133 – Scrying mirror

Physical description:

Large copper dish with mirror in base, used for divination.

Museum classification:

Divination

Size:

600 mm diam.

Information:

These copper basins with a mirrored base were once popular amongst West Country witches. The water distorts the mirror's reflection and creates weird moving images that can be 'read' by the witch.
These bowls were also used in the ritual of 'drawing down the moon', in which the reflection of the moon is drawn into the water. This moon or goddess energy is then used by the witch or priestess.

This item was acquired by Cecil Williamson 'from a Wise Woman living in Milton Under Wychwood, Gloucestershire' in 1955 (see Document 10674a).  This object was used by Cecil Williamson in his own moon and mirror ritual, described in Document 10674.  The moon rake (Object 1061) was also used.

Original Cecil Williamson text: 'When a witch has acquired her familiar spirit she will find that she can develop with its aid a number of useful arts, such as seeing pictures of the shape of things to come in water-mirrored copper basins. Water scrying is one of the methods for making divinations much favoured by the working witches of the south west.'
Mentioned in Doreen Valiente's description of the exhibits at Cecil Williamson's 'House of Spells' at Polperro (Transcripts from Doreen Valiente's Diaries 1959-1966, in the museum library (133.43 VAL), pp.29-34).
A visitor to the museum has told us that her grandmother in Cyprus used a silver tray with a layer of water on it to perform divination.

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Copper, glass

Copyright ownership:

Copyright to The Museum of Witchcraft Ltd.

These copper basins with a mirrored base were once popular amongst West Country witches. The water distorts the mirror's reflection and creates weird moving images that can be 'read' by the witch.
These bowls were also used in the ritual of 'drawing down the moon', in which the reflection of the moon is drawn into the water. This moon or goddess energy is then used by the witch or priestess.

This item was acquired by Cecil Williamson 'from a Wise Woman living in Milton Under Wychwood, Gloucestershire' in 1955 (see Document 10674a).  This object was used by Cecil Williamson in his own moon and mirror ritual, described in Document 10674.  The moon rake (Object 1061) was also used.

Original Cecil Williamson text: 'When a witch has acquired her familiar spirit she will find that she can develop with its aid a number of useful arts, such as seeing pictures of the shape of things to come in water-mirrored copper basins. Water scrying is one of the methods for making divinations much favoured by the working witches of the south west.'
Mentioned in Doreen Valiente's description of the exhibits at Cecil Williamson's 'House of Spells' at Polperro (Transcripts from Doreen Valiente's Diaries 1959-1966, in the museum library (133.43 VAL), pp.29-34).
A visitor to the museum has told us that her grandmother in Cyprus used a silver tray with a layer of water on it to perform divination.