Casgliadau Arlein

Brass front door threshold from 'New York' cottage, Mynytho, Gwynedd.

Its use, along with a quartz door-stop (F2023.15.5) and decorated floor tiles (F2023.15.1-4) is an example of the ritualised protection of the home.The donor's mother would decorate the floor tiles with crosses formed by rubbing with dock leaves. This would be repeated once a week. The crosses drawn on the tiles were believed to prevent entry to unwanted spirits. Pipe clay was also used to decorate perceived ‘weak points’ into the house (mainly doors and fireplaces) and this tradition is called ‘stonio’ in Welsh or ‘stoning’ in English. Repeated geometric patterns such as knotwork designs are often known as ‘demon traps’ and were believed to prevent entry to evil spirits. Supporting these floor tiles in their defensive role was this brass threshold, which was polished once a week at the same time as the tiles were decorated. This was kept highly polished as it was a common belief that the devil does not like to see his reflection. The quartz stone (F2023.15.5) provides similar protection, and on the same basis.