Witch ball

Common card · No. 375560

A witch ball is a hollow sphere of glass. Witch balls were hung in cottage windows in 17th- and 18th-century England to ward off evil spirits, witches, evil spells, and ill fortune. Witch balls were used to ward off evil spirits in the English counties of East Sussex and West Sussex. The tradition was also taken to overseas British colonies, such as New England, and remains popular in coastal regions. Examples of the witch ball in use can be seen in the windows of houses from small rural villages to coastal towns and cities. Examples can also be seen in shop windows as well, often not for sale as they are prized.

Read on Wikipedia · Image John W. Schulze from Tejas, CC BY 2.0