Hunter M. Yoder

Hunter M. Yoder, known as the “Hexologist” and operator of The Hex Factory in Philadelphia, approaches Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs (also called barn stars or hexafoos) with a deep emphasis on their symbolic, magical, and spiritual dimensions. Rooted in his Berks County ancestry and Pennsylvania German (Deitsch) heritage, Yoder views hex signs not merely as decorative folk art but as “Painted Prayers” (a term he draws from figures like Lee Gandee), charged with intent, functioning as visual prayers, wish symbols, magic marks, or “Heiden Hexology”—a revivalist practice tied to pre-Christian Germanic traditions.

He distinguishes Hexology (the creation of symbolic hex signs) from Hexerei (broader Germanic witchcraft practices), positioning it as an evolving magical art form that preserves and extends ancestral symbols. Yoder critiques scholarly views that downplay or Christianize these signs, arguing they stem from pre-Christian Germanic tribal roots in Eurasia, never fully Christianized despite later influences. He incorporates elements like runes, bindrunes, and motifs from Indo-European/Germanic paganism to infuse personal and spiritual depth, often blending traditional Pennsylvania Dutch designs with esoteric layers.

Key Symbolic Elements in Yoder’s Work

Yoder’s hex signs frequently feature geometric stars (e.g., 8-pointed stars common in Berks County barns), tulips, hearts, roosters, distelfinks (stylized birds), and droplets, but he layers them with intentional magical meanings: