7 Things Worth Knowing About Ancient Witches
The narratives surrounding ancient witches are rarely straightforward. They blur the lines between shamanism, folk healing, and outright persecution. What follows are seven key truths that challenge simplistic portrayals—and expose the deeper currents of misogyny, colonialism, and the survival of forbidden knowledge.1. They Were Often Healers, Not Just Evil Doers
The stereotype of the ancient witch as a malevolent figure is a distortion born of later propaganda. Historical records from pre-Christian Europe and the Mediterranean show that these practitioners were primarily healers. The Greek pharmakis (herbalists) and Roman sagae (diviners) used plants like mandrake and belladonna—substances later demonized in Christian texts—for pain relief and fertility treatments. Even in early medieval Europe, the wise women of the Pyrenees were summoned to treat illnesses, only to be accused of witchcraft when their methods failed to align with church doctrine. The shift occurred as the Catholic Church centralized power. By the 13th century, herbalism was recast as heresy. The De Herbis (a 12th-century herbal) listed remedies alongside warnings that certain plants could be used for "unholy purposes." This duality—healing as both sacred and dangerous—set the stage for the witch hunts. The ancient witches of the Baltic region, for instance, were often the last people to tend the sick during plagues, only to be blamed for spreading disease themselves.2. Their Rituals Were Rooted in Animism and Nature Worship
Contrary to the image of witches flying on broomsticks, ancient witches in pre-Christian societies were deeply connected to the natural world. The druids of Iron Age Europe performed rituals in sacred groves, interpreting omens in the flight of birds or the patterns of rivers. In Slavic traditions, the volkhv (male) and volkhva (female) communicated with spirits of the forest and water, believing illness stemmed from imbalances in these forces. These practices weren’t about evil—they were about harmony, a worldview that clashed with the Abrahamic insistence on divine control. The Christianization of Europe systematically dismantled these traditions. Stone circles like Stonehenge, once sites of astronomical worship, were recast as "devil’s work." The Carolingian Capitulary (8th century) banned pagan festivals, forcing ancient witches underground. Yet remnants persisted: the Maypole dances of medieval Europe, for example, were likely vestigial fertility rites repurposed to avoid persecution. Even the modern Wiccan tradition, founded in the 20th century, draws heavily from these suppressed animist roots.3. Gender Played a Crucial Role in Their Persecution
The targeting of ancient witches was disproportionately gendered. Women made up an estimated 75% of those accused during the European witch hunts, though men were also persecuted—particularly those who challenged male authority, like the wise men of the Alps. The Malleus Maleficarum framed women as inherently sinful, citing Eve’s role in the Fall. Yet the real motive was control. Midwives who administered abortifacients or herbal contraceptives threatened patriarchal structures; women who inherited land as healers defied feudal norms. This gendered violence wasn’t unique to Europe. In colonial America, Indigenous women accused of witchcraft—like the pawnee healers of the Great Plains—were executed alongside European settlers. The ancient witches of the Congo, the nganga, were both spiritual leaders and political figures, their power a direct challenge to Portuguese and later Belgian colonial rule. The pattern is clear: when women wielded knowledge, they became threats.4. Their Knowledge Was Systematically Erased
The destruction of ancient witches’ traditions wasn’t just about burning individuals—it was about erasing entire systems of knowledge. The Inquisition confiscated grimoires (spellbooks) and burned them, but some survived in coded form. The Longfellow Charms, discovered in 19th-century England, are a rare example of pre-Christian healing verses preserved in peasant folklore. Similarly, the Baltic witch trials of the 16th century revealed that accused women often recited incantations in languages like Latvian or Lithuanian, forcing judges to rely on interpreters who misrepresented their words. Even more insidious was the co-optation of their practices. The Church repurposed pagan symbols: the Yule log became Christmas, the solstice was Christianized as St. John’s Eve. The ancient witches’ herbal lore was absorbed into monastic medicine, but stripped of its spiritual context. Today, many "traditional" remedies—like the use of St. John’s wort for depression—trace back to these erased traditions.5. Some Survived by Becoming Folk Heroes
Not all ancient witches were silenced. In regions where persecution was less intense, their influence persisted in folklore. The wise women of the Scottish Highlands, like the fictionalized Selkies (seal-women), became figures of local legend. In the Balkans, the vampires of Slavic myth may have originated from stories of ancient witches who refused to die, their spirits lingering as protectors of the living. Even the Salem witch trials of 1692 produced a counter-narrative: the accused, like Tituba, became symbols of resistance in later centuries. These figures were often ambivalent—neither wholly villainous nor saints. The Baba Yaga of Slavic tales is a crone who devours children but also aids those who respect her. This duality reflects the real ambiguity of ancient witches: they were both feared and necessary, their survival a testament to human resilience.6. Colonialism Accelerated Their Erasure Globally
The witch hunts of Europe were bad enough, but colonialism turned the persecution of ancient witches into a global project. In Africa, the nganga of the Kongo were executed by Portuguese missionaries, their spiritual practices labeled "devil worship." In the Americas, Indigenous healers—like the curanderos of Mesoamerica—were forced to convert or face death. The Witchcraft Act of 1735 in the British colonies targeted not just European settlers but also enslaved Africans accused of using "obscure arts." Even the language of colonialism reinforced these stereotypes. The term witch was applied to anyone outside Christian Europe: the sangomas of Southern Africa, the babalawo of Yoruba tradition. This global erasure wasn’t accidental—it was part of a system designed to replace Indigenous knowledge with European authority.7. Their Legacy Lives On—But Often Unrecognized
"The witch is not a figure of the past. She is a figure of the present. She is the woman who refuses to be silent, who refuses to be invisible, who refuses to be erased." — Silvia Federici, Caliban and the Witch (2004)The ancient witches of history didn’t vanish—they evolved. Modern paganism, herbalism, and even some branches of psychology (like Jung’s analysis of archetypes) draw from their suppressed traditions. The Reclaiming collective of the 1970s explicitly sought to revive the ancient witches’ role as healers and political figures. Yet their legacy remains fragmented. The Wiccan Rede—"An it harm none, do what ye will"—echoes the ethical codes of pre-Christian seers, but few connect it to the women burned in Salem or the nganga of the Congo. The problem is that history has been rewritten. The ancient witches were never just about magic; they were about power. Their persecution teaches us how societies police dissent, how knowledge becomes dangerous, and how resilience persists even in the face of erasure.
