Then
Witch balls originated in
18th Century England. The seventeen-hundreds were a turbulent time
for witchcraft in England as it was a century that saw both the execution of
witches and the abolishment of the idea that a person could even be guilty of witchcraft through the
Witchcraft act of 1735.
For
the average person it must have been a confusing time. Are witches real and to
be feared? Or simply illusionary?
Fortunately, witch balls presented a passive-aggressive
solution to the problem. They were something that could be used to protect ones
self from the danger of a witch’s curse or spell, without accusing or
persecuting any members of the community. And what’s more, they were, and are,
very beautiful.
Most witch balls are blown glass with strings of glass
that look like webbing running through the inside portion. It was believed that
these balls would attract any evil curse or spell trying to enter ones home.
Thus, it became customary to hang the balls from the homes window’s. Then, as the witch’s dreadful curse
approached to do it’s harm, it would instead find itself trapped in the inner
webbing of the witch ball, leaving the home safe from evil. And it was believed
that if the witch ball began to glow, a curse was trapped inside.
Some variations of witch balls were silvered to create a
mirror like image that would reflect the evil curse away from the home rather
than trapping it inside the webs. It’s this form of witch ball that our garden
gazing balls developed from.
Witch balls are also associated with seafaring. In time,
the purpose of witch balls expanded to include the attraction and inevitable
capturing of evil spirits along with witches’ curses.
During
the early days of seafaring, when fishermen cast their nets into the sea, they
would use glass balls, know as float balls, to weigh down the nets. But on the
eastern coast of the United States, many fishermen would change out the float
balls for witch balls in hopes of capturing the evil spirits that rode along
the waves.
Now
With the popularity of
witch balls back in England, it’s no surprise that they eventually made their
way across the Atlantic to the United States. Here, witch balls saw their heyday
in the 19th century but soon died out in popularity what with the
turbulence of the war and other concerns that were far more real than a witch’s
curse.
However, they remain a very popular souvenir and novelty
item. There’s not a shop in Salem Massachusetts where you can’t find one for
sale. And I myself have purchased a dozen or so on my trips there. They now
make for a beautiful display in my front window!
Thoughts
One aspect of the witch
ball that I find very interesting is the insight into the superstitious beliefs
surrounding witches and their spells in England at the time.
Because it was able to stop a curse as it entered the
home by trapping it or reflecting it, we know that people saw a spell as
something physical rather than purely ethereal. It had to travel from the
caster and make its way to its intended victim. A curse or an enchantment
wasn’t instantaneous and could be avoided.
Though we don’t know the exact origin of the first witch
ball or how it came to be used in such a capacity, it shows that even after the
Witchcraft Act in 1735, people still actively believed in witches and what’s
more, felt the need to self empower themselves against their conjuring.
Examples
A Pairpoint Witch Ball from Salem Massachusetts
An Antique Silvered Witch Ball
A Pairpoint Witch Ball from Salem Massachusetts
Where You Can Get One
I’ve seen them in shops
in Salem MA, Boston MA, and Williamsburg VA. But if none of those places are
one of your stops this summer, you can order one from either:
I don’t mean to be
biased, but having seen witch balls made from both glass companies, I find the
ones sold by Pairpoint to be more appealing. Not to mention that the company has
been making them since the eighteen-hundreds! However, Kitras witch balls tend
to come in a larger variety of colors and sizes. Check out both sights to see
what appeals to you!
Contact Me
As always…If you have a
comment or something to share, don’t be shy. Leave a comment here at the blog
or contact me at aislinnmarshallwriter@gmail.com
or visit my website at www.aislinnmarshall.com
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