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Pitt Rivers Museum
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There is a silver glass bottle, on display at the Pitt Rivers Museum, which is said to contain a witch. It was collected in 1915 in Hove, Sussex, at a time when traditions were seen to be under threat from major social change. Seemingly outmoded objects like this were used as a means of contrasting past and present.
The Witch in a Bottle gin is available in two volumes: 5cl or 70cl. Please select a volume using the drop down menu.
The tale accompanying the artefact is unusual. The more common form of witch bottle was a magical tool to protect against evil and counteract bewitchment, not a bottle containing a witch. It is said to have been obtained from an 'old lady' who remarked that releasing the witch would unleash 'a peck o’ trouble'.
Whether this unnamed informant existed or not, the narrative supported popular ideas that cast witchcraft as gendered and troublesome, evoking stories of genies, conjurors and fairies. The bottle was collected by folklorist and archaeologist Margaret Murray, who is best known for writing about European witch cults. Her theories emphasised female roles but contrasted with today's understanding of witchcraft as a misogynistic and religious tool for subjugating women. Although discredited, Murray's ideas helped to inspire modern Wicca. They can also be read as the work of a prominent female scholar in a male-dominated academy.
The Pitt Rivers Museum does not plan to ever open the witch bottle from Sussex. They've made a bottle you can open... go ahead... and try this bewitchingly delicious blend of gin made from botanicals including lime flower oil and lemon peel. There are so many stories we can tell about these bottles, do come visit us to find out more.
This item is strictly for sale to Over 18's only. You will be required to verify your age before your order can be fulfilled. Delivery is restricted to specific countries, and you can find more details about this in our Delivery & Returns section.
Dimensions: 5cl or 70cl
Ingredients:
Allergy information:
Shipping to United States of America is now available
Pickup
Our Pickup service is a convenient way for you to order online and collect your purchase in person at the Museum. Simply select the Pickup option at checkout.
You will be notified when your order is ready for collection. Please don't come to the museum to collect until you have received the email notification. We ask that you collect your Pickup order from the Ashmolean Shop (Level -1) before 4pm.
Once you have received the collection notification, we will hold your order for you up to 2 weeks. Please ensure that you visit the Museum to collect your order within 2 weeks.
The Online Shop team operates between Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00, so please allow time for us to prepare your order for collection, particularly at busy times of the year. We aim to have your order ready for collection within 72 hours.
Delivery Information
The Online Shop team operates between Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00, so please allow time for us to prepare your order for dispatch before contacting us. We aim to dispatch your purchases within 3-5 working days and you will receive an email notification when your order has been dispatched. In addition, while we endeavour to get your parcel to you as quickly as possible, you may experience delays through your local postal service.
All products excluding Print on Demand prints:
All our UK orders are dispatched via Royal Mail First Class post or DHL, and the shipping cost will be calculated at checkout based on the weight of the items included in the order.
All International orders are dispatched using DHL DAP service. This means that we will only charge you for the cost of shipping. We offer a flat rate of shipping according to the delivery address location. Additional local duties and taxes charges, such as Goods and Services Tax (GST), may be applicable and will be calculated and charged to the recipient during customs clearance. The duties and taxes will be calculated according to the value, Country of Origin, and product type of the order contents, as well as local VAT.
Customs policies vary for each country, so it is advised you contact your local customs office for further information.
Delivery Costs and Timeframes:
UK 1st Class: delivery 2-5 business days from dispatch
- Small – Medium parcel (<1,999g) – shipping cost £5.00
- Medium – Large parcel (2,000g – 5,000g) – shipping cost £8.00
Europe: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays). PO Box addresses cannot be accepted.
- Flat rate (2,000g maximum) – shipping cost £24.00 (does not include taxes and duties)
Rest of World: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays). PO Box addresses cannot be accepted.
- Flat rate (2,000g maximum) – shipping cost £28.00 (does not include taxes and duties)
Weight Restrictions
There is 5kg weight restriction for UK orders, and a 2kg weight restriction for International orders. If your order exceeds this weight, please contact the Online Shop team so that we can organise a quote for special delivery: onlineshop@ashmus.ox.ac.uk
Delivery of alcoholic products
The sale of bottled alcohol is restricted to the following countries: UK, Albania, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Malawi, Maldives, Mayotte, Montserrat, Morocco, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Paraguay, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Soloman Islands, St. Barthélemy, St. Helena, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Suriname, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, and Vanuatu.
Further information on our delivery options and returns policy can be found in Shipping & Returns.
