Hex sign

Hex signs are a form of Pennsylvania Dutch folk art, related to Fraktur, found in the Fancy Dutch tradition in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Frakturs were highly stylized documents predominantly taking the form of personal family records. While true hex signs, in all likelihood, were displayed only for aesthetic purposes, they have been imbued both by Pennsylvania residents and visiting tourists, with mystical, almost magical powers. Still, there is little evidence to support the idea that the hex signs that appear frequently on nineteenth and early twentieth century farms were put there for any reason other than a purely aesthetic one.

History

Like many kinds of post-colonial American folk art, hex signs find their origins in Europe, specifically the Rhine region of Germany, from where people emigrated to settle in southeastern Pennsylvania. These immigrants, over time, came to be known as the "Pennsylvania Dutch."

The Pennsylvania Dutch used a document called a Fraktur to keep track of family histories and personal documents. Fankturs are seen by many as a kind of forefather to hex signs, which became simpler and more artistic, displaying common concepts rather than specific information.

Hex signs began appearing on farms and houses in Pennsylvania during the latter half of the nineteenth century, perhaps because of the relative rarity of a painted barn before 1830. Until the early twentieth century, they were something of a local curiosity to tourists passing through; but this popularity grew in the 1930s and 1940s, when hex signs began appearing in print. These could be purchased separately and hung on farms or houses, and curios tourists became even more interested.

Hex signs then began to appear on items created or sold through Pennsylvania, almost as a logo, so that consumers would know who had created the products.

Form and use

Painting or mounting "hexing signs" dates back to the pre-Christian era in Europe, when symbols and designs derived from or pertaining to the runes first appeared on buildings to invoke magical powers, either to hex or bring about good fortune. Over time, the practice took on several new meanings, especially as the number of those recognizing the old Germanic pagan religions declined; for some, the practice came to be about art and tradition; for others, the sign-creating was less-ritualistic, but still about "good luck", especially for those concerned with good fortune in crop cultivation.

Today, 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 modern 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.

In recent years, Hex Signs have come to be used by non-Pennsylvania Dutch persons as talismans for folk magic rather than as items of decoration. Some view the designs as decorative symbols of ethnic identification, possibly originating in reaction to 19th century attempts made by the government to suppress the Pennsylvania German language.

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. These groups challenge the view that Hex Signs, as a part of Pennsylvania Dutch culture, have had any magical significance. John Joseph Stoudt, a folk art scholar, opposes this interpretation.

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". However, a six-sided design said to offer protection against hexes was commonly placed on early Germanic homes - it can still be found above the entraceway to some residences. The design was used to thwart negative rune workings and represented a positive charm.

Further reading

• Graves, Thomas E. The Pennsylvania German Hex Sign: A Study in Folk Process. 1984. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation in Folklore & Folklife, Univ. of PA.
• Hoyt, Ivan E. Hex Signs: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Learning the Craft. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2008.
• Yoder, Don, and Thomas E. Graves. Hex Signs: Pennsylvania Dutch Barn Symbols and Their Meaning. 2nd ed. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 2000.

See also

• Pow-wow (folk magic)
• Pentagram
• Fancy Dutch
• Distelfink
• Barnstar
• Amish

External links

• Amish Country News Brad Igou, October 2001, The Story of Hex Signs.
• Berks County Hex Sign Barn Tour
• Hex Sign Themes
• Hex Signs at Pennsylvania Dutch.com
• About hex signs from a "hexmeister"
• About Hex Signs
• Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Signs: Their Symbolism and Meanings
• Collection Of Informative Links To PA Dutch Hex Sign History & Meanings

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