Did witches really fly on broomsticks? In this Halloween special, we explore the history of witchcraft through the plants linked to it, from poisonous herbs like belladonna, mandrake and henbane to humble fennel.

In Part 1:
• Medea, Circe and Canidia: the witches of Greek and Roman myth and their magical herbs
• The root-cutters, ancient healers who gathered plants by night and read the stars
• The benandanti of northern Italy, who fought witches with fennel stalks, until the Inquisition called them witches too
• The “flying ointments” of the witch trials, and the Spanish inquisitor who tested 22 jars of them

In Part 2: the Salem witch cake, an apple that led to a witchcraft accusation, and the herbs of the cunning folk.

Episode artwork: The Witches' Ride by William Holbrook Beard, 1870 (Wikimedia commons)

Support the show

Join The Newsletter 📩 Get a wild historical fact, a fascinating science tidbit, a botanical quiz & much more to your inbox. Subscribe for free: https://rootsrevealed.org/#newsletter

____________________________________________________

*Royalty-free BGM "Clear Waters" Easy Lemon" ''Parting of Ways'' from incompetech.com

**Royalty-free BGM from pixabay.com

***Podcast logo is designed by me

_____________________________________________________

Got feedback or suggestions?💬 I’d love to hear from you! Drop a message at hello@rootsrevealed.org

Episode Details & Website

• Find full show notes for every episode: https://rootsrevealed.org/episodes
• Visit the official website: https://rootsrevealed.org
• Read strange and fascinating plant stories: https://rootsrevealed.org/the-peculiar-herbarium