Abstract
This article employs a phylogenetic approach to explore traits that might be associated with the cultural transmission of the "witchcraft phenotype" across Bantoid and Bantu ethnolinguistic groups. The authors define the witchcraft phenotype as a set of interlinked traits related to witchcraft beliefs within a society, showing both cross-cultural similarities and regional variations. Despite the widespread historical and geographical presence of witchcraft beliefs, little is known about their evolution and transmission. The article's analysis focuses on the possible ancestral transmission of these traits and their coevolution. The authors suggest that witchcraft phenotypes are often intertwined with beliefs in ancestors, spirits, gods, and other supernatural entities, and like other cultural traits, they can evolve through various mechanisms. Their findings indicate support for phylogenetic transmission of some traits, such as the use of poison to detect witchcraft guilt, but show that other factors such as age and gender do not show evidence of historical transmission.