Museum - Curiosity - Venom Stones - Talismans, Medicine, Witchcraft - Folk Art

Second half of the 19th century

France (Vivarais / Haute-Loire)

Provenance: private collection by inheritance - Famille du Mézenc

Rare and very beautiful set of three authentic "venom stones", precious witnesses of the magico-religious beliefs and pastoral traditions of the French rural world of the 19th century.

These protective stones, also known in the countryside as pierres de serpent, pierres de la picote or peiras dau véré, were worn and jealously guarded by shepherds, particularly during transhumance. According to signature theory, the pustular, pearly appearance of this rock, evoking the skin of a reptile or the pimples of eruptive diseases, gave it the therapeutic power to absorb venom from viper bites and cure or preserve herds from clavelée and smallpox.

The three specimens presented offer a perfect declination of shades of green (from olive green to dark grey-green) and are studded with those famous clear spherical inclusions forming unique patterns.

Their condition is remarkable: they display that so specific, soft, lustrous and almost vitrified patina of use, once obtained by the repeated rubbing of the shepherd's hands and traditional polishing on sheepskins.

Popular exorcism and rural witchcraft objects, highly sought-after by curiosity cabinets.

Dimensions:

Approximately 3 to 4 cm in length

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