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Quartz stone from 'New York' cottage in Mynytho, Gwynedd. This was used to hold open the front door to the cottage when required.

Its use, along with a highly polished brass threshold (F2023.15.6) and decorated floor tiles (F2023.15.1-4) is an example of the ritualised protection of the home.The donor's mother would decorate the floor tiles with crosses formed by rubbing with dock leaves. This would be repeated once a week. The crosses drawn on the tiles were believed to prevent entry to unwanted spirits. Pipe clay was also used to decorate perceived ‘weak points’ into the house (mainly doors and fireplaces) and this tradition is called ‘stonio’ in Welsh or ‘stoning’ in English. Repeated geometric patterns such as knotwork designs are often known as ‘demon traps’ and were believed to prevent entry to evil spirits. Supporting these floor tiles in their defensive role was a brass threshold (F2023.15.6), which was polished once a week at the same time as the floor tiles were decorated as it was a common belief that the devil does not like to see his reflection. The quartz door-stop provides similar protection, and on the same basis.