What are witch bells?

What do you think of when you think of a bell? They make noise, they can be shiny, and are often made of metal. What is the purpose of a bell? To get attention. Think about the many bells you come across in your normal daily lives. A dell can ring when you open a door or ring a doorbell. Bells sit on counters in businesses to get the business worker’s attention. Bells are used in alarms and warnings. Many of these are all meant to do the same thing. Get someone’s attention or let them know someone or something is there.

Why would a human want to be alerted then? The easy answer is for protection. Back when bells first became popular they were used on animals, to call for lunch or on a church. Many believe they were just used to call people in for school or the service. But they were also used to alert towns when there was a problem. People would come from miles away just to see what was happening. This could be a meeting, a fire they needed help with or news from other towns such as illnesses that were spreading.

Later bells were hung on doors to let homeowners know when someone was coming or going. Just after that visitors would ring a bell to say, “hi, I’m at your door”. This would protect people from being snuck up on, their homes broken into, and from nosy aunts visiting from far away.

If bells are associated with protection then, that’s where witch bells come in. Bells were often made of iron. The most readily available metal. In some cultures iron repelled the tricky Fae. Who caused chaos and woes in homes. For others it was the sound that was protective. Sounds, particularly metallic ones were thought to ward of spirits that were up to no good. Windchimes and bells were used as far back as the Roman Empire. Thought appease their Gods to bring joy and scare away bad entities.

In magic, bells have many uses. Primarily good luck, prosperity, and protection. Hung on the main door of a home then, brings all these things both to your home and to the people entering and exiting the door. Hence witch bells were born. They weren’t always called that of course. Sadly such beliefs were associated with witchcraft amidst the persecution of Pagan beliefs and the witch trials later on.

Today, however, witch bells can be beautiful additions to a home either hung on the doorknob or the wall near a door.

The elements of witch bells can be as varied as our imaginations. From nature, technology, art and more. The witch bells sold in Herbs, Gifts, and Candlesticks are inspired by one item or theme. From a beautiful woodsy broach, to a mermaid tail and sand. Each one is custom made and includes elements of protection, luck, and love. These can be tiny jars of crystals, keys, bells, and even real sand for grounding. Each item included on the Witch Bells are chosen with their meaning and purpose. Each piece is cleansed and blessed before coming to your home. Thank you for reading. Love and light.