Apotropaios greek origin of the word Apotropaic meaning 'evil-averting'

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Welcome to www.apotropaios.co.uk, the new incarnation of the site preivously known as 'Folk Magic in Britain'. Please let me know if you come across any broken links or pages that don't work so I can keep the site running smoothly. Enjoy your visit!

There are a few articles by external contributors on this site - one about concealed shoes, one about finds in Dorset and another about marks in a Somerset cave. I'm happy to consider publishing any other material of relevance on this site.

In 2004 my paper,'The Archaeology of Counter-Witchcraft' appeared in Beyond the Witch-Trials, a book edited by Owen Davies and Willem de Blecourt. Click on the title if you're interested in purchasing the book.

I'm selling some of my book collection. It's a miscellaneous bunch of things!

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The purpose of this site is to present and gather information on a rather unusual range of objects that can be discovered hidden within the walls and under the floors of old buildings. Objects such as dried cats, horse skulls, old shoes, written curses and charms, witch-bottles and ritual marks were often placed in buildings. These objects, and many other kinds of object, were usually concealed in buildings and sometimes outdoors for use as spells or counter-spells and currently not enough is known about them. More research is needed and you might be able to help.

The information being presented and gathered here will be used for an academic project being undertaken by me, Brian Hoggard. The project aims to try and discover how many of these finds exist and then use that information to find out how people felt about witchcraft throughout the period 1200-2005. This is a big task but it is already well under way and the results have been very good so far. It is hoped that an online archive of folk magic finds can eventually be created here.

Whether you're an expert, just interested, have a newspaper clipping, know someone who can help, know some folklore about these finds, have some first hand experience or if you have found them in your house, do please let me know of any folk magic finds you have come across. If anyone can contribute any information from Ireland, Europe or elsewhere in the world in addition to Britain, that would also be most welcome. If you can help in any way please contact me.

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www.apotropaios.co.uk
© Brian Hoggard 2000-2008
This site has been on the web since July 3rd 2000