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Description: | A Witch Ball is a hollow glass ball, which was traditionally hung above entrances such as doors and windows. According to most legends, this practice started in the 18th century and possibly earlier, to ward off evil spirits. The beauty of the ball was thought to attract evil spirits, witches' spells and negative energy. Upon touching the ball, the spirits became trapped inside. There are many different stories and legends behind the witch ball. Different sizes were made in a variety of materials such as twigs and wood.Witch balls are believed to be the origin of the glass balls with which Christmas trees have been decorated since the mid 19th century. It has been suggested that the glass balls protected presents under the Christmas tree.
Witchball: clear glass flashed in red and blue, the inside coated with white powder | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/ | Publisher: | Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service | Rights holder: | Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service | Subjects: | Decorative arts Glass Georgian period | Temporal: | 1825 - 1835
Georgian (1714-1837) | Source: | Black Country History | Identifier: | http://www.blackcountryhistory.org/colle... | Go to resource |
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