WITHERLINS

On the Arte of Cursing Bones

The Minor Sort of Seers prognoƒticat many future Events, only for a Month's Space, from the Shoulder-bone of a Sheep on which a Knife never came, (for as before is ƒaid, and the Nazarits of old had ƒomething of it) Iron hinders all the Opperations of those that travell in the Intrigues of theƒe hidden Dominions. By looking into the Bone, they will tell if Whoredom be committed in the Owner's Houƒe; what Money the Maƒter of the Sheep had; if any will die out of that Houƒe for that Moneth; and if any Cattell there will take a Trake, as if Planet-ƒtruck. Then will they preƒcribe a Preƒervative and Prevention.

Vol.78 (1943-1944) pg141:Witch's Cursing-bone.

The cursing bone pictured above consists of the marrow bone of a deer or sheep, stained deep brown by peat, and fixed through a diamond-shaped piece of bog oak. It was formerly the property of a reputed witch living at the head of Glen Shira, Argyll.

According to the local tradition, collected by the late Lady Elspeth Campbell,

"When the witch wanted to "ill will" one of her neighbours, she went out with her bone between sunset and cock-crow and made for the neighbours croft. She did not go to the dwelling-house, however, but to the hen house and seized the hen that sat next to the rooster (his favorite), thrawed its neck, and poured its blood through the cursing bone, uttering her curses the while.

On the death of the witch, only the parish minister of Inveraray was brave enough to enter her house.

 Image Source: National Museums of Scotland.

CELTIC ORIGINS OF THE TERM “CURSE”

In actuality, crimes among the Celts were expiated by the laying of a "geas", or the performance of a duty, that the criminal had to complete in order to clear his or her name. Gradually, the term "geas" came to mean "curse."

THE BIBLICAL ORIGINS OF CURSING!

The basic curse is arguably the oldest (Judeo/Christian) form of magic, having been employed by God against three residents of Eden, Adam, Eve and the snake, for the inexcusable "sin" of seeking knowledge!