A Byzantine gold ring with Roman Jasper intaglio, circa 6th-7th century A.D. and 1st century A.D.

No empire had demonstrated a richer tradition in jewelry than the Byzantines.” For 1,000 years, the Eastern Roman Empire reigned supreme and made great strides in advancing art, architecture, public works, and more. This empire merged the greatness and richness of Greece, Egypt, the Near East, and parts of Russia and North Africa, creating an unparalleled and uniquely lavish style. @GreekLeague

Hermes, the Greek God of commerce and speed, 19th century, detail from an antique engraving @GreekLeague

Ethnic faith is natural, healthy,
and how we are intended to be.
The image above is not meant to slight christianity per se, but all monotheistic, universalist religions.

We were polytheistic many millennia before the invention of monotheism.

When you leave behind the spiritual graveyard of universalistic religion and embrace the true freedom of life affirming ethnic faith, the spirituality of our forebears, your life takes on new meaning.

The old ways are tried and true.

You will not burn in an eternal lake of fire, nor be tormented without end.
You will find fulfillment in knowing that you carry with you the stories of the folk, and have a share in the blood of the divine.

Turn inward, and realize your true self worth. We are meant to be heathen.

Embrace it and let it wash over you like a cool breeze in the
midst of summer.

Be proud Hyperborean. You are descended of the gods.

This depiction of the Roman goddess of war, Bellona may have reflected the Dutch readiness for conflict during the Eighty Years’ War with Spain. Rembrandt, 1633

While the Witch is often depicted as riding a staff or broomstick this was not always the case. In many cases the witches would ride their spirit animals or "familiars" as the church would end up calling them. They would ride them through the sky, not as literally flying but as the spirit placed outside themselves. A form of casting ones soul while asleep. They would often participate in nightly rides with gods such as Holda, Frau Hera, Diana, and many more. They would learn and spend time with their patron god, but also partook in what people have termed "Night Battles" where they would defend people and crops from more mischievous or predatory spirits. The latter of protecting crops from disease or cold spirits were very common in agrarian cults well into the middle ages.-TLK

Another aspect of witches riding a broom was one with sexual connotations! The broom (the word being a masculine noun in Old English) was also seen as a phallic object. It was certainly documented (as early as the 14th century) that salves made with Deadly Nightshade and Henbane were smeared onto the broom handle, then absorbed into the body via the witches genitals. These herbs were hallucinogenic and many users thought they were flying!

an investigation into witchcraft from 1324:

In rifleing the closet of the ladie, they found a pipe of oyntment, wherewith she greased a staffe, upon which she ambled and galloped through thick and thin.

A traditional witches’ broom is called a besom. In antiquity, the besom was used to aid the growth of crops. The witches would straddle their brooms and jump around the crops to encourage their abundance. Many believe this is where the idea of witches riding brooms originated.

Besoms are used to cleanse negative energy from a space. Moving the broom in a sweeping motion a few inches above the ground will get rid of bad vibes and welcome in the good. Placing a besom near the front door will protect your home; a besom under your bed will rid you of nightmares.

If you are going to be away from home, placing a besom on your bed with the bristles facing up will keep evil spirits at bay, and a besom across your doorway will help you communicate with the spirits of those who have passed on. (cont')

Swinging a besom over your head outdoors will bring rain for your crops!

Avoid buying a besom in May. “Buy a besom in May and you will sweep your friends away.”

Sweeping after sunset will sweep away happiness.

Do not burn, walk over, or walk on a besom.

Do not bring old an old besom into a new home. If you move, leave your old besom behind.

Brooms/besoms are both beautiful and useful. They are a wonderful and powerful tool of the witch! - Myo B. 💚🌿

(photographs from pexels.com)

One other possible origin of the Witches Broom is the distaff, this is especially important as spinning is often tied into witches, "The Good Women" are often identified with the Norns or Fates, or females ancestors, etc. The word witch actually derives from an older Germanic word that implied spinning or weaving, a reference to the weaving of Wyrd. Many Seeresses and Witches in lore would hold a distaff, and this symbol was often used as a symbol of prominent goddesses such as Dame Holda, Berthe, Frigg, Mokosh, and many more. Though a notable exception in regards to a witch being associated with a distaff, staff, broom, or animal spirit stead, is that of Baba Yaga who instead rides a Mortar and Pestle, which many take as a reference to the divine connection of the masculine and feminine, with Baba Yaga being an important deity who was related to trials and rites of passage for both men and women, as well as a guardian of liminal spaces.-TLK

The word broom comes from the plant also called broom (Old English Brōm) which flowered in May, this maybe why it was unlucky to sweep the house during that month. The words brush and scrub (from the Germanic word shrub) both refer to types of bush and their uses in cleaning. The witches besom was another type of broom – often made of birch twigs. The Old Frisian word besma meant rod or birch.

An interesting bit of folklore is that many gods would take forms that would be more familiar to the people, and help them blend in. Gods that would take the form of monks include Wode and Rubezahl, and notably the Mountain Monk and Mine-Monk. While others may appear as kindly old grannies such as Frau Holda. There are also the myriad of deities appearing as huntsmen or in animal form throughout various aspects of folklore and fairy tales. The idea that deities were somehow frozen into their forms in the tribal era, while aesthetically pleasing is simply inaccurate. Greek gods for instance were depicted either naked (as they personified perfection in bodily form) or in a toga, which was a symbol of their station. While I'm not about to argue that the gods should be depicted in suits and sundresses, I do think it pertinent to acknowledge that the continuation of the lore indicates their forms and disguises changed with the times, in many cases gods did not have specified forms, or physical descriptions.-TLK