Nearly No One Recognizes This Antique Tool. Are You One Of The Few That Actually Know What It Is?

Recently, we came across this image and were completely stumped. What in the world could it be?

The image circulated around the All Cute offices while we considered all of the different uses for what seemed like a very regular tree branch.

After a day of wondering what in the world it could be used for, we were finally given the answer!

This branch was used for a practice stemming back all the way to the 1500s. The practice was called “Water Dowsing.”

If you aren’t familiar with the term Water Dowsing or the dowsing tool itself, perhaps you know it by one of its other names: a diviner, doodlebug, well witch, or water-finder.

This tool, if you haven’t guessed by now, is used to find water. Of course, this is more of an old wives’ tale but, nevertheless, it was a common practice years ago.

The Y-shaped branch was used by an individual who would hold one branch of the stick in each hand with their palms facing upward.

The stem of the “Y” (aka the bottom of the branch), then is tilted toward the Earth at a 45-degree angle. Once the tool is in position, the individual walks back and forth.

While the individual is walking back and forth, they are looking for the bottom of the Y to rotate toward the ground. The old wives’ tale states that the vibrations indicated at the bottom of the Y promise signs of water underneath the ground.

So you might be asking yourself, “How did this get started?” Well, years ago, in the 1500s, dowsing with metal rods was used to find metals in the ground. As time went on, the practice was used for finding water for new homeowners in rural areas.

The thought was that drilling for water in the wrong spot could get very expensive very quickly. By implementing the water dowser technique, the location for water could be found much more easily and with little money and time spent in the search.

The somewhat-myth was busted when more advanced technology revealed that water is underneath most of the Earth’s surface. Nevertheless, the tool itself was pretty ingenious in its day. In fact, sometimes water drilling companies will still use the water-dowsing technique before they drill just to ensure that they’re getting any water at all!

If you knew what the tool was used for, good for you! If you want to test some of your friends, let us know if they had any idea what it is!

Related Posts

Harry and Meghan reveal what really happened during dramatic final appearance as working royals with William and Kate

Harry and Meghan reveal what really happened during dramatic final appearance as working royals with William and Kate

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle opened up about their final appearance as working royals, which took place two months after they announced their decision to step back…

BREAKING| Lion XIV suffers gadget falls… See more

BREAKING| Lion XIV suffers gadget falls… See more

Pope Leo XIV commenced his pontificate with a grand mass in St. Peter’s Square. During this ceremony, he was presented with the Palio, an ornament worn on…

Photo Taken After Fatal Crash Reve

Photo Taken After Fatal Crash Reve

23-year-old Hannah Simmons was driving her nine-month-old daughter, Alannah, to a routine checkup in Gainesville, Georgia, with her best friend in the car. Tragically, Hannah lost control…

This giraffe left photographer speechless, then sad truth is revealed

This giraffe left photographer speechless, then sad truth is revealed

Most people celebrating their 40th anniversary might opt for a cruise or a beach getaway — but for South African couple Marius and Michelle Nortje, nothing beats…

A Life on the Line

A Life on the Line

n the quiet expanse of a rural pasture in northern Brazil, a gripping scene unfolded— one that felt like something out of a survival drama. It wasn’t…

At 14 I was left to raise my 6-year-old brother until the system tore us apart

At 14 I was left to raise my 6-year-old brother until the system tore us apart

I was just 14 when my brother and I were left all by ourselves. He was everything I had, so I did my best to take care…