This changed when we discovered four distinct caches of protective items concealed within the home’s architectural cavities. I found the woman’s collection under the sill on the south- facing wall while my partner found a three-foot-long barn augur stamped Thompson Glasgow with a large wooden plank in the same area. It is expected that superstitious caches will be found during renovations to houses in Nova Scotia. Concealing objects in the structural cavities of houses is formally known as immurement . In many cultures, the house was frequently used as a conduit for superstitious prevention practices to ward off evil spirits and to bring good luck. Following traditional belief, items were best placed at entryways, near doorways, or windows within the walls and below the sills. Pieces of textiles cut from clothing and shoes, especially favoured for their increased protective powers, were placed inside the walls to bring its inhabitants good luck and to prevent malicious spirits entering the house.
all images © Angela Silver
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