What is the History of Magic Wands?

Magic wands...we see them everywhere in the modern fantasy genre. But what is the history of these mythological tools?

Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry

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[SeraphimKnight]

People of every age and culture came together into appreciating cool sticks. Wand? Staff? Make-believe sword or other weapon? Cool sticks.

[JohnBaskette]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention Moses staff.

[FigureOnAStick]

One thing about wands I realized recently: I practice tarot reading, and the association between the suit of wands and fire always confused me. Then, this summer I learned how to start a fire with a bow-drill, and I realized once I was done that in a very literal sense I just used a wand (the spindle of the drill) to make fire from nothing. Pretty cool!

[antonyslack]

I like the way you discuss modern Paganism fairly. As a modern Pagan myself it is appreciated.

I hope you continue to give new perspectives to people in your usual unique and interesting tone. :)

[daddyleon]

As a young child I had a tour in synagoge and they showed me Yad and what it was for (reading the Torah without touching it with your fingers). I had decided then that this was the origin of the wizard's wand. Good to know it's even more interesting.

[RevEricMichel]

bravo!!! no background music, it is perfect... thank you

[carydorse]

Some caveman 10000 years ago: sticks are neat
Some author today: sticks are neat

[craigterris]

Maybe staffs are so common as a symbol of a priestly class because like, most professions require tools and those tools become a symbol of the profession, sword for a soldier, hammer for a blacksmith, scythe for a farmer ect, but since the main job of a priest doesn't really require physically doing anything, their symbolic tool was kind of a blank slate, so they often picked the simplest tool, a stick.

[colinp]

It's said of all divination tools that there is some mutual attraction but that is not to say that the object chooses the subject. Some people say of every day objects that "this was made for me" so it seems that there is some attraction of non-magical objects too.
I'm sure that everyone can relate to that and that some will say that objects called to them or spoke to them that I believe is also a reflection of the attraction.

[daddyleon]

This makes me think of the podcast episodes "Pointing" by "Stuff to blow your mind", iirc they talk about how pointing at someone makes people uneasy and cite a few (evolutionary) psychology papers/studies. And while there are many ways of pointing (e.g. iirc, with the chin or nose, with the finger straight or bend, with a head nod or eyebrow, or a stare) they can often be not as direct and unambiguous. While both staff and wand will be much less ambiguous, less undeniable, more uneasy-making. So it would be a great tool for rituals and authority figures. It's not so surprising that this uneasy feeling that "just becomes" you when someone is only pointing at you, can give rise to magical interpretations. Especially amplified, when the pointing is accompanied by an unmistaken ritualized tool that's used with similar clear (mal)intent and authority coming from the pointer.

[g.l.holdren]

It comes from our ancestor that first wielded fire: the power of transformation at the end of the torch giving a primate superpowers.

[brightbite]

I think a lot of people have wands of sorts in their day to day spiritual practices, maybe without even knowing it. You could say it is a trendy idea, having a stick of fallen wood on your mantle or place where you pray, but actually... it is a symbol of taking back your power to communicate with the divine.

[timflatus]

Great video! The fixedness of size of wands suggests their primary purpose was measuring. Elbow to fingertip would give a suitably sized ruler for agricultural measurements with a built-in dibber! So the wand would be used by the director of operations. Much the same would apply to laying out plans for a new building. The person whose job it was to define standards of measurement would wield considerable power.

[nachtegaelw]

I mainly associate magic wands with Celtic culture/religion (mainly due to reading The Mabinogion as a child, those stories are full of wands!!)

At least in that context, the power of wands seems to be connected with the veneration of sacred trees. In The Mabinogion, the type of wood it’s made from influences its use/powers. I remember rowan & I think elderwood wands being mentioned, & others I can’t remember!

In one of the stories in The Mabinogion someone uses wands to turn enemies into pigs & hinds as punishment! Which I always found hilarious & delightful!

[CentralAsianJewishAmir]

How did you fail to mention all the miracles Moses preformed with his stick?! 🤔

[oreste]

Please make a video about the pointy hat

[JaimeNyx]

I wonder what Jesus's wand components would have been? Phoenix feather core makes sense, at least.

[georgem]

As Terry Pratchett reminds us, a Wizard’s staff has a knob on the end....

Also aren’t some of these “staffs of office” rather than a *magic* wand...?

[unicornrituals]

Oh my stars, I enjoy your thoroughness and your authenticity.

[davidoverstreet]

Okay, now I'm starting to see where this origin quest is going. I think I know what's up. When he mentioned the effectiveness of certain wands made from certain woods of certain so- called sacred trees, it became apparent to me that magic wands are nothing more than the superstitious based, religiously diluted, later day version of ancient tree worship, before the concept of a spirit world even evolved in the mind of man, hundreds of thousands of years ago. Interesting.