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Concealed shoes Downunder

Discussion in 'Break Room' started by Cameron, Jun 8, 2014.

  1. Cameron

    Cameron Well-Known Member


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    Hiding artefacts like shoes in certain parts of buildings is thought by many to ward off evil spirits. The practice is found all over the world including Australia. Ian Evans is an Australian historian and collects examples from across the Big Brown land. In the south east pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge someone left a child’s shoe in an access tunnel. Evans believes this was concealed by a builder or stonemason in order to protect the structure from evil forces. In the 1923 when the Bridge was build young children did not work on the project and the shoe was of high quality, suggesting it was planted deliberately. The practice of concealing objects in buildings to ward off evil spirits was widespread in Europe from the 16th Century. Most of the items found have been children's shoes, or clothes. Experts believe these were chosen because the power and innocence of the young were thought to be strong enough to defeat the evil. One of the most remarkable examples of the custom in Australia was found at an isolated 19th century country house in Western Creek, Tasmania. At first the owner found a single shoe in an attic space and dismissed it, thinking it may have been a rat or possum that dragged it into its lair. Then when he found a further 20 shoes hidden in other hard-to-get-at locations behind walls, up chimneys, and in attic spaces he realised this was more than coincidence. The common belief is personalised items of clothing retain the character of the owner and act as a defiant, permanent, reminder to the spiritual world, of the primacy of human beings. These are strategically placed where a spirit could most easily gain access and lurk with menacing intention. Evans has reported over 130 sites across Australia, from bridges and houses, to prisons where shoes and other clothing have been concealed and believes many more items, possibly thousands, remain hidden in the country's older settlements.

    Footnote
    The Northampton Museum keep a concealed shoe index http://northamptonmuseums.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/concealed-shoes/
    The organisers are keen to add to the index and require the following information .

    Address of building
    Date of the building if known and date of any alterations / building work
    What the building was / is such as a private house, pub, farm etc
    Where it was found within the building?
    What if anything else was found with it?
    Description of the footwear
    Date of the footwear
    Images of the footwear.

    toeslayer
     
  2. W J Liggins

    W J Liggins Well-Known Member

    Is that why there are so many (empty) beer bottles found in Auss?

    Cheers

    Pommie Bastard Bill
     
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