Donation of object

We had a recent donation to the Museum which we thought would be interesting to our readers!

Wax cottage purchased in 2014 in Fatima Portugal [Object No. 2991]

This wax cottage was sold alongside wax body parts on stalls around the Christian shrine at Fatima, Portugal.  These are intended to be used as ex voto offerings given in gratitude to a saint for answered prayers or they are prayed over and placed in a shrine until the prayer is answered.  (Ex voto is from the Latin phrase, ex voto suscepto - 'from the vow made').  In this case one might pray that your house remains safe and sound, or that its occupants are protected.  Using a physical object as a focus to effect change in a likeness is an form of sympathetic magic.

Here it is on display in Christian Magic.

Read more about this item on our object catalogue:

http://www.museumofwitchcraft.com/displayrecord_mow.php?ObjectNumber=2991