Within Walls: The Archaeology of Magical House Protection

Dried cats, horse skulls, witch bottles, concealed shoes, written charms: all these artifacts and more were used to protect people and homes from invisible menace and the supernatural. But was it enough to keep witches at bay?

In this intriguing Ancient Origins Premium Webinar by author and independent researcher Brian Hoggard, we delve into the archaeological evidence for magical house protection from the late medieval period onwards. Strange artifacts and protective marks will be discussed and explanations for the thinking behind their use will also be explored.

The evidence clearly indicates a strong belief in witchcraft which permeated all levels of society and led people to spend huge amounts of energy in deploying counter-witchcraft measures throughout their homes and other buildings.

Brian Hoggard is an independent researcher who has been working on the archaeology of folk magic since 1999. He has written about Bredon Hill in Worcestershire, Crusader Castles, and lots of pieces dealing with the archaeology relating to witchcraft beliefs. When not researching or writing he runs a music teaching business. | Bredon Hill: A Guide to Its Archaeology, History, Folklore and Villages

Brian is currently writing a book all about this topic. Details will be announced via his website: apotropaios.co.uk soon. Due to the success of the Hidden Charms Conference of 2016, he and his colleagues are now organising Hidden Charms 2 which will take place in the Medieval Hall, Cathedral Close, Salisbury, UK on Saturday 21st April 2018. Details and tickets available from Apotropais.