The Narrative Within

Textual Amulets in the Middle Ages

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Art for Housewives

The magic of the word…textual amulets

see, too:

Textual Amulet, France

This is the sort of book that I’d really really like to get my hands on . Unfortunately, it’s a bit expensive (40 bucks even in paperback), so I’ll have to look around to find a copy in a university library around here.

It seems to figure that a lot of favorite medieval amulet-texts including Jesus, and a lot of healing sayings that essentially sound like pseudoepigrapha, are modelled on the devotion to the Letter of Abgar from the pilgrimage town of Edessa. There also seems to be quite a bit of interaction with private revelations, etc.

The sad thing is that a lot of these things would be common prayers and devotions one century, and would be denounced by the next. Of course, sometimes devotions really do go bad or overpopularity makes people go gaga for them. But there also seem to be a lot of cases where people…

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Posted in Health & Healing | Tagged Amulets, Ars Notoria, Letter of Abgar, Scriptural amulets, Textual amulets | Leave a comment

Hecate: More Cognitive Dissonance

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Art for Housewives

More “Curse Tablet” information:

Sol Ascendans - The Website of Alex Sumner

A slow day on Planet Sumner today, which is why I was forced into reading the Daily Mail, where lo and behold, I uncover a story about an ancient “Defixion” or “curse tablet.” There have been defixiones before but this is particularly interesting because it was recently re-discovered after having been lost for a hundred years.

The Defixion in question seems to be a binding spell against an unfortunate chap called Psellus. Intriguingly, a feminine goddess appears to be invoked: the Italian scientist interviewed tentatively suggests that it might be Hecate.

Now I can think of one good reason why it might not be so: the female figure depicted on the Defixion has none of the known traditional symbolism. However, the Fluffy-Bunny Brigade have taken to the comments section denying that it is Hecate, because they can’t believe that she would ever curse anybody.

Sigh. It doesn’t take five minutes…

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Posted in Health & Healing | Tagged Curse Tablet, Defixion, Feminine Goddess, Hecate | Leave a comment

Curse dolls

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Art for Housewives

curse doll

Found in a jar along with an inscribed tablet, this Curse Doll is now at the Louvre.

Voodoo dolls were around even in ancient Greece. Above is an example of a Curse Doll. Called by the Greeks, the arms and legs were twisted behind the back, nails pierced them and a name was inscribed on it. The idea was to ask the gods to harm someone.

Curse Doll via Ancient Greek Curses

a Kolossos

Similar to Curse Dolls in terms of intention are Curse Tablets.

Above is a Curse Tablet found in London. Inscription reads: “I curse Tretia Maria and her life and mind and memory and liver and lungs mixed up together, and her words, thoughts and memory; thus may she be unable to speak what things are concealed, nor be able.”

related links: Curse Tablets of Roman Britain + A Roman Lead Curse Tablet + Ancient Magic Curse Tablet Found in Jerusalem + Roman Curses Appear on Ancient Tablet + Roman ‘curse tablet‘ found in Kent

Posted in Health & Healing | Tagged Curse Dolls, Curse Tablet, voodoo doll | 2 Comments

Spider Woman

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Art for Housewives

From Frida’s huipiles to the weavers who made them to the mythology behind weaving…

Journeying to the Goddess

“Spider Woman’s themes are magical charms and growth. Her symbols are spiders and woven items. Spider Woman appears in the myths of the south-western Native Americans as a resourceful helper who spins magical charms and each person’s fate. No matter what problems or obstacles you face, Spider Woman creates the right network of energy to put you on the road toward accomplishment.

In metaphysical traditions, all life is seen as a network within which each individual is one strand. Spider Woman reveals the power and purpose of each strand psychically and keeps you aware of those important connections in your life. To augment this, get a Native American dream catcher, which looks like a web, and hang it over your bed so Spider Woman can reveal her lessons while you sleep. Or, carry a woven item with you today. It will strengthen your relationship with this ancient helpmate and extend…

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Posted in Ecofeminism | Tagged Coatlicue, Grandmother Spider, Spider Woman, The Great Goddess of Teotihuacan, Xochiquetzal | 2 Comments

Viva Frida!

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Art for Housewives

Frida, towards the latter part of her life, began painting still-lifes esp. of watermelons…sandia forever

Silver Birch Press

Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954)

On this date in 1954, Frida Kahlo left her body — at just 47 years old — but left us with her visionary, inspiring body of work. She resisted when art critics called her work “Surrealist,” saying: “I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.” Her last painting depicted sliced watermelons — and in one of the slices she painted, “Viva La Vida” (live the life — or live life). A gifted writer as well as painter, Frida was the author of the illustrated Diary of Frida Kahlo, available here. (Note on above illustration: Mural in Los Angeles by Siner; photograph by Patrice Raunet)