I think you will find that Daniel Davis has already supplied the most
appropriate answer to the question and with one word: apotropaism!
The placement of the horseshoes is clearly apotropaic ritual/belief
[warding-off evil] ... deeply rooted and widely practiced in ancient
near East cultures (and Egypt). Apotropaic wands (and symbols
representing them) were most often semicircular (to draw an arc of
protection around the intended ward); horseshoes were selected because
they were the most readily available consumer substitutes (plus, to some
folks, horseshoes ALSO had their OWN separate mythology of powerful
apotropaic magic of being "bent metal" ... in which case, the original
alignment of the horseshoes MAY have been felt to be important) ... AND,
surely everyone who lives "out west" has seen the horseshoe hung over
the doors of ranch homes and rustic cabins? Same thing ... but the
horseshoe superstition "came-out" of hiding in the foundations and was
hung proudly over every portal (but the alignment still remains very
important to folks who mount, and believe in the power of these, to this
very day)!
Bob Skiles
On 4/9/2015 3:20 AM, Susan Arthure wrote:
> I'm with M Chris Manning in thinking it sounds like a protective folk
> practice. Whilst not horseshoes, there is an old Irish tradition of burying
> horse skulls under the floors of dwelling houses, variously explained as
> either a protective device or to magnify the echoes of music played in the
> room. This tradition is referred to, for example, in E Estyn Evans 1957
> Irish Folk Ways and Sean O'Suilleabhain's 1977 Irish Folk Custom and Belief.
>
> I, also, would be interested in hearing more about this find and seeing some
> photos.
>
> Susan Arthure
> PhD candidate, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
> E [log in to unmask]
> E [log in to unmask]
> W www.dontforgetyourshovel.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of anne
> grulich
> Sent: Thursday, 9 April 2015 12:24 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Horseshoes - Foundations
>
> We recently discovered 6 unused horseshoes in the lower warming oven of a
> ca. 1840s fireplace on Great Cranberry Island, Maine. (This was not an
> archaeological context.) Two postulates for their placement: trivets or the
> folk practice Chris refers to. This discovery was made on the heels of a
> group of human shoes discovered concealed in a fireplace wall of a
> neighboring contemporary home.
> Anne Grulich
> Great Cranberry Island Historical Society (gcihs.org) [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of M. Chris
> Manning
> Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2015 11:20 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Horseshoes - Foundations
>
> This is most likely evidence of a widespread folk practice in which a
> horseshoe or other iron object, such as an edge tool, is secured to a
> building or integrated into the structure itself to bring good luck and/or
> protection to the house. Check out my recent article in the fall issue of
> Historical Archaeology. I specifically discuss horseshoes on pages 72-73.
>
> Manning, M. Chris. 2014. The Material Culture of Ritual Concealments in the
> United States. Historical Archaeology 48(3):52-83.
>
> I would be very interested in learning more about the details of this find
> and seeing some photos. Please message me off list.
>
> Chris
>
> M. Chris Manning, M.A., M.S.H.P.
> [log in to unmask]
> [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ben
> Resnick
> Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2015 1:56 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Horseshoes - Foundations
>
> We encountered several horseshoes buried partially beneath the corner of a
> dressed stone foundation at a 19th century domestic site located along the
> southern Virginia coastal plain. Additional horseshoes were also recovered
> along the foundation wall of an early 20th century addition. I would be
> interested to hear of any similar observations for these site types
> including information regarding the possible background of site occupants
> (ethnicity, etc.).
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ben
> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
> Ben Resnick, MA, RPA, MBA
> GAI Consultants, Inc.
> 385 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120-5005
> 412.476.2000 ext. 1200 | C 412.759.3156
>
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