British Amulets in London Museums

Bewitched by an Elf Dart: Fairy Archaeology, Folk Magic and Traditional Medicine in Ireland

“…Perforated flint pebbles, known as witch-stones, were sometimes suspended from a string in a cattle byre to guard against ‘milk-stealers’ (Evans 1957, 304; Penney 1976, 71). Ettlinger (1939, 152) recorded a stone spindle whorl of unknown date from Antrim that had been tied to a cow's horn to prevent the fairies from milking her. It is likely that the stone axes and Bronze Age metalwork described above related to folk medicine and farm outhouses allowed the folk healer privacy while conducting rituals.…”

“…In 1699, for instance, Edward Lhuyd recorded a prehistoric arrowhead that had been mounted in silver and worn around the neck as an amulet against the danger of being elf-shot. He added, ‘through-out Ireland and Scotland they are fully persuaded the elves shoot them at men and beasts’ (Ettlinger 1939, 154–5). That this folk tradition is at least three centuries old begs the question as to when such practices and beliefs originated.…”

“…An unusual case is an amber bead bearing an ogham inscription from Ennis, Co. Clare. In 1856 it was recorded that the bead had been in the same family for generations, who used it as a remedy for eye illnesses and to ensure safe childbirth (Ettlinger 1939, 155; O'Callaghan 1856/7, 149–50). The date of the bead is not known.…”