In my old, old texts…this disgusting light was always made from the severed RIGHT hand of a hanged man.

The cadaver’s right hand was cut off, it was drained of all blood and wrapped in a burial shroud with which to draw out the last drops of ichor. The fingers were moved into their new position, and the hand was pickled for two weeks in an earthenware jar with salt, long peppers and saltpetre (potassium nitrate). Then it would either be left to dry in the sun or dried in an oven with vervain, a herb that was said to repel demons.

Finally — in the case of the Whitby Museum Hand of Glory — it was coated in wax. This hand was designed so that the fingers and thumb were lit like gristly candles. So long as they remained alight, all who slept within the household would remain in a deep, unstirred slumber while the burglars went about their business.

If the fingers refused to light, it was an omen that someone in the household was still awake, or that the thieves had miscalculated the number of people in the home. Once lit, the Hand of Glory could only be prematurely extinguished with blood or milk.

Now fellow Historians – WHO is MOST FAMOUSLY connected to Whitby?

Oh. Dang. Spoiled it for y’all :o(