Folklore and Hag Stones

I found this collection of Hag Stones along the shoreline of Kent this time last year.

I love folklore and weave stories and symbolism into my artworks. So when I came across these stones I looked into their meaning.

The name “hag stone” originates in part from the belief that illnesses, which were curable by using this stone, were caused by spectral hags.

They’ve been used over the centuries for protection, bringing luck and according to ancient folklore, as a porthole to view other realms.

The reason they were seen as special is because it was believed that magic cannot work on moving water. Since the holes in hag stones are made by this element, the stones retain the water’s beneficial properties.

They are thought of as sacred. You can tie them to anything you would like protected.

I have mine tied to my bed post and I use them in ceremonies. I may even incorporate them in my art at some point.