Nearly No One Recognizes This Antique Tool. Are You One Of The Few That Actually Know What It Is…?

Nearly No One Recognizes This Antique Tool. Are You One Of The Few That Actually Know What It Is…?


Recently, we came across this image and were completely stumped. What in the world could it be?
The image circulated around the All Cute offices while we considered all of the different uses for what seemed like a very regular tree branch.

After a day of wondering what in the world it could be used for, we were finally given the answer! This branch was used for a practice stemming back all the way to the 1500s. The practice was called “Water Dowsing.”

If you aren’t familiar with the term Water Dowsing or the dowsing tool itself, perhaps you know it by one of its other names: a diviner, doodlebug, well witch, or water-finder. This tool, if you haven’t guessed by now, is used to find water. Of course, this is more of an old wives’ tale but, nevertheless, it was a common practice years ago.

The Y-shaped branch was used by an individual who would hold one branch of the stick in each hand with their palms facing upward. The stem of the “Y” (aka the bottom of the branch), then is tilted toward the Earth at a 45-degree angle. Once the tool is in position, the individual walks back and forth.

While the individual is walking back and forth, they are looking for the bottom of the Y to rotate toward the ground. The old wives’ tale states that the vibrations indicated at the bottom of the Y promise signs of water underneath the ground.

So you might be asking yourself, “How did this get started?” Well, years ago, in the 1500s, dowsing with metal rods was used to find metals in the ground. As time went on, the practice was used for finding water for new homeowners in rural areas.

The thought was that drilling for water in the wrong spot could get very expensive very quickly. By implementing the water dowser technique, the location for water could be found much more easily and with little money and time spent in the search.

The somewhat-myth was busted when more advanced technology revealed that water is underneath most of the Earth’s surface. Nevertheless, the tool itself was pretty ingenious in its day. In fact, sometimes water drilling companies will still use the water-dowsing technique before they drill just to ensure that they’re getting any water at all!

If you knew what the tool was used for, good for you! If you want to test some of your friends, let us know if they had any idea what it is!

Related Posts

ATTENTION to these first signs of…

What started as a small sting turned into a horrifying medical emergency. This terrifying image shows a hand severely swollen and blackened—an advanced infection that spread rapidly…

Each morning, as the sun rises, a wild elephant named Raja takes his post along a quiet forest road — calm, towering, and ready to collect his “tax.” He stops passing vehicles not with aggression, but with quiet patience. Drivers roll down their windows, offering bananas or sugarcane, which Raja accepts gently before stepping aside to let them pass. Over the years, he’s become a beloved legend — the “tax collector” of the wild. Videos of his polite toll-taking have gone viral, showing a rare harmony between humans and nature. But conservationists warn: feeding wild elephants, even gentle ones like Raja, can create dependence and danger. “The best way to love him,” one official said, “is to keep him wild.” Still, for those who’ve met Raja, the memory lingers — the soft brush of his trunk, the calm in his eyes, and the quiet reminder that true coexistence is built on respect, not fear. 👇 Full story and video in the comments.

On a winding road through Sri Lanka’s southeastern wilderness, an extraordinary local legend has emerged — a wild elephant named Raja, affectionately known by villagers and travelers…

When Grown Kids Use Parents As Pawns

Raising children is a lifelong responsibility that often doesn’t end once they reach adulthood. Many parents find that their challenges only increase as their children grow older…

God Bless the USA

God Bless the USA

Melania Trump opens up on her health and …

Melania Trump skipped much of her husband’s campaign, citing a busy schedule, though her memoir hit No. 1 on the New York Times list in October.She won’t…

SAD NEWS: Oprah Winfrey was confirmed as…See more

In a deeply emotional development, Oprah Winfrey, the 70-year-old media mogul and beloved global icon, has reportedly been hospitalized following a severe medical emergency at her Montecito,…

Leave a Reply