Apotropaic magic
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Apotropaic magic is a ritual observance that is intended to turn away evil. It can be as elaborate as the use of magical ceremonies or spells, or as simple as the vaguely superstitious carrying or wearing of a "good luck" token or "charm" (perhaps on a charm bracelet), crossing one's fingers or knocking on wood.
"Apotropaic" is an adjective that means "intended to ward off evil" or "averting or deflecting evil" and commonly refers to objects such as amulets and talismans or other symbols. The word is of Greek origin: apotrope literally means "turning away" or averting (as in "averting the evil eye"). The Greeks propitiated the chthonic "Gods of Aversion"—the apotropaioi.
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[edit] Apotropaic symbols
Among the Ancient Greeks the most widely-used image intended to avert evil was the Gorgoneion, the head of the Gorgon, with goggling eyes, fangs and protruding tongue. This Medusa's head was mounted on the shield of Athena herself.[1]
Curiously, eyes were often painted to ward off the "evil eye". An exaggerated apotropaic eye was painted on Greek drinking vessels in the 6th century BC to ward off evil spirits while drinking. Fishing boats in some parts of the Mediterranean region still have stylised eyes painted on the bows. A Turkish budget airline has adopted the symbol (known as Nazar boncuğu or Nazar bonjuk) as a motif for the tailfin of its aeroplanes.
The doorways and windows of buildings were felt to be particularly vulnerable to evil. On churches and castles, gargoyles or other grotesque faces and figures such as Sheela Na Gigs and Hunky Punks would be carved to frighten away witches and other malign influences.
Similarly the grotesque faces carved on Pumpkin lanterns (and their earlier counterparts, made from turnips, swedes or mangolds) at Halloween are meant to avert evil: this season was Samhain, the Celtic New Year and, as a "time between times", it was believed that souls of the dead and other dangerous spirits walked the earth at this time. (See also: Celtic calendar)
Mirrors and other shiny objects were believed to deflect the evil eye. Traditional English "Plough Jags" (performers of a regional variant of the mummers play) sometimes decorated their costumes (particularly their hats) with shiny items, even to the extent of borrowing silver plate for the purpose.
Symbols such as crucifixes, silver bullets, wild roses and garlic were believed to ward off or destroy vampires.
In Ireland and Britain, magpies are thought to bring bad luck and many people repeat various rhymes or salutations to placate them.
In ancient Greece, phalli were believed to have apotropaic qualities. Often stone reliefs would be placed above doorways, but there were also many three-dimensional renditions erected across the Greek world. Most notable of these were the urban monuments found on the island of Delos. Grotesque, satyr-like beaded faces, sometimes with the pointed cap of the workman, appeared often over the doors of ovens and kilns, to protect the work from fire and mishap.[2]
[edit] Good luck tokens and charms
It is difficult to differentiate between items supposed to avert evil and items intended to attract good fortune.
Cast-off horseshoes are often nailed up over, or close by, doorways, normally with the ends pointing upwards (said "to collect good luck" or "to stop the luck falling out"; but see Oakham's horseshoes). Model horseshoes (of card or plastic) are given as good-luck tokens, particularly at weddings, and small paper horseshoes feature in confetti.
White heather is often sold by Irish travelling people and Roma "to bring good luck". (Frequently this turns out to be not heather but white sea-lavender, a species of Limonium.)
In Ireland, rush St Brigid's crosses were kept indoors (in houses and animal houses) to keep away illness for the year.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Frazer, Sir James, The Golden Bough,
- Graves, Robert, The White Goddess,
- Jane Ellen Harrison, Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion
- Roud, Steve (2004). A Pocket Guide to Superstitions of the British Isles. London: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-051549-6.
[edit] External links
- The Golden Bough: on-line text, 1922 abridged edition
- [1] Pictures of a revival team of Plough Jags
- The Lucky W Amulet Archive An exceptionally detailed archive of information about amulets and tokens
