S23E16 - Why Did Witches Ride Brooms: The History Behind the Legend | Boring History

Long before Halloween decorations gave every witch a pointed hat and a broomstick, someone had to come up with the strange idea that witches could fly through the night on ordinary household brooms. Tonight, we’re finding out where that image actually came from.

We’ll travel through medieval and early modern European folklore, old artwork, court records, religious writings, and popular stories to trace how witches and broomsticks became connected. And like most legends this old, there isn’t one perfectly tidy origin story.

Along the way, we’ll explore older beliefs about magical flight...