The mystery of the 300 year old 'spirit trap' in a Cambridge college wall: Hidden shoe may have been buried 'to catch evil spirits'
- Burying shoes was a common practice in Europe from 16th-19th century
- Believed shoe protected residents and prevent evil spirits from entering
- Shoe was found at St. John's College in the Senior Combination Room
- Experts say it was placed there between the 17th-18th centuries
It was once believed that witches were attracted to the scent of human shoes and if they ventured inside, the shoes would forever become their prison.
A maintenance crew at St. John's College in Cambridge claims to have found one of these 'spirit trapping' shoes buried inside a wall on the university's grounds.
The 300-year-old shoe measures at a modern-day size six and is a 'classic example' of what researchers call a popular magic designed to bring luck and turn away evil influences.
A maintenance crew at St. John's College claims to have found a 'spirit trapping' shoes buried inside a wall on the university's grounds. The 300-year-old shoe measures at a modern-day size six and was used to bring luck and turn away evil influences. It is well-preserved, but also very work and has a large hole in the sole.
Although interesting, this was a very common practice throughout Europe from the 16th century to the 19th, and particularly in Anglia.
During these superstitious times, people believed shoes had the power to trap evil spirits, demons and witches inside forever.
The lonesome shoe at St. John's was discovered while staff members were removing panels to install electrical cables in the Senior Combination Room located in the College's Tudor-era Second Court.
This building was constructed between 1598 and 1602 and was originally home to the Master of the College.
However, experts believe it was placed behind the panels between the end of the 17th century and mid-way through the 18th.
Since shoes were thought to protect residents and prevent evil spirits from entering homes, they were usually placed next to doors, windows and, in this case, by a fireplace.
'It was positioned between the chimney breast and the window, which is exactly the sort of location where you would expect to find a shoe being used in this way,' said Richard Newman, from the Archaeological Unit of the college.
'This is one area where archaeological finds are quite important.
'There is not a lot of documentary evidence about people's beliefs in ritual magic in the past, and often the sources that we have are very negative and disparaging about such practices.'
'These discoveries are important because they give us a material record of what people may have believed at the time.'
Burying a shoe to ward off evil spirits was a common practice throughout Europe from the 16th century to the 19th. experts believe the shoe at St. John's (pictured) was placed behind the panels between the end of the 17th century and mid-way through the 18th
Although placing a shoe somewhere in the house was a common practice, it wasn't the only one.
Dead cats, horses' skulls and 'witch bottles', which contained substances of hair and urine' were among the trinkets pulled from walls, roofs and underneath floorboards.
Researchers say they aren't sure why shoes were the popular choice, but one theory is that they were seen as an effective 'spirit trap'.
Some historians suggests that before leather shoes were mass-produced, they were handmade and took on the shape of the wearer's foot.
Individuals may have believed the footwear possessed their own 'spirit', which could then set a boundary for invisible forces as they walked.
The recently discovered shoe has been labeled as the left show of a man that measures 9 5/8 inches, which is a size six today.
The lonesome shoe at St. John's was discovered while staff were removing panels to install electrical cables in the Senior Combination Room located in the College's Tudor-era Second Court
And although it is well-preserved, the leather shoe is very worn and has a large hole in the sole.
Newman has taken pictures of the artifact and is consulting with a specialists in hopes of establishing a more accurate date.
The show is set to go back into the wall once the working on the Senior Combination has been completed, 'out of respect for the wishes of earlier residents'.
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