We recently discovered Apotropaic ‘Witches’ marks’ forged onto the old cupboard bolts here at The Great House, dating to around 1690. Despite their name, Witch marks actually have very little to do with witches or witchcraft! The word ‘Apotropaic’ comes from the Greek for “to turn away,” and these marks were thought to repel evil influences - witches, demons, or the dreaded “evil eye.” Most common from the 16th to the early 19th century, people often carved such symbols near doorways, on furnitu

We’ve discovered six tiny symbols stamped into the original 17th-century cupboard bolts in our house - each one a Butterfly Cross, a form of apotropaic (protective) symbol. These marks were believed to ward off evil or misfortune and are more commonly referred to as witches’ marks. Apotropaic symbols are usually carved into wood or stone near thresholds like doors, windows, or fireplaces - places where harmful forces were thought to enter. But surviving examples on ironmongery seems to be less c

In 2010, near Draskow, Poland, researchers discovered an undocumented, centuries-old cemetery containing the skeleton of a woman buried with a rock and a sickle, and the reason for her unusual burial might surprise you. In 17th-century Poland, most people were Christian, but ancient pagan beliefs still lingered. Among these was a deep fear of the unquiet dead, those considered bad or unlucky, who would not rest peacefully in their graves and might rise to attack the living. It was this “evil sou