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
Category: Thunderbolts
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
Archaeology of Folk Religion 