BROOMSTICKS PART 2

As I noted in my last post, brooms are associated with women, who have been responsible for housework for much of history.

But why depict women flying on broomsticks?

One theory: an ancient pagan fertility ritual had farmers leaping and dancing astride brooms to encourage growth of their crops.

A second theory: most people accused of witchcraft were poor women living alone who could concoct brews from hallucinogenic herbs such as deadly nightshade, henbane, and mandrake, to bring visions and dreams to their miserable lives. To Be Continued. #broomsticks #besom #brooms # deadlynightshade #mandrake #henbane #judymolland #judymollandwriter #witches #witchhunt #themakingofawitch #hallucinagenicherbs