The Curiosity Corner | The Curious History of Witch Balls

A Captivating History

An iridescent glass witch ball catching the Oregon sunshine. Photograph by Gypsy Lee Gifts.

Living in the Willamette Valley my whole life has put me in close proximity to the glory of the Oregon coast. Visits to the coast have been part of my life for the past 37 years.

Trips with my mother, Raelyn, formed precious parts of my childhood. While trips with my Husband and son make up the majority of visits today, my mom and I try to find time each year in September to make the journey to the coast to celebrate our birthday's together.

One thing that has always captivated me on every visit is the wonder of blown glass. The way the light catches the swirls and strands, the gorgeous kaleidoscope of colors the art casts around it.

Here, many of the pretty little glass orbs sold along the coast are called floats, likely due to their history of being placed in fishing nets. In other places you might hear names like “Kugel”, “Friendship Ball” or “Spirit Ball”.

My favorite though, is “Witch Ball”.

These beautiful glass treasures don't all share exactly the same origin despite looking so incredibly similar, but their stories are surprisingly fascinating and intertwined. Believe it or not, these beautiful glass ornaments were once believed to protect homes from witches, evil spirits and bad luck. As it turns out, their stories may have some rather interesting connections to the sea.

A Little Glass Protection

An artistic interpretation of a witch ball hanging in a seaside cottage window, reflecting the protective traditions of British folklore. Digital illustration created for Gypsy Lee Gifts.

Centuries ago, people had all sorts of traditions meant to protect their homes and families from things they couldn't explain. One of those traditions involved hanging reflective glass balls in windows or from the rafters of a home.

In British folklore, these glass ornaments were believed to distract or confuse unwanted spirits and protect the people living inside. Some believed the reflective surface would turn harmful influences away, while others thought spirits would become so fascinated by the beautiful colors and patterns that they would become trapped inside.

Apparently even evil spirits couldn't resist stopping to admire something pretty. I suppose some things never change.

What Was Inside the Glass?

A colorful handcrafted glass witch ball displayed in a warm farmhouse setting. Digital composition created for Gypsy Lee Gifts.

Not every witch ball was simply an empty glass ornament. Some contained colorful threads, wool or other materials. According to folklore, these tangled strands were meant to confuse or entrap unwanted spirits.

The London Museum even has a witch ball dating to around 1800 that contains pink, purple and other colored threads. It's fascinating how a pretty little glass ball some might consider a decoration today could hold so much meaning to someone centuries ago.

From Fishing Nets to Cottage Windows

Red glass fishing floats in rope netting. Photograph by jackmac34 via Pixabay.

Long before colorful glass floats became treasured decorations along the Oregon coast, they had a much more practical purpose.

Fishermen used hollow glass floats to keep their fishing nets and lines from sinking beneath the water. Commercial glass fishing floats appeared in Norway during the 1840s. By the early twentieth century, Japanese fishermen were also using them, producing beautiful shades of green and blue glass that would eventually become familiar treasures along the Pacific coastline.

But how does that connect to witch balls?

According to Historic Environment Scotland, one possible explanation comes from fishing communities where sailors' wives hung glass floats in their windows, hoping they would protect their husbands while they were away at sea.

I love imagining one of those little glass spheres hanging in a coastal cottage window, catching the last bit of afternoon sunlight while someone waited for a loved one to return. Almost like a tiny lighthouse of hope. A beacon of love.

There is some uncertainty about exactly how these traditions developed. Witch balls existed before the earliest documented manufacture of glass fishing floats, so historians haven't established that one directly evolved from the other. Still, the similarities between these floating glass spheres and the protective charms found in coastal homes are pretty fascinating.

A Darker Connection to Witchcraft

A historical illustration depicting the cruel practice of witch swimming. From The History of Witches and Wizards, 1720. Source: Wellcome Collection. Public domain.

There's another theory about why floating glass objects became associated with witches, though this one is considerably less charming. During periods of European witch persecution, some people accused of witchcraft were subjected to a cruel practice known as witch swimming.

The accused person would be bound and lowered into water. According to the superstition, floating was considered evidence of witchcraft, while sinking was supposed to indicate innocence. It was a dangerous and deeply unjust practice that harmed people accused of something they often had no way of disproving.

