In Europe in earlier centuries people wanted protection from the Evil Eye. This was done with an image of a staring eye and a small mirror; the hostile eye would see its own reflection and be defeated by evil rebounding onto itself.
However as a single mirror could only be pointed in one direction, this was not a foolproof solution, as the evil eye could enter from another direction rendering the image and mirror useless.
The solution to this problem was the witches’ ball, a coloured glass sphere that could reflect the eye from any and all directions.
These early glass balls were hung up in entrance halls of houses, not unlike mistletoe to prevent the evil eye from slipping in the door. Later when a new way was found to make them lighter, they were hung on Christmas trees, which is where we most commonly see them today, although most people will be unaware of their magical beginnings.
Recently Venetian Globes have been produced, which are large versions of these baubles for use outdoors to protect the gardens and surrounding land to houses. They are usually in green, blue or silver and are sometimes displayed in flower beds or fixed onto wooden stakes. This practise is particular popular in Italy where they are used to bring peace, prosperity and happiness.
Tweet