Buried nails lead to talk of witch bottles, frog coffins and hidden shoes

I read a recent report the other day that some archaeologists in Virginia made an unusual discovery in an old Civil War fort that was under excavation.

According to media reports, archaeologists found what they are calling a “witch bottle” at Redoubt 9, an old fortification that sits in the median of Interstate Highway 64 in York County, Va. When diggers first unearthed this unusual glass bottle containing a number of broken nails, they first thought it was just a container for old nails. However, upon closer inspection, researchers identified it as a possible witch bottle.

The old bottle of nails was found buried near an old hearth, that is, the base and front of an old fireplace, which was what caused historians to believe that it was a witch bottle. Researchers say that this practice began in England in the Middle Ages and people believed that the heat from a hearth would somehow energize the nails. These energized nails would supposedly fend off evil spirits and break the spells of witches.

Redoubt 9 was originally built by Confederate soldiers, but was occupied by the Yankees after the Battle of Williamsburg in 1862. Historians say that the fort was occupied for a long time by soldiers from Pennsylvania and that one of those soldiers may have been responsible for burying the witch bottle. The bottle was also made by a Pennsylvania bottler, another indication that the bottle was likely buried by a Pennsylvania soldier.

While reading up on witch bottles, I ran across information about what are known as “frog coffins.” A long time ago, people in Europe would bury frogs in small coffins, and many times these coffins were buried in secret places inside of churches. These frog coffins, which were usually about six inches long, supposedly had magical properties, increased a person’s luck (especially for fishermen) and warded off evil spirits.

Another practice that I read about involved hiding shoes inside of houses as protection against ghosts and witches. Apparently, years ago in Europe, people commonly hid old shoes under floors, inside walls, behind doors and in attics. Shoes have also been found hidden in a variety of other buildings, including pubs and churches.

Researchers also note that shoes were hidden to boost the fertility of those living inside the home. Folklorists say that this practice manifests itself today in the practice of tying old shoes to a newly married couple’s vehicle as they depart for their honeymoon. Historians also say that these beliefs are at the root of the famous nursery rhyme, “There was an Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe.”

All of this reminds me of a 2014 incident in which Jimmie Bradley called me over to her home on Perryman Street in Evergreen. While having some renovations done to a bathroom, workers found an antique piggy bank sealed up inside one of the walls in her home. Apparently, the piggy bank (which was empty) had been hidden there for decades, and one is left to wonder if it was hidden in the wall for good luck or perhaps financial prosperity.

In the end, I’d like to hear from anyone in the reading audience who has found anything out of the ordinary hidden or buried in and around their house or on their property. It would be interesting to know if over the years any Conecuh County residents carried out any superstitious rituals like those described above.