Apotropaic Marks and Witch Marks: History, Identification and Preservation
If you have, or are buying, an older property it’s possible it may have one or more apotropaic marks or witch marks. Here’s what apotropaic marks are, how to spot them and what you need to know about them.
What are Apotropaic Marks?
Apotropaic is a Greek word. The definition of apotropaic means to turn away or ward off evil.
An apotropaic mark is a form of apotropaic magic. Apotropaic magic is a kind of magic which is intended to ward off evil.
Types of apotropaic practices include marks and symbols, good luck charms, rituals and practices such as the saying ‘touch wood’. Putting a horseshoe over a doorway or keeping a piece of supposedly ‘lucky’ heather are kinds of apotropaic practice.
What are Witch Marks?
Witch marks or witches’ marks are a type of apotropaic mark. A witch mark is a mark on a building which is intended to ward off the attention of a witch or to discourage witches from entering the building.
Witch marks are also sometimes called ritual protection markings. They were used alongside other rituals and protection methods to ward off witches.
Another but completely different definition of witch marks or witches’ marks are markings found on a person’s skin that were supposed to prove that they had an association with the devil. Innocent birthmarks and moles were sometimes considered to be witches’ marks.
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Misconceptions About Witch Marks
It is sometimes thought that witch marks are some kind of evil mark made by a witch. Or maybe a kind of evil spell or perhaps a curse. This is generally thought to be a misconception. Witch marks were marked by ordinary people on their homes and in other places in the hope they would ward off witches.
In this way, calling witch marks anti-witch marks might be more accurate.
Having said this, the use of witch marks isn’t widely understood and it is not an area that historians have studied in great detail.
When Were Witch Marks Used?
The earliest known witch marks discovered are believed to date back to the 16th century. The use of apotropaic marks is likely to date much further back in time than this, however.
From the 16th century onwards a belief in witchcraft was widespread. People of all social classes were often terrified that they would fall victim to the powers of witches and it was considered essential to take steps to try and prevent it.
When Were Witch Marks Used?
The earliest known witch marks discovered are believed to date back to the 16th century. The use of apotropaic marks is likely to date much further back in time than this, however.
From the 16th century onwards a belief in witchcraft was widespread. People of all social classes were often terrified that they would fall victim to the powers of witches and it was considered essential to take steps to try and prevent it.
Where Might You Find a Witch Mark?
Apotropaic marks of all types including witch marks have been discovered in many places around the world including the UK.
Any building that was originally built between the 16th century and the 19th century could potentially have a witch mark or witch marks somewhere in the building. Witch marks can be found in private houses but also in agricultural buildings like barns or religious buildings.
Witch marks are most usually carved or scratched into timber, stone or plaster.
Witch marks are often found around doors or windows. They can also be found around fireplaces, where they were intended to prevent witches from entering a house via the chimney!
What are believed to be witch marks have also been found on furniture, on trees (where they are a kind of arborglyph) and in caves. The caves at Creswell Crags in Nottinghamshire have one of the UK’s largest concentrations of cave-based apotropaic symbols and were identified only as recently as 2018.
Several well-known buildings such as the Tower of London and Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon are known to contain witch marks, but they are also found in much more modest homes and buildings too.
Types of Witch Marks
Apotropaic marks and witch marks come in a number of different forms. They are sometimes very simple, crude and quickly made marks. Sometimes they are more intricate and skilfully made.
The daisy wheel design, often comprised of six petals within a circle, is believed to be one of the most common apotropaic marks in the UK. This type of mark may also be known as a hexafoil.
Double VV marks are also sometimes found. VV stands for ‘virgo virginum’ and represents the Virgin Mary. These kinds of marks may also be known as Marian symbols
Marks which appear to be an intertwined V and M, or A and M, also have a similar meaning.
Witch marks come in the form of crosses. The auseklis cross or auseklis star is one such mark.
Pentagrams, pentacles or star pentagons are also known forms of apotropaic marks.
Marks may come in the form of a spectacle design. It is thought these were designed to ward off the evil eye.
Concentric circles may also be used for this purpose.
Apotropaic marks also come in the form of maze design. The idea of using a maze is that it will trap the evil within it.
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Counter Theories
Not all marks that appear to be witch marks are necessarily witch marks.
Carpenter’s marks are sometimes confused with witch marks. In the past carpenter’s marks were marked on wood during the manufacture of wooden beams, rafters and so on to show where they were to be assembled within the building. Stonemasons also used Mason’s marks for a similar reason.
Taper burn marks are a kind of apotropaic mark, but it is not believed they were designed to protect against witches. They were burned into the timbers of a building in the hope they would protect it from fire.
Sometimes what is thought to be witch marks are simply decorative patterns on buildings or furniture and not apotropaic marks at all.
In some cases, what appears to be a witch mark could even be a form of graffiti or vandalism!
Should You Keep Them
If you have or buy a house or other building and discover witch marks then you might be asking yourself whether you should keep them or not. If you are renovating a property it is all too easy to destroy witch marks too, perhaps without even realising what they are.
Witch marks can certainly make an attractive period feature in a property. Period features can make a property more attractive and saleable and even add to its value.
However, some people consider witch marks or any kind of apotropaic marks as quite sinister or creepy. So you might consider you don’t want to see them on your property.
Whatever you think about witch marks it would be a great pity to remove something that may be hundreds of years old and is part of the history of your property. You certainly shouldn’t remove or destroy witch marks if your property is a listed building. However, if you would rather not see your property’s witch marks you may be to cover them over or hide them instead.