27. Witches of Europe

Episode 27 Witches of Europe is a taste of Miriam's new 5-week course Spindle & Flame: Women and the Witch Hunts, beginning November 2.

In today's episode Miriam speaks about the enchanters, healers, herbalists and cunning women of medieval Europe before they were called 'Witch'.

You'll hear her speak about:

The Norse Völva Thorbjörg and the seeress of Fyrkat.

The three eras of the witch. Where the word “witch” comes from.

European names for the Witches.

Enchantment: the voice and the body.

Penitentials as a window into everyday folk magic.

Henbane, rain charms and herb-women.

Goddesses of spinning and fate.

Key books and essays used in this episode with thanks to the authors:

Dashu, Max. Witches and Pagans: Women in European Folk Religion, 700–1100. Richmond, CA: Veleda Press, 2016.

Filotas, Bernadette. Pagan Survivals, Superstitions and Popular Cultures in Early Medieval Pastoral Literature. Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 2005.

Heide, Eldar. “Spinning seiðr.” In Old Norse Religion in Long-Term Perspectives, edited by Anders Andrén, Kristina Jennbert and Catharina Raudvere. Lund: Nordic Academic Press, 2006.

Dickinson, Tania M. “An Anglo-Saxon ‘Cunning Woman’ from Bidford-on-Avon.” In In Search of Cult: Archaeological Investigations in Honour of Philip Rahtz, edited by Martin Carver. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 1993.

Meaney, Audrey L. Anglo-Saxon Amulets and Curing Stones. BAR British Series 96. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports, 1981.