A Bible in a bootie, behind the walls

Around 106 years ago, someone slipped a copy of the world’s smallest complete Bible in a child’s boot and stuffed it into a cottage chimney cavity to ward off evil. Now British archaeologists have identified the book, which a renovator discovered while working on the cottage in central England's Ewerby.

In addition to the rarity of the book, the find represents one of the most recent instances of anti-witchcraft using a shoe amulet, according to British Archaeology editor Mike Pitts, who reports on the discovery in his latest issue.

The miniature Bible was published in 1901.

Daubney, who works for The Portable Antiquities Scheme, a volunteer program set up to record archaeological objects found in England, explained the child’s boot may have been used as a kind of spirit trap.

"The earliest reference to the use of shoes as some kind of spirit trap comes from the 14th century," he told Discovery News. "It regards one of England’s unofficial saints, John Schorn from Buckinghamshire, who was rector of North Marston 1290-1314. He is reputed to have performed the remarkable feat of casting the devil into a boot."

Daubney said it appears this folk tradition survived in more rural counties. He and his colleagues have found other shoes hidden in older homes. He likened it to the tradition of saying "bless you" after someone sneezes.

From Discovery News. Previous posts on ritual deposits of this sort here, here, here, and here.

Posted by David on February 13, 2007 2:14 PM