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senatushq · 1 year

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NAME. Giovanni Di Cosimo de'Medici AGE & BIRTH DATE. June 3rd, 1421 & 602 GENDER & PRONOUNS. Male & He/Him SPECIES. Vampire BLOODLINE. Venus OCCUPATION. Investor & Art Collector FACE CLAIM. Leo Woodall

biography

Latin and Ancient Greek literatures, grammar, rhetoric, mathematics, sciences, history, poetry, music, art, and moral philosophy. Dust filled the decorated hall of the Florencian study, marble floors and carved columns punctuated by portraits of the proud and influential families. Enlightenment brought a revival of Classical Antiquity, Florence its birthplace, and for the Medicis all the city was their canvas.

Cerulean hues wandered from the old text towards the hand-painted tiles that made up the motifs about the chamber. Piero was absent, again. Sick once more. For all their money and all their influence there was frailty in being simple mortals that were made of flesh and bone. Today’s lesson was on Gorgias’ Defense of Palamedes. Inventor of dice who exposed Odysseus, only to be falsely accused and put to death, bad luck for him. Giovanni’s head was often elsewhere, in his youth he preferred music or art to literature, poetry and philosophy to mathematics. Not that the boy was given much say in which humanities he got to favour over his more analytical studies, when he fell behind in one his tutors only focused more heavily on it. Piero was likely laid up in bed right now, drugged through his pains, Giovanni envied that.

Giovanni’s literary tutor would tell him it was not for good God-fearing men to aspire towards immortality, that the beauty of life came from its lack of permanence. Yet, tales of the labours of heroes who aspired to gleam their Gods’ Head were written across pages upon pages of influences. The visage of Herakles slaying the Nemean lion hung above them, commissioned by Cosimo himself. Giovanni was young then, just a boy with his head in the clouds as he painted labours of his own, fantastical trials that he might endure to overcome sickness and disease.

By seventeen Giovanni was directing the branch of his family’s bank in Ferrara while he continued his studies, in true familial fashion he was a patron of the arts. A collector who enjoyed the process of turning a mundane canvas into something priceless, how an artisan could look at a block of useless stone and transform it into divinity. Elected into the Priori of Florence, Giovanni’s father, Cosimo, made him the general director of the Medici Bank but being dissatisfied by Giovanni’s distractible nature and predisposition towards the arts, he assigned him to further tutelage.

As was the expectation at the time, Giovanni married an influential woman named Maria Ginevra di Niccolò Alessandri, someone who grew a network of her own influential individuals. For mortals, godhood came to those like the noble house of de’Medici that had a family to whom they could pass on their wealth. Giovanni saw the frailty of his own line and from his childhood’s hour had always wanted for more, for every hope and pulse that came in his devotion to the arts - he also hoped for answers among the arcane. Whispers of powers were common, in the countryside it was hard to find a road that did not have some manner of caravan on it that promised one thing or the next through some tonic or salve. Magic, real magic, that was what he craved.

In Rome the noble prayed and offered tribute to Fortuna, who, to Giovanni’s great surprise, appeared. Caio was the creature’s true name, and to the banker the avariel revealed the secrets of immortality: vampirism. The exchange was simple, information for an eternity of devotion - something that Giovanni quickly agreed to. Good fortune brought him to the steps of senator Cassia, and even better luck had the vampire agree to make him her progeny. Wealthy and influential, Giovanni’s death was not without spectacle. Statues were erected over the tomb that he was made to crawl out of, but once he was free from the worry of sickness and fear of impending death Giovanni never felt more alive.

personality

+ gregarious, charismatic, captivating – selfish, narcissistic, frivolous

played by shane. est. he/him.

#takenc #takenm #takenvampire #the artisan

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antonio-m · 4 years

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Bronze bust of Giuliano de'Medici (1453–1478), the prodigious brother of ‘Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449 - 1492), both sons to Piero de Medici (1416_1469) and Lucrezia Tornabuoni (1427–1482).

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therepublicofletters · 3 years

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Hi! I'm researching the history of collecting Graeco Roman items, and I know that the Medici's had one of the most renowned cabinets of curiosities of the their time. Do you know any resources of their collecting habits? On classical antiquities would be best, ut really anything is helpful. I figured if anyone on this site would know, you would!

Hello there! I’m less familiar with the Grand Dukes who had the proper “cabinet of curiosities” – that was more a 16th century development – but Piero and Lorenzo de’ Medici collected antiquities, especially cameos and precious stones. You should take a look at Lorenzo de'Medici, Collector of Antiquities by Laurie Fusco and Gino Corti (Cambridge 2006), but there are also lots of shorter articles – for example “Lorenzo de’ Medici’s Magnificent Cups: Precious Vessels as Status Symbols in Fifteenth-Century Europe” by Eva Helfenstein.

#personal correspondence #queen of the quattrocento #antiquities

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morelin · 4 years

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Il mondo dei de’Medici

L'immersione nel mondo dei de’Medici, famiglia che trasformò la città di Firenze in un Granducato di ambizione internazionale, inizia con la visita del Palazzo Medici Riccardi (Firenze), loro superba residenza situata nel quartiere di San Giovanni.

Il palazzo è un magnifico esempio di dimora signorile rinascimentale con interni in stile barocco dove ho avuto l'opportunità di ammirarne l'ambiente più noto, la cappella dei Magi realizzata da Michelozzo nel 1459 decorata appunto da affreschi che illustrano il Viaggio dei Magi e La veglia dei pastori in attesa dell'annuncio.

Poco distante si trova Piazza S.Lorenzo che accoglie il monumento a Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, padre di Cosimo I de'Medici, e la Basilica di S. Lorenzo consacrata nel 393 ma ricostruita successivamente da Brunelleschi ed Antonio Manetti.

Alla facciata incompiuta si contrappone un armonico interno con un soffitto a cassettoni; in fondo a sinistra è situata la Segrestia Vecchia, piccola cappella-mausoleo dei Medici nella quale si trovano decorazioni di Donatello, il monumento funebre a Piero e Giovanni de'Medici del Verrocchio ed una particolare volta dell'abside rappresentante il cielo di Firenze nella notte del 4 luglio 1442.

Del complesso di S. Lorenzo fanno parte anche la cappella dei Principi e la Sagrestia Nuova che insieme costituiscono le cosiddette Cappelle Medicee: la prima è uno sfarzoso ma anche un po' tetro mausoleo autocelebrativo, la seconda invece è un capolavoro di Michelangelo alla quale hanno lavorato successivamente anche Vasari e Ammannati.

A sinistra della Basilica, entrando in un elegante chiostro è possibile raggiungere la Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana progettata da Michelangelo, una "biblioteca pubblica" istituita da Cosimo il Vecchio e giunta al massimo splendore con Lorenzo il Magnifico che accoglie