Tools

In no particular order

The Broom

While it comes in handy during a good game of Quidditch, the broom - or besom - is also useful for sweeping a ceremonial area out before ritual. A light sweeping not only cleans the physical space, it also clears out negative energies that may have accumulated in the area since the last cleaning. The broom is a purifier, so it is connected to the element of Water. It is not uncommon to meet witches who have broom collections, and it is fairly easy to make your own besom if you don't wish to buy one. The traditional magical formula includes a bundle of birch twigs, a staff of ash or oak, and a binding made from willow wands.

The Wand

Clichéd as it may sound, the wand is one of the most popular magical tools in Wicca, as well as in some ceremonial magic traditions. It has a number of magical purposes. A wand is used for the directing of energy during a ritual. Because it’s a phallic symbol it is used to represent male energy, power, and virility. Representative of the element of Air (although in a few traditions it symbolizes Fire), the wand can be used to consecrate a sacred space, or invoke deity.

The Cauldron

The Cauldron symbolizes The Goddess, the manifested essence of femininity and fertility. Is Symbolic of the element of water, reincarnation, immortality and inspiration. It should be made of iron ideally. The Cauldron can be used for Scrying or Brewing potions. It can also be used as a focal point for rituals: in spring it can be filled with fresh water and flowers. In winter a fire may be kindled within it to represent the returning heat and light of the sun (The God) from the cauldron (The Goddess). This links in with agricultural myths wherein The God is born in winter, reach maturity in summer and dies after the last harvest.

The Athame

It's used to direct the energy raised during rites and spells. It is not used to invoke or call upon the deities for it is an instrument of commanding and power manipulation. Many Wiccans would rather invoke the Goddess and God. It is often dull, usually double-edged with a black or dark handle. Black absorbs power. When it's used in ritual to direct energy, some of this power is absorbed into the handle, only a tiny amount, which can be called upon later. Sometimes energy raised within rituals is channeled into the knife for later use. It is linked with the element of fire and The God.

The Bolline

It's generally white handled to distinguish it from The Athame. It's used for sacred cutting purposes, as The Athame is not used for cutting things.

The Cup

The cup symbolizes The Goddess and fertility and is linked to the element of water, which is generally present on the altar. It can be used to hold water, may also contain the ritual beverage imbibed during the rite.

The Pentacle

Represents the element of earth, and a convenient tool upon which to place amulets, charms, or other objects to be ritually consecrated. Also used for protection. Also used for money spells due to it's earth associations.

The Book of Shadows

Despite popular movies and television shows, there is no one single book of shadows. A book of shadows, or BOS, is a Wiccan or Pagan's notebook of information. It usually contains spells, rituals, correspondence charts, information about the rules of magic, invocations, myths and legends of various pantheons, etc. Sometimes information in a BOS is passed along from one Wiccan to another (and in a coven setting, there may be a coven BOS as well as individual members' books), but you can create your own with a little bit of effort. A BOS is a very personal thing, and should contain the information you find most important.

The Bell

It's feminine and can be used to invoke The Goddess in ritual. Also rung to ward off evil spells or spirits or to evoke good energies. Placed in cupboards or hung on the door it guards the home. Sometimes rung in ritual to mark various sections and to signal a spell's beginning or end.

These are by no means all possible tools. When you get a new tool make sure to cleanse it (not covered in this post) using the appropriate method depending on what it is, for instance you wouldn't want to ruin wood with water etc. This info was compiled from paganwiccan.about.com as well as Scott Cunningham's book "Wicca: A guide for the solitary practitioner" to those that may have noticed it sounded familiar in wording. Some of the pics come from paganwiccan.about.com and some simply from google.