What Is A Hag Stone?

Hag stones have been collected, worn, and used for magic and ceremonial practices in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. If you lived in the Middle East or North Africa thousands of years ago then you used hag stones to treat poisoning and unknown ailments.

If you’re a rock hound like me then these stones have quite a history and are pretty cool to collect once you learn how they’re formed.

 

 

Hag Stones, Everything You Want to Know About These Historical Rocks

Hag stones are becoming more popular due to being used as jewelry and rock hounds have become aware of these rocks created by the ocean. I’ve compiled the most common questions asked about hag stones and provided answers. I hope you enjoy and elevate your rock intelligence by the end of the article. Feel free to comment and ask questions below.

 

How Are Hag Stones Formed?

Hag stones are formed by natural sea erosion over long periods of time. As these rocks tumble in the waves, sand and silt erode the surface which causes the small hole to form on the rock’s surface. If you’re lucky enough to find a hag stone then more than likely it’s made of flint because flint is hard enough to not break apart but soft enough to allow a weathered hole to appear.

Ancient civilizations collected these hag stones for centuries and used them for various spells and incantations. It was believed they were able to reveal witches and their illusions.

Before geologists determined how the hole was created, many believed witches or fairies drilled the hole in the rocks. This was the ancient explanation for the seemingly perfect hole, which looks like a drill hole.

Some modern books, such as the Spiderwick Chronicles, refer to these stones as seeing stones. Holding them to your eye revealed a “hidden world” of fairies, elves, and demons.

 

 

Where Can You Find Hag Stones?

You can find hag stones around riverways and lakes but the ocean is the best location for collectors.

If you’re searching in the ocean, try exploring the surf and tide pools. These are great spots to look at because they naturally collect ocean debris.

 

 

How Are Hag Stones Viewed in Different Cultures?

Most cultures used hag stones for rituals, spells, or to explore the hidden realms. They were believed to have magical qualities for dispelling evil and negative energy.

The Irish and Scottish called them Druid Glass and the Celts often used this in healing nightmares and other emotional issues.

In Germany, they called them Huhnergotten which translates as “chicken gods.”

Last but not least the ancient Egyptians used hag stones for healing snake bites. They believed it was formed by hardened snake saliva or venom.

It today’s society, people hang them over their doors to keep away bad intentions and it’s becoming more common to wear them as necklaces, bracelets, or other jewelry pieces.

 

 

 

Why Do People Call Them Hag Stones?

Hag stones derived their name from the ancient beliefs around witches creating and using these stones for witchcraft.

Depending on the ancient society, hag stones are quite a few alternative names such as:

• Serpent’s egg
• Adder stone
• Snake eggs
• Witch stone
• Druid glass
• Seeing stone
• Fairy stone

 

Can You Collect Hag Stones Legally?

Hag stones are rare and can be difficult to find, but they’re not illegal to collect. If they’re considered ancient relics then you shouldn’t be collecting these pieces because they have some type of historical value and deserve to be in a museum. However, samples in the ocean or other waterways do not have historical value and are open for collecting.

 

Closing Thoughts

Hag stones have a pretty cool history and how they form is pretty interesting considering how the ocean creates the earthly wonders. They might not have a vivid color or crystal structure but you can’t deny they belong in everyone’s rock collection.