"When building a cowshed, or also when it is already built, a hole is drilled into the threshold and the head cut off of a living snake is put inside; the hole is then plugged with a rowan wood plug. Then envious eyes cannot harm the cattle and luck is ensured" (SKMT IV, 1: I… Continue reading Snake-medicine and Envious Eyes
Category: Magic Objects
The Strange Imatra Stones
There are seven strange limestone formations among the magic objects in the National Museum of Finland. Two of these are called “Imatra stones” (Imatrankivi) in the catalogue. Imatra stones are chalk coagulates that were formed in clay deposits of the River Vuoksi area during the melting phase of the Ice Age. They are often curiously… Continue reading The Strange Imatra Stones
The Burdensome Journey of Collecting Magic Objects
How did the magic objects end up in the museum collections? Most of these objects were collected in the late 19th and early 20th century. In this period, there was a huge effort to collect the “folk culture” of Finland to be preserved in archives and museums. Thus, researchers, students, schoolteachers, and other interested individuals… Continue reading The Burdensome Journey of Collecting Magic Objects
The Stoat – A “Furry Venomous Snake”
Among other animal remains, the magic object collections include a few heads or dried carcasses of stoats (Mustela erminea, Fin. kärppä). Where it is quite easy to understand the powerfulness of big predators, such as the bear, it may be a bit more puzzling why a stoat could be seen as useful in folk magic… Continue reading The Stoat – A “Furry Venomous Snake”
Bolts of Thunder
The thunderbolt prevents all fiery arrows of a witch. Often when cattle are thriving, someone will envy the cattle-luck. If one does not take precaution, the animals will start to suffer and will not thrive. Old folks used to conceal a thunderbolt under the threshold of the cowshed in the stone foundation, since witches could… Continue reading Bolts of Thunder
Pigs and the Power of Earth
In the previous post about wooden gnarls used for healing skin diseases, a folklore example also mentioned that healing could be done with the snout of a pig. The magic objects collection of Finland’s National Museum includes mostly parts of wild animals, but the domestic pig is one common exception to this rule. Parts of… Continue reading Pigs and the Power of Earth
“Things That Have Not Seen the Sun”
"When pressing boils and abscesses, one should use the snout of a pig and a “thing that has not seen the sun” that grows under the bark of a birch: Sink away, foul-looking,The moon vanishes when waning,The sun when setting,Vanish even more than that,Where the moon is unknown,Where the bottom is unfamiliar.May the roots of… Continue reading “Things That Have Not Seen the Sun”
Cattle Magic with Cowbell and Salt
The magic objects collection of Vapriikki in Tampere include one cowbell that came to the museum from Rautalampi in 1909. The catalogue tells of this object: Has been used as a magic object. A handful of salt is poured through the loop of its tab and every grain of salt must pass through the loop.… Continue reading Cattle Magic with Cowbell and Salt
Raven Stones, Turnip Patches, and Guardian Snakes
A cunning person protects the turnip patch from thieves: After a new turnip patch was planted, ploughed, and fenced, the owner would summon a snake to guard it. If a thief would try to come into the patch, the guardian snake would attack. It would guard as long as the turnips were growing, until they… Continue reading Raven Stones, Turnip Patches, and Guardian Snakes
The Power of the Bear
The collection of the National Museum of Finland include many parts of animal bodies that have been used as magic objects. The most common species of animal in this respect is the brown bear (Ursus arctos). It is the only native species of bear in Finland. The bear has a special place in the mythology… Continue reading The Power of the Bear
