Superstitious beachcombers along the Gulf of Mexico coast have been advised to exercise caution after the appearance of several "witch bottles" designed to imprison malevolent spirits. According to researcher Jace Tunnell from the Harte Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, eight of these intriguing artifacts have washed up on a 60-mile stretch of beach near Corpus Christi, Texas since 2017.

The most recent discovery occurred on November 15, when Tunnell uncovered a bottle filled with vegetation. The presence of gooseneck barnacles that had clustered on the green glass indicated that the bottle had been floating for an extended period, likely traveling a considerable distance before reaching the shore.

When asked about his reaction to the findings, Tunnell confessed that while he wasn't particularly creeped out by the bottles, he had no intention of opening them. "I mean, they're supposed to have spells and stuff in them - why take the chance?" he told Fox News Digital. Instead, he has decided to display his occult finds on a section of his back fence, as per his wife's request.

Traditionally, these bottles, which may contain hair, herbs, local plants, nails, or even bodily fluids, have been observed in the modern-day United Kingdom. Reports from the McGill University Office of Science and Society indicate that nearly 200 such bottles have been discovered hidden in walls or buried underground, primarily by contractors and homeowners. The belief in witches and their ability to cause illness through spells was prevalent during the 16th and 17th centuries, and these "witch bottles" were thought to capture and reflect the spells back to the witch tormenting the victim until the spell was removed.

While fewer than a dozen remnants of the practice have been found in the United States, some similarities have been noted. For instance, the William & Mary Center for Archaeological Research stated that bottles containing metal items like nails could be buried near the hearth to break a witch's spell.

In a YouTube video discussing his growing collection, Tunnell mentioned that some spell casters may throw their bottles into the ocean. However, it remains unclear whether the bottles discovered on the Gulf coast were originally swept into the ocean via rainwater runoff from rivers.

The presence of these witch bottles has further highlighted the issue of manmade debris on the beaches, prompting Tunnell and the Harte Institute to launch a YouTube series aimed at raising awareness about beachcombing and the impact of debris on the Gulf shores. Tunnell emphasized the importance of picking up trash to prevent it from reaching the nearest waterway, which ultimately leads to the ocean.

Amidst the myriad of items found along the Gulf coast, including an abandoned drone, a lost lifepod, lost ship supplies, and numerous messages in bottles, the origin of the spell bottles remains a mystery. Tunnell suspects they were not made in the United States, as some distinctive "real thin yellow vinegar bottles" manufactured in Haiti with sea turtle bite marks have been observed.

Whether out of concern for containing spirits or potential biohazards, the Museum of London Archeology advises individuals to leave the stopper corked when encountering these bottles, regardless of whether they choose to bring them home or leave them on the beach. The enigma surrounding the "witch bottles" only adds to the allure of the Gulf coast and its fascinating discoveries.