How These Facts Connect
The seven truths above reveal a pattern: ancient witches were never a single, homogenous group. They were healers, animists, political figures, and scapegoats—all at once. Their persecution wasn’t about belief in the supernatural; it was about control. The Church, the state, and later colonial powers needed to dismantle alternative systems of knowledge to consolidate their own authority. The ancient witches of Europe, Africa, and the Americas were all victims of this same logic, their stories linked by gender, marginalization, and the refusal to conform. What’s striking is how their erasure mirrors modern trends. Today, herbalism is commodified; Indigenous spiritual practices are tourist attractions; and women who reclaim the term witch are often dismissed as "just a phase." The cycle continues unless we recognize that the ancient witches weren’t outliers—they were the norm, until power decided otherwise.| Aspect | Pre-Christian Era | Medieval Europe | Colonial Period | Modern Legacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Role in Society | Healers, diviners, midwives | Scapegoats, accused of heresy | Erased or forced into secrecy | Reclaimed in paganism, herbalism |
| Primary Targets | Men and women equally (druids, volkhv) | Women (75% of accusations) | Indigenous healers (nganga, curanderos) | Modern witches as political symbols |
| Methods of Persecution | Outlawing pagan festivals | Torture, burning at the stake | Execution, cultural genocide | Co-optation, commercialization |
| Survival Tactics | Oral traditions, coded rituals | Folk tales, underground healing | Syncretism (mixing traditions) | Neopagan movements, academic revival |
Conclusion
The story of ancient witches is not one of dark magic or flying broomsticks—it’s a story of survival against impossible odds. Their healing, their rituals, and their defiance were systematically dismantled, but fragments remain in the herbs we use, the festivals we celebrate, and the way we still fear those who challenge the status quo. The next time someone dismisses witchcraft as superstition, remember: the ancient witches were the original rebels, their legacy a reminder that knowledge is power—and power is always contested. What’s most chilling is how little has changed. Today, women who practice herbalism or spiritual healing still face skepticism; Indigenous healers are still denied rights; and the term witch is still used to silence. The ancient witches didn’t disappear—they were just renamed, repackaged, and sold back to us as folklore. Reclaiming their history isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about recognizing that the fight for knowledge, autonomy, and respect is far from over.Comprehensive FAQs
Q: Were all ancient witches female?
No. While women made up the majority of those accused during the European witch hunts, men were also persecuted—particularly those who challenged authority, like the wise men of the Alps or the druids of Celtic Britain. However, the gendered violence was real: women were disproportionately targeted because their roles as healers and midwives threatened patriarchal control.
Q: Did ancient witches really fly on broomsticks?
No evidence supports this trope. The broomstick myth likely stems from medieval folklore conflating witches with fairies or the idea that they rode animals (like goats) to sabbats. The Malleus Maleficarum described witches as attending mass in the air, but this was symbolic—part of the Church’s effort to associate them with heresy. Real ancient witches were grounded in herbalism and animism.
Q: How did colonialism affect the persecution of ancient witches?
Colonialism intensified and globalized the persecution of ancient witches. European powers applied the same witch-hunt tactics used in Europe to Indigenous healers in Africa, the Americas, and Asia. The nganga of the Kongo, the curanderos of Mesoamerica, and the sangomas of Southern Africa were all targeted, their practices labeled "devil worship" to justify cultural genocide. This period saw the most systematic erasure of non-Christian spiritual traditions.
Q: Are modern Wiccans directly descended from ancient witches?
Not in a direct lineage, but modern pagan and Wiccan traditions draw heavily from the suppressed knowledge of ancient witches. Founders like Gerald Gardner in the 20th century explicitly sought to revive pre-Christian European traditions, while others, like Z Budapest, focused on feminist reclamation. However, these movements are reconstructions—many practices were lost or altered over centuries. That said, the ethical codes (like the Wiccan Rede) echo the oral traditions of pre-Christian healers.
Q: Why do we still fear witches today?
The fear persists because the ancient witches represented something dangerous to power: autonomous women, alternative knowledge, and resistance to authority. Even today, the term witch is used to silence women—whether in politics (e.g., Hillary Clinton being called a "witch" in 2016) or in pop culture (e.g., the resurgence of witch memes during #MeToo). The archetype endures because it serves as a warning: those who wield knowledge outside approved channels will be punished.
