to bring the history of the witchcraft trials into the public space today at Steilneset Memorial. This part will focus on the personal approach taken in surfacing the voices of those accused during the trials. Second, to discuss Steilneset Memorial and its content as a catalyst for historical interpretation and for bridging the gap between the painful history of the 17th century and the present day. Such a discussion will focus first on my own historical interpretation and then the responses of others to the Memorial, before reflecting on the extent to which the historical content of a memorial can display connections over centuries and communicate this to visitors of today.