Almost no one recognizes this antique tool – are you one of the few who do?
Almost no one recognizes this antique tool – are you one of the few who do?
In our rapidly changing world, it’s no surprise that by the time we’re old, we often feel like we’re living in an unfamiliar place.
It’s not just the big changes, but also the small ones that happen over decades. My grandmother, God rest her soul, often reminisced about her habits and routines from her youth. She would also show us strange instruments and trinkets that no one else in the family could identify.
I imagine it will be the same for me if I am fortunate enough to live as long as she did.
This sense of nostalgia likely contributes to the popularity of “what’s this?” articles online. These are the pictures people post, seeking to identify unknown objects and their historical purposes.
There’s currently a new one circulating that has proven particularly challenging to identify.//
I’ll admit, I had no idea what the tool in the photo was when I first saw it online.
Fortunately, some people did…
At first glance, it looks like an ordinary, V-shaped tree branch, seemingly unremarkable.
However, this tool’s history as a useful instrument dates back to the 1500s, used in the practice known as “Water Dowsing.”
According to reports, the water dowser goes by several names, including “diviner,” “doodlebug,” “well witch,” or “water-finder.”
Its primary function? You guessed it: to locate water!
An individual would hold both branches of the stick in each hand, palms facing upwards. The stem of the V (the bottom bit where the two rods meet) would be tilted toward the Earth at a 45-degree angle.
The user then walks back and forth, supposedly looking for vibrations at the bottom of the V to indicate signs of water hidden beneath the ground.
Apparently, metal rods were initially used to find metals in the ground during the 1500s, but people later adapted the method to find water for new homeowners in rural areas.
Watch the video below for more on Water Dowsing!