A fireplace, half a millennium old and re-built in the foyer of Southend-on-Sea’s museum still bears apotropaics…perhaps embracing the concept…
‘Twas the Night before Christmas……
…that I slipped into the church of St Peter & St Paul, in the village of Borden in Kent to…
The ‘Flower of Life’ Motif at the Temple of Seti I & the Osireion, Abydos, Egypt
Some of the motifs collected in the corpora of Medieval graffiti are derived from ancient antecedents, which has led many…
Apotropaics Vs. Gunpowder?
One of the most unusual discoveries that I have made recently is a six-petal rosette (or daisy wheel) graffito that…
Ye Olde Six Bells, Horley, Surrey: When Sympathetic Magic Goes Bad
Legends, myths & ritual taper burn marks It is believed that the proximity of the Ye Older Six Bells public…
Fantastic Beasts & Where to find Them!
The Manticore The manticore was a legendary creature from ancient Persian mythology which featured strongly in medieval bestiaries and heraldry…
The Missing Shrine of Sir John Schorne, folk saint at Binham Priory, Fakenham, Norfolk
“I wish to be buried..before the Holy Image of Master John Schorne in the church at Binham” Richard Easingwold of…
In Memoriam: Memorial Graffiti, a Paupers’ Graveyard &…a Black Dog?
‘Rattle his bones over the stones, He’s only a pauper who nobody owns’ Well known ditty or saying (19th century?)…
In the palm of your hand….protection from the Virgin?
Left: Marian mark on the font at St George’s church, Crowhurst. Right: the ceases in some people’s hands bear a…
Baddesley Clinton: New Evidence for the Deployment of Apotropaics at an Elite Residence
Gatehouse to Baddesley Clinton Hall, a number of apotropaic marks can be found on the walls of the entrance passage.…
Ritual Protection Marks & Ritual Practices 