Written Charms Carried for Protection

Written charms could be folded, enclosed in small bags or otherwise carried close to the body against illness, misfortune or feared supernatural harm. In this form, words became portable material objects rather than texts intended only for reading.

Surviving examples are especially valuable because they connect documentary descriptions of cunning practice with physical evidence: paper, fabric, folding and enclosure formed part of the charm’s use.

Source trail: Museum of Witchcraft and Magic collections of charm bags and written protective material; historical studies of English cunning folk.

Related Journal record: Cunning Folk in England.