Belladonna & Broomstics: A History of Witch-flight

This brand new lecture will explore the history and mythology of flying witches, from winged strix of antiquity to the broom-riding hag of the Witch Trials. Our examination will look closely at flying ointments, an iconic substance in witch-lore. Arising in the European middle ages, it is crafted from a variety of transgressive ingredients- poisons, psychedelics, animal and even human remains- and used in the astral "flight" of witches from their bodies. Under the influence of this powerful unguent, witches have been said to speak with spirits, travel great distances unseen, and go forth by night to meet the Devil. The history and legend of flying ointment rides a line between truth and myth, blurring into a muddy history where reality and folk-history meet. 

In this lecture, students will explore the historical, botanical, and magical aspects of witch-flight and flying ointment, and their roles in the cultural perceptions of witches…