The Science Behind Real Witch Brooms: How Do They Fly?

A real witch broom, also known as a "besom," is a traditional tool used by witches for various purposes, including sweeping away negative energy, creating a sacred space, or as part of rituals and ceremonies. It is often depicted as a brush made from natural materials, such as broomcorn or birch twigs, tied to a wooden handle. The usage of witch brooms can be traced back to ancient times, where they were believed to have magical properties. In folklore and mythology, witches were often depicted flying on brooms, which has become an iconic image associated with witchcraft. However, it is important to note that the concept of flying on brooms is primarily a fictional depiction and not a genuine practice of witchcraft. The true purpose of a witch broom is mainly ceremonial and symbolic.

The true purpose of a witch broom is mainly ceremonial and symbolic. To create a witch broom, one would traditionally gather natural materials, such as branches, twigs, or straw. These materials are then bound together using twine or rope to form a brush-like shape.

The First Known Depiction of a Witch on a Broomstick

In the 15th century, the image of the witch flying on a broomstick first appeared, its meaning laden with sexual and spiritual depravity.

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Witches illustrated in Martin Le Franc’s ‘Le Champion des Dames’ (1451) (via Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF)/Wikimedia)

As Halloween approaches, it offers a chance to delve into the occult, phantasmagoric, otherworldly, and haunted aspects of our world. In a series of posts, we’re exploring art history that offers a portal to a darker side of culture.

The visual of the witch on a broomstick is so ubiquitous as to be benign. Before the Wicked Witch of the West or Harry Potter took flight on the spindly cleaning tool, the image first appeared in the 15th century. Two women in marginal illustrations of the 1451 edition of French poet Martin Le Franc’s Le Champion des Dames (The Defender of Ladies), a manuscript now in the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF), are soaring, one on a stick, the other on a broom.

According to Witchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: A Documentary History, edited by University of Pennsylvania history professors Alan Charles Kors and Edward Peters, Le Champion des Dames has “the first such illustration in the pictorial history of witchcraft.” Le Franc’s long poem about virtuous women is interrupted by a discussion of witchcraft, and the covered heads of the two women marks them as Waldensians. This Christian movement emerged in the 12th-century. With its tenet that any member could be a priest, even a woman, and perform sacraments and preach, the bloody ire of the Catholic Church soon followed. That these heretics would also meddle with the supernatural was not a leap, but why the broomstick?

Francisco Goya, “Linda maestra!” (1797-98), etching, aquatint, and drypoint on laid paper (via Brooklyn Museum/Wikimedia)

Dylan Thuras at Atlas Obscura wrote that the “broom was a symbol of female domesticity, yet the broom was also phallic, so riding on one was a symbol of female sexuality, thus femininity and domesticity gone wild.” The two women in Le Champion des Dames importantly don’t appear deformed or grotesque, they are ordinary; their corruption cannot be visually perceived. And pagan rituals before the 15th century had involved phallic forms, so the shape of the broomstick between a woman’s legs had both a sexual and spiritually deviant meaning to the Church.

Yet it was racier than that. Richard Cavendish’s 1970 An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural cites a man, Guillaume Edelin, who confessed to flying on a broom in 1453 as the first known reference to the act. Just a few years later, in 1456, emerged the mention of “flying ointment.” Either given by the devil or crafted by a witch, the potion allowed a human to take flight, likely for a trip to the Witches’ Sabbath.

Albert Joseph Penot, “Départ pour le Sabbat” (1910) (via Wikimedia)

You might be able to guess where this is going. Megan Garber at the Atlantic cites the 15th-century writing of Jordanes de Bergamo, who stated:

The vulgar believe, and the witches confess, that on certain days or nights they anoint a staff and ride on it to the appointed place or anoint themselves under the arms and in other hairy places.

Hallucinogens of the time, such as ergot fungus, couldn’t just be eaten. They could be applied to mucous membranes, such as on genitalia, or those “other hairy places,” as Bergamo coyly put it. Matt Soniak at Mental Floss quotes Antoine Rose, who in 1477, when accused of witchcraft in France, confessed that the Devil gave her flying potions. She would “smear the ointment on the stick, put it between her legs and say ‘Go, in the name of the Devil, go!’”

Since many witch “confessions” were obtained under torture, and the Catholic Church and others could be wildly reactionary to any deviance, all of this is hearsay. (And think of the splinters!) But the image of the witch on the broomstick combined anxieties on women’s sexuality, drug use, and religious freedom into one enduring myth.

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The handle is typically made from wood, often chosen for its particular magical properties or associations. Witch brooms are used in various rituals and practices within the witchcraft community. They can be used to sweep away negative energies from a space or to mark the boundaries of a sacred circle during spellcasting or rituals. Brooms may also be used symbolically to represent the element of air or as a tool for visualization and focus during meditation or spellwork. In modern witchcraft, besoms are often incorporated into altars or displayed as decorative items. Many witches also create their own besoms as a personal expression of their craft and spirituality. Overall, a real witch broom, or besom, holds a significant place within witchcraft and serves as a tool for various magical and spiritual practices. It is a symbol of both the magical and mundane aspects of a witch's craft, representing the connections between the spiritual and physical realms..

Reviews for "Exploring Folklore and Legends Surrounding Real Witch Brooms"

1. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with the Real qitch broom. Firstly, it didn't do a good job of sweeping up dust and debris. It seemed to just push everything around rather than actually picking it up. Secondly, the handle was very flimsy and felt like it was going to break every time I used it. Overall, I found this broom to be ineffective and not worth the money.

2. John - 1/5 - I cannot express how much I disliked the Real qitch broom. It was completely useless for me. No matter how many times I swept the floor, it seemed like it was never clean. The bristles were too soft and didn't provide enough pressure to pick up dirt and hair. Additionally, the broom was poorly constructed and the handle broke after just a few uses. I would not recommend this product to anyone.

3. Emily - 2/5 - I had high hopes for the Real qitch broom, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The bristles were not durable and started falling out after just a couple of uses. This made sweeping a messy and frustrating experience. The broom also didn't reach into corners effectively, leaving behind a lot of dirt and debris. I ended up having to use a different broom to clean up properly. Overall, I was disappointed with the performance and quality of this broom.

4. Mark - 1/5 - The Real qitch broom was a complete waste of money for me. The bristles were too stiff and didn't bend easily, which made it difficult to sweep along edges and under furniture. It also didn't effectively pick up small particles like dust and hair. Moreover, the handle was extremely short, causing me to bend over uncomfortably while sweeping. I would not recommend this broom to anyone in need of a reliable cleaning tool.

Finding the Perfect Real Witch Broom: A Buyer's Guide