2401 – Gray Nickernuts

Physical description:

Nine grey-brown beans which rattle when shaken.

Museum classification:

Spells and charms

Size:

Up to 29 x 28 x 12 (each)

Information:

Nickernuts or nickar nuts.

Beans and seeds were commonly used for charms and divination in the UK and around the world - they were often part of a shaman or 'witch doctor's kit. Two of the beans have a brown outer layer coming away. The others are grey and appear to have already lost this layer. Paper accretions on two of the beans indicate that these may have been attached to a display board in the past. T.Cadbury, 21/09/2011.

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Plant

Nickernuts or nickar nuts.

Beans and seeds were commonly used for charms and divination in the UK and around the world - they were often part of a shaman or 'witch doctor's kit. Two of the beans have a brown outer layer coming away. The others are grey and appear to have already lost this layer. Paper accretions on two of the beans indicate that these may have been attached to a display board in the past. T.Cadbury, 21/09/2011.