Iceland’s Necropants Wealth Ritual

In 17th-century Iceland, folklore described the creation of necropants-pants made from the skin of a deceased man. The process involved obtaining permission from the individual before death and then exhuming the body after burial. The process involved carefully flaying the lower half of the body to create the pants. A stolen coin, preferably from a poor widow, was placed in the scrotum to attract wealth. The wearer believed the pants would continuously generate prosperity, and they were often passed down through generations. A preserved pair of necropants is displayed at the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft.

Previous Fact Next Fact