Poppets vs. Effigies: Understanding the Difference in Craft & Practice

What’s the difference between a poppet & an effigy, & why does that distinction matter in practice? Let’s briefly explore the foundations of sympathetic magic, the power of likeness, & the roles of creation, tending, & release. Whether you’re crafting a poppet as an ongoing spiritual ally or shaping an effigy for ritual transformation, understanding their purposes helps to inform your crafting, & deepens both your intention & your results. *Please note: there is no right or wrong way to address magical figures. This distinction is based broadly on my learnt knowledge & personal practice. I highly recommend supplemental readings I’ve listed at the end of this post to understand the various points of view & historical & cultural contexts.

“Wicker” Effigy made from Wheat Sheaves

Poppets are traditionally fashioned in the likeness of a specific person, spirit, ancestor, or aspect of the self & are often used as vessels for sympathetic magic. The likeness may be physical, mirroring features or form, symbolic, through color & adornment, or energetic, established through intention, prayer, or breath. Through this act of resemblance, the poppet becomes more than a crafted object; it becomes a point of connection, a bridge between the visible & unseen.

Within sympathetic practice, the guiding principle is that “like influences like”, a concept attributed to Sir James Frazer in his 1890 work “The Golden Bough”. The idea is that what is done with deliberate focus to the figure—whether nurturing, healing, strengthening, protecting, or empowering—is reflected inward toward the self or outward toward the intention it was created to serve. Acts of care in this instance become acts of cultivation. Words spoken become declarations. Ritual gestures become embodied affirmations.

Once awakened or charged, the poppet is placed in a location that aligns with its purpose, allowing its energy to anchor & flourish within a symbolically resonant environment. For instance, a protection poppet may hang near an entryway, or a devotional figure might be displayed upon an altar. Placement becomes part of the ritual, reinforcing intention through environment & familiarity.

Effigies, while similar in form & creation, function through a different mechanism of practice. An effigy is typically crafted as a temporary representation intended for release, banishment, or transformation. Rather than being maintained & tended to over time, an effigy is often created for a specific working & then ritually dismantled, usually through some natural element. For instance, effigies can be sacrificed to the flame, or buried in the earth, immersed in water, or thrown to the wind.

When burned or “sacrificed” alongside written petitions, herbs, or offerings, the effigy is charged & acts as a carrier of intention. Its destruction becomes symbolic: the release of what no longer serves, the activation of a desire, the transmission of will to spirit or cosmos. Where the poppet is sustained & nourished as an ongoing ally, the effigy completes its work through surrender & transformation.

Materials: Both types of figures can be made with natural materials & fibers, like corn husks & silk, wheat sheaves, twigs, & twine to symbolize a connection to earth, harvest cycles, & rootedness. By shaping natural materials into human form, we participate in an ancient dialogue between soil & spirit, body & field. It is also important that the effigies are non-toxic & biodegradable before being deconstructed by earthly elements. Oftentimes, poppets are more decorative for resemblance, resonance, & remembrance while petitions, offerings, & intent are the “dressings” of an effigy. 

**Please refer to Voodoo & Hoodoo practitioners to know more about Voodoo & Hoodoo dolls since they are very specific cultural practices (some books referenced below).

Poppet Magic Ritual Set made from Corn Husks

Books & resources to further guide your practice:

Ensouling the Effigy by Matthew Venus

Poppets and Magical Dolls by Lucya Starza

Poppets, Voodoo Dolls, & Effigies by EM Fairchilde

On Pins and Needles: A Witch’s Book of Poppetry & Figure Magic by Kamden Cornell

Poppet Magick by Silver Ravenwolf

The Spiritual Magic of Dolls by Najah Lightfoot

Effigy Techniques in the Science of Sorcery by Sorceress Cagliastro

Spirit In My Dolls: The Hoodoo Doll Handbook by Iyami Aje