poppet

A poppet is a small doll or effigy used in various folk magic and magical traditions to symbolize a person or being. In many contexts, poppets are employed in sympathetic magic, the idea that altering an image can influence the represented person or situation.

The term appears in English folklore and literature from the medieval period onward. Its exact etymology is uncertain, though it is generally linked to puppet or doll in common usage. Poppets have appeared in a range of cultural settings with different forms and meanings.

Poppets can be made from fabric, yarn, wax, clay, straw, or other materials, and they may be dressed or decorated with runes, names, or charms. They are often used in rituals intended for healing, protection, love, or cursing, with the method and symbols chosen to fit the practitioner's tradition.

In popular culture, poppets are frequently conflated with voodoo dolls, but actual practices vary widely by tradition. Many modern practitioners emphasize that a poppet is a symbolic tool rather than a literal conduit, and ethical considerations—such as consent and intent—are commonly discussed in contemporary contexts.

In contemporary witchcraft and neopagan paths, poppets are used as focal points for spellwork, meditation, and ritual. A poppet may represent a specific person, a situation, or an abstract intention, and is typically disposed of or ritually altered after use to signal the intended outcome.