Hex sign

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Hex signs are a form of Pennsylvania Dutch folk art, related to Fraktur, found in the Fancy Dutch tradition in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.[1] It is claimed by some to be of a talismanic nature, and by others to be purely decorative, or "Chust for nice" in the local dialect. Amish do not use hex signs.[2]

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[edit] Form and use

Artfully painted octagonal or hexagonal star-like patterns are a well-known sight on Pennsylvania Dutch barns in central Pennsylvania, especially in Berks County and Lancaster County. However, the decoration of barns is a late development in Pennsylvania Dutch folk art. Prior to the 1830s, the cost of paint meant that most barns were unpainted. As paint became affordable, the Pennsylvania Dutch began to decorate their barns much like they decorated items in their homes. Barn decorating reached its peak in the early 20th century, at which time there were many artists who specialized in barn decorating. Drawn from a large repertoire of folk designs, barn painters combined many elements in their decorations. The geometric patterns of quilts can easily be seen in the patterns of many hex signs. Hearts and tulips seen on barns are commonly found on elaborately lettered and decorated birth, baptism and marriage certificates known as Fraktur.

In the 20th Century, mobile signs were produced as commodities. These signs could be bought and then mounted onto barns. Jacob Zook of Paradise claimed to have originated the modern mountable sign in 1942, based on traditional designs, to be sold in the family souvenir store to tourists along the Lincoln Highway.[3][4]

In recent years, they have been used by non-Pennsylvania Dutch persons as talismans for folk magic rather than as items of decoration. Some scholars argue that they have never had any connection with superstition or magic. They are viewed as decorative symbols of ethnic identification, possibly originating in reaction to 19th Century attempts made by the government to suppress the Pennsylvania German language.[5]

[edit] Controversies

Anabaptist sects (like the Amish and Mennonites) in the region have a negative view of hex signs. It is not surprising that hex signs are rarely, and perhaps never, seen on an Amish or Mennonite household or farm.[6] John Joseph Stoudt, a folk art scholar, opposed the interpretation that the art work had any magical significance.

[edit] Derivation

There are two opposing schools of belief regarding the derivation of the name. Those who support the occult nature of the signs assert that the term hex derives from the Pennsylvanian German word 'Hex' (German 'Hexe'), meaning 'witch'. By contrast, supporters of the folk-art theory point out that the most popular hex signs were six-sided, brightly colored geometric designs, termed hexagram, from the Greek root hex- meaning "six".

[edit] References

  1. ^ YourLancaster.com
  2. ^ Amish News
  3. ^ Amish News
  4. ^ Jacob Zook and the History of Hex Signs
  5. ^ Amish News
  6. ^ YourLancaster.com

[edit] Further reading

  • Yoder, Don, and Thomas E. Graves. Hex Signs: Pennsylvania Dutch Barn Symbols and Their Meaning, Second Edition, Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 1999.
  • Graves, Thomas E. The Pennsylvania German Hex Sign: A Study in Folk Process. 1984. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation in Folklore & Folklife, Univ. of PA.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links