Almost no one recognizes this antique tool – are you one of the few who do?

Given how quickly times change and how trends come and go, it’s no wonder that by the time we’re old, we feel as though we’re living in an unrecognizable world.

I’m not just talking about huge changes, but also the small ones that unfold over the decades. My grandmother, God rest her soul, often talked about the habits and routines she had when she was young. She would also show us odd instruments and trinkets that no one else in the family recognized.

I can only imagine it will be the same for me if I’m fortunate enough to live as long as she did.

Perhaps it’s this sense of nostalgia that makes “what’s this?” articles so popular online. People often upload pictures of unfamiliar objects, seeking to know what they are and what purpose they once served.

Currently, there’s a new one making the rounds, and it seems particularly difficult to identify.

I’ll admit, I had no idea what the tool in the photo was when I first saw it circulating online. Fortunately, others did.

At first glance, it looks like a regular, old tree branch—V-shaped but otherwise unremarkable.

Yet its history as a useful tool dates back to the 1500s, associated with a practice known as “Water Dowsing.”

Reports indicate that the water dowser has several names, including “diviner,” “doodlebug,” “well witch,” or “water-finder.”

Its primary job? Yep, you guessed it: to locate water!

An individual would hold both branches of the stick in each hand, palms facing upwards. The stem of the V (where the two rods meet) is tilted toward the Earth at a 45-degree angle.

The user then walks back and forth, supposedly looking for vibrations at the bottom of the V as a sign of water hidden beneath the ground.

Dowsing with metal rods was originally used in the 1500s to find metals in the ground. People then began using the same method to find water for new homeowners in rural areas.

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Did you know what this instrument was for? Let us know in the comments. If you found this article interesting, check out the one below for more fascinating insights!