Witch Bottle

By Crusader1307

Known of in 17th Century England (and later America), The so called ''Witch Bottle'' was a device used to protect oneself from Witches and their Spells. Some were known as ''Bellarmine Jugs'' (named for a particular ''nasty'' Italian Inquisitor, Robert Bellarmine). Oddly, a Witch was needed to prepare the ''counter spell''. Commonly, Red Wine (Blood), Rosemary (a powerful anti-hexing herb, needles or pins were placed inside and thus sealed). The Bottle was buried in a spot not commonly tread upon. Once a Hex ''came'' (it was ''attracted to the Wine), it would become ''stuck on the needles or pins'' trapping it in the bottle). One version requires the bottle to remain as such and never disturbed (least the Hex be ''born again''). Another version states that the bottle must be destroyed (in fire). This was done ''after'' the victim recovered from their ''Hex Malady''. At very best, ''Witch Bottles'' were a classic type of ''Sympathetic Magic'' (a strong belief that a purported malady can be cured with counter magic or visa versa). The key word with such a theory is naturally the belief.