Poppet
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A poppet is a doll made to represent a person, for casting healing, fertility, or binding spells on that person. Such dolls, associated with witchcraft, may be made such varied materials as a carved root, grain or corn shafts, a fruit, paper, wax, a potato, clay, branches, or cloth stuffed with herbs. The intention is that whatever actions are performed upon the effigy will be transferred to the subject. This use of poppets is known as "image magic". They are also known as Poppits and Pippies. Sometimes these dolls are mistakenly called "voodoo dolls". See Vodou: Myths and misconceptions.
- "To some others at these times he [the Devil] teacheth how to make pictures of wax or clay. That by the roasting thereof, the persons that they beare the name of, may be continually melted or die away by continually sickness."
- :Source: James I, Demonologie
The term poppet is also sometimes applied to a Maiden or Mother Goddess doll, used in harvest or other festivals to symbolise the fertility of the Earth and/or Goddess. In some instances, dolls are used to represent the male gender instead of the female (corn dollies, scarecrows and the Wicker Man of the Druids are examples).#redirect Poppets are believed to be infused with life by their makers. The doll is a "little life", symbolic of the inner person.
The term is also occasionally used to simply mean doll, and following from this, as a term of endearment for a small child.
In addition, Poppets is a brand of chocolate-covered sweets in Britain.
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