Abstract
A large quantity of dried cats, horse skulls and other animal remains have been recovered from buildings over the years. Their location within the buildings and the circumstances of their arrival within the buildings often suggests that they were intentionally concealed in a similar way to that of witch-bottles. In this chapter some case studies will be explored along with theories as to why these animals and remains were used in this way.
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Notes
Brian Hoggard. Survey carried out as part of Apotropaios project. See http://www.apotropaios.co.uk
Ralph Merrifield, Archaeology of Ritual and Magic, London (1987), 123.
Margaret M. Howard, ‘Dried Cats’, Man — A Monthly Record of Anthropological Science, vol LI, no 252 (1951), 149–151.
John Sheehan, ‘A Seventeenth Century Dried Cat from Ennis Friary, Co. Clare’, North Munster Antiquarian Journal, 32 (1990), 64–68.
Reported by Keswick Museum and Art Gallery, Fitz Park, Station Road, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4NF.
Thanks to Jean and Phil Griffiths of Parracombe, North Devon for this information.
Pers comm Jennie Cobban. Lure of the Lancashire Witches 1612–2012, 2011, Carnegie Publishing.
Thanks to Simon Walker for reporting this to me in an e-mail of 17/02/2005.
Chris Manning, ‘The Material Culture of Ritual Concealments in the United States’, in Manifestations of Magic: The Archaeology and Material Culture of Folk Religion, Historical Archaeology, 48(3) (2014).
Pers.comm. Dorset and Gloucestershire areas.
Eurwyn Wiliam, ‘Concealed Hose Skulls — Testimony and Message’ in From Corrib to Cultra — Folklife Essays in Honour of Alan Gailey, Queens University Belfast, 2000, 136–149.
Seán Ó. Súilleabháin, ‘Foundation Sacrifices’, Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 75 (1945), 45–52.
Philip L. Armitage, ‘The Use of Animal Bones as Building Material in Post-Medieval Britain’, in Serjeantson, D and Waldron, T (eds), Diet and Crafts in Towns — The Evidence of Animal Remains from the Roman to Post-Medieval Periods, BAR British Series 199 (1989), 147–160.
Hereford Times, 15/07/1993.
Hereford Times, 26/02/1987.
reported by Evelyn Baker in an e-mail of 25/06/2004.
Yvonne Hayhurst, ‘A Recent Find of a Horse Skull in a House at Ballaugh, Isle of Man’, Folklore, 100(1) (1989), 105–107.
A. Sandklef, ‘Singing Flails: a Study in Threshing-floor Constructions, Flail Threshing Traditions and the Magic Guarding of the House’, F F Communications, vol LVI, no 136 (1949).
Caoimhin Ó. Danachair, ‘The Luck of the House’, in Studies in Folklore Presented to Emyr Estyn Evans, Ulster Folk Museum (1970).
Thanks to Northumberland National Park Authority, Eastburn, South Park, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 1BS for confirming the details here. This case is also referred to in Merrifield [2].
Jim Mallory and Finbar McCormick, ‘Horse Skulls at Bay Farm Cottage, Carnlough’, The Glynns — Journal of the Glens of Antrim Historical Society, 12 (1984), 50–53.
Ronald H Buchanan, ‘A Buried Hose Skull’, Ulster Folklife, 2 (1956), p. 60.
Paul Sieveking, ‘Death is kept at bay by the skull of a cow’, Sunday Telegraph, 12/09/1999.
Larch S. Garrad, ‘Additional Examples of Possible House Charms in the Isle of Man’, Folklore, vol 100:i (1989), 110.
Andrew Collins, ‘The Guardian Dog of Leigh’, Earthquest News, 1(13) (Feb 1985), 9–18.
Guy Lyon Playfair, The Haunted Pub Guide, Guild Publishing, 1985, 75.
Reported by Ullapool Museum and Visitor Centre, 1999.
W. Fergusson Irvine and N F McMillan, ‘A Foundation Sacrifice at Birkenhead Priory’, Antiquity, 43(169) (March 1969), 56–57.
Reported on the BBC News website on 19/11/2003.
Nigel Pennick, Skulls, Cats and Witch-bottles, privately published (1986), 6.
J. D. Richard, The Bedern Foundry, The Archaeology of York series (ed P Addyman), York (1993), 182.
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© 2015 Brian Hoggard
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Hoggard, B. (2015). Concealed Animals. In: Hutton, R. (eds) Physical Evidence for Ritual Acts, Sorcery and Witchcraft in Christian Britain. Palgrave Historical Studies in Witchcraft and Magic. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137444820_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137444820_6
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