“Mirror, mirror, on the wall”… along with “Hubble, bubble, toil, and trouble”, they’re some of the most famous words associated with magic in popular culture. Mirrors play a huge part in many superstitions. Linked to ideas around the double, mirrors can be downright creepy. Look at the age-old practice of covering mirrors in a home […]
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Meet 3 Famous Witches of Legend: Befana, Baba Yaba & Circe
Witches continue to be an object of both fascination and fear as we roll deeper into the 21st century. On one hand, we have films like The VVitch and Midsommar painting them as stereotypical villains. The three famous witches of Macbeth are an enduring image. On the other hand, witchcraft practices are splashed across Instagram […]
The Summer Solstice: Myths and Madness of Midsummer
Today marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The longest day of the year, this year the UK will get 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight. In years gone by, crowds have gathered at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise. The stones here frame the sunrise on the summer solstice, leading many to assume […]
What Charms Did Witches Use In Their Magic Spells?
Charms and rhymes characterise our memories of witchcraft from fairy tales, classic literature, and fantasy films. Do “Mirror, mirror, on the wall” or “Hubble bubble, boil and trouble” ring a bell? Many of these famous examples are invented for the purposes of fiction. But charms occupy a real place in the historical record, used as […]
How are the Heinzelmännchen related to the Elves and the Shoemaker?
Shoemaking is one of those crafts that people still have a vague understanding of. Unlike blacksmithing, which most people rarely see, the tools of the shoemaker are usually on display at your local cobbler’s. While it’s a cobbler’s job to fix shoes, and a shoemaker’s job to make shoes, there’s enough crossover for us to […]
Spinning in Folklore: Impossible Bets and Crafting With the Fates
The common images of spinning in folklore reflect its status as both a craft and form of industry. Most cultures have a figure related to spinning, from North America’s Spider Woman to the Norns of the Norsemen. As Freyalyn Close-Hainsworth points out, spinning is our oldest textile skill (2017). Being able to make rudimentary string […]
