1922 – Toad Spirit House

Physical description:

Black wooden box with beaded edge, with dried toad on top, containing ash, earth, buzzards claw, lock of hair, 'thunderbolt', snail shell, hag stone, quartz stone

Museum classification:

Spells & Charms

Size:

17.5 x 11 x 6cm

Information:

This toad is the physical housing for a familiar spirit belonging to a Penwith based coven. The spirit was made to act as a link and 'messenger' between coven members. The box contains ritual ashes supplied by each coven member mixed into a base of mixed Cornish earth and various other significant substances such as powdered human bone. Various items are also held within the box to lend their virtues: a buzzard's claw, a 'thunderbolt', a lock of hair, a snail shell and a quartz stone from a Penwith field.
In essence it is a vessel for the 'group spirit' and the bonds between each witch, the Cornish landscape and the Cornish spirit world.

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Wood, ash, stone,shell, hair, bone, animal

This toad is the physical housing for a familiar spirit belonging to a Penwith based coven. The spirit was made to act as a link and 'messenger' between coven members. The box contains ritual ashes supplied by each coven member mixed into a base of mixed Cornish earth and various other significant substances such as powdered human bone. Various items are also held within the box to lend their virtues: a buzzard's claw, a 'thunderbolt', a lock of hair, a snail shell and a quartz stone from a Penwith field.
In essence it is a vessel for the 'group spirit' and the bonds between each witch, the Cornish landscape and the Cornish spirit world.