Some researchers have suggested that the association between floating and witchcraft may have helped connect glass fishing buoys to the folklore of witch balls. It's an interesting theory, but the historical connection hasn't been confirmed.

It does show just how complicated the history behind a seemingly simple glass ornament can become.

A Little Piece of Oregon's Coastal History

Yaquina Head Lighthouse overlooking the Pacific Ocean near Newport, Oregon. Photograph by Gypsy Lee Gifts.

For generations, beachcombers along our beautiful Oregon coastline have searched the sand for glass fishing floats that traveled across the Pacific Ocean and even for some made right here at home.

Many of the first found along the beaches here originated in Japan, where glass makers created floats for the fishing industry. Some were produced using recycled glass, which helped give them their beautiful variations of green. Over time, floats occasionally broke loose from their fishing nets and drifted with the ocean currents. After years at sea, some eventually washed ashore along the Pacific Northwest coastline.

Can you imagine walking along an Oregon beach and discovering one of those beautiful glass spheres tucked among the driftwood? I think I'd have a hard time containing my excitement!

The North Lincoln County Historical Museum in Lincoln City has a wonderful collection of Japanese glass fishing floats. One of their stories follows collector Nick Simpson, who discovered a rare glass float during a marine ecology field trip at Boiler Bay in 1965. That single discovery inspired a lifelong interest in collecting and preserving these pieces of maritime history.

And Oregon's connection to glass floats hasn't disappeared.

Lincoln City's Finders Keepers program continues the tradition by hiding beautifully handcrafted glass floats along its beaches for visitors to discover. Unlike the original fishing floats, these modern creations are made as works of art.

I love that something once used as ordinary fishing equipment has become such a beloved part of our coastal culture.

Witch Balls and Witch Bottles Aren't Quite the Same Thing

A 17th-century Bellarmine jug believed to have been used as a witch bottle, on display at London's Guildhall. Photograph by Ethan Doyle White, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

You may have heard of witch bottles too, but despite their similar names, they weren't the same thing.

Witch bottles were part of a different protective folk tradition. They often contained things like pins, nails, hair or other personal materials and were sometimes hidden beneath floors or near entrances to a home. Witch balls, on the other hand, were often displayed where everyone could see them.

Personally, I quite enjoy having a pretty glass ball hanging in my window despite possibly having a mysterious bottle full of rusty nails hidden somewhere in the walls as well. One can never have too much protection I suppose.

But that's just me.

From Superstition to Beautiful Glass Art

Blue witch ball from the collection of Malcolm Lidbury. Photograph by Malcolm Lidbury (Pinkpasty), via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and brightened by Belbury. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Over the centuries, witch balls developed many different meanings and uses. Some were treasured as protective charms. Others became decorative ornaments, garden decorations or even Christmas decorations. Glass makers embraced their beautiful reflective surfaces, brilliant colors and swirling patterns.

Today, witch balls are enjoyed for all kinds of reasons. Some people appreciate the old folklore and symbolism. Others love the artistry, the colors and the way sunlight moves through the glass. And some simply think they're pretty.

I think there's something wonderful about an object that can carry so many different stories through the centuries. From old cottage windows and maritime superstitions to the colorful glass treasures we find along the Oregon coast, these little spheres have certainly collected some interesting history along the way.

Whether you appreciate their old protective symbolism or simply enjoy watching the sunlight catch those colorful swirls, witch balls have earned their place as something special.

Who knew a little glass ornament could have such an interesting past?

What about you? Would you hang a witch ball for its folklore, its beauty or maybe a little of both?

Further Reading & Sources

Curious to learn more? These museums and historical organizations have some fascinating information about witch balls and traditional glass floats.

• Museum of Witchcraft and Magic — A History of the Witch Ball
  
• Museum of Cambridge — Folklore Finds: Witch Balls
  
• Historic Environment Scotland — The Science of Witchcraft
  
• Library of Congress — Swimming a Witch: Evidence in 17th-Century English Witchcraft Trials
  
• London Museum — Witch Ball, circa 1800
  
• North Lincoln County Historical Museum — Japanese Glass Fishing Floats
  
• Explore Lincoln City — History of Finders Keepers