Another Witch Bottle has been found! 🍾
and its contents have never been studied…until now
👇 A magical-medicine thread 👇
and its contents have never been studied…until now
👇 A magical-medicine thread 👇
Josie Maxwell discovered this bottle underneath the hearth of an inglenook chimney in Suffolk during building works.
Josie was kind enough to bring it in for further examination by our specialist @nigeljeffries, with the help of conservator Liz Barham and @IDsfinds4food.
Josie was kind enough to bring it in for further examination by our specialist @nigeljeffries, with the help of conservator Liz Barham and @IDsfinds4food.
Witch Bottles were a magical-medical remedy first used in the 17th century to treat various diagnosed illnesses.
They often contain human hair, nails, and urine from the inflicted person, as well as objects like pins and nails. However, each bottle is always different....
They often contain human hair, nails, and urine from the inflicted person, as well as objects like pins and nails. However, each bottle is always different....
It is rare to find examples of these that haven’t been opened before.
Remarkably, Josie’s bottle still has its cork intact!
Remarkably, Josie’s bottle still has its cork intact!
After X-raying the bottle in our lab, we can see it contains a button with a rosette pattern broken in two.
This has never been seen before in Witch Bottle research for bottles of this date! But what does it mean?
This has never been seen before in Witch Bottle research for bottles of this date! But what does it mean?
It is hard to speculate for now on the addition of the button, but Josie’s bottle will be included within @ahrcpress funded project, ‘Witch Bottles Concealed and Revealed’.
This 3-year project aims to recalibrate understandings of mid-late 17th century Witch Bottles.
This 3-year project aims to recalibrate understandings of mid-late 17th century Witch Bottles.
This fascinating research is now entering its final year and is being undertaken by @nigeljeffries and @IDsfinds4food at MOLA and @UniOfHerts colleagues, @odavies9 and @CeriHoulbrook.
We’ll keep you posted on any new findings...
In the meantime, if you’d like to find out more, check out this blog: mola.org.uk/witch-bottles-…
Or watch our #WitchBottleLive unstoppering event:
In the meantime, if you’d like to find out more, check out this blog: mola.org.uk/witch-bottles-…
Or watch our #WitchBottleLive unstoppering event:
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