Balkan Witch

“Twigs from the fence,

With hair from a rabid dog,

With soil from beneath the bed,

Soil taken from a grave,

Sprinkled into the bedding,

So that he may rise deaf and mute.”

“Deaf and mute” were terms used symbolically, meaning that the man would no longer listen to or speak with other women, remaining faithful and bound only to his partner.

I went back into the old family photos again and played around with them a bit. My great-aunts, Arhonda and Caliopi. They were from a Greek and Romanian heritage. My great grandfather was Greek and my great grandmother was Romanian.

The Church of the “Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple” and “Saint John the Baptist” in Târgu Horezu (also known as the Market Church) is a historical monument built at the beginning of the 19th century. It was constructed between 1800 and 1804 under the guidance of its main founders, among whom were the high treasurer Ion Urșanu, Constantin Covrea, and Lady Stana.

Silent stone, weathered by time, holding stories the living no longer hear.

​Human bones were sold in European pharmacies until the 19th century — powdered skull (“mumia”) was believed to cure headaches and bleeding and it was called corpse medicine. Also dried human heart was powdered for emotional disorders and “weak spirit.” Also a practice from corpse medicine.

George G. Angelescu Monument (1885–1902), created by W. Hegel.

The truncated column symbolizes youth and a life taken too soon from among the living.

You take out three glowing coals.

On each one, you speak the name of the person you want to “call.”

Then: one coal is left to burn completely,one is extinguished by blowing on it and one is thrown into cold water.

After that, you say:

“What I burn is his longing, what I dull is his thoughts, what I break is his will — let him come.”

You burn them just a little and whisper the person’s name into the smoke.

Legend says that walnut smoke “slides under the skin,” meaning it sinks into the person.

You can sprinkle a bit of coarse salt at your doorstep or in the corners of your room after an argument or a tense visit. Leave it overnight, then throw it into running water or down the drain in the morning, saying:

You can sprinkle a bit of coarse salt at your doorstep or in the corners of your room after an argument or a tense visit. Leave it overnight, then throw it into running water or down the drain in the morning, saying:

In old Romanian villages, autumn garlic was believed to be not only a strong healing remedy, but also a weapon against the “evil hour” — a moment of unseen danger or cursed time when misfortune struck and dark spirits could harm a person.

People believed the “evil hour” brought sickness, fear, or weakness of body and soul, and that consecrated, enchanted garlic could drive it away.

The charm-singer (descântătoare) would take a clove of garlic, touch the sick person’s body with it, and recite:

Nine brave men unwed,

On nine wild horses led,

They mounted high and rode away,

With golden spurs that shone and swayed,

Riding straight upon the way,

Cutting through and seeking still,

The heavy hour, the evil will,

From face and brow,

From head and mind,

From heart, from under heart,

From bones, from under bones,

From liver, from under liver,

From flesh, from under flesh,

From every joint and limb.

Two maidens with their hair unbound,

With filled goblets they are found,

Leave N. now, depart this hour!

Go your way, break your power!

There to dwell, there to abide,

To barren mountains take your flight,

There to live, and there to hide!

After these words, the charm-singer would anoint the sick person’s body with the enchanted garlic, gently touching the painful spots.