Two 'V' finger rods for dowsing, made from plastic channel curtain rail

Two 'V' finger rods for dowsing, made from plastic channel curtain rail, Solihull, 1994. Each of these two rods is a complete instrument, designed to be held open, in tension, at the non-bound end.

Dowsing is a traditional technique that has been used for centuries as a way of finding water, oil or mineral deposits underground. Lightweight rods held by the dowser amplify small hand movements: a forked Y- or V-shaped twig or rod held in tension would tip up or down; or two lengths of wire bent into L shapes would cross or splay. The technique is generally deemed a pseudoscience, with controlled studies finding dowsing no more effective than chance at locating water bottles or pipes; some argue the movement of dowsing rods is caused by the dowser’s subconscious reaction to environmental cues. Nonetheless, the practice continues in some domains: several UK water companies were still using dowsing to locate leaks in the 2020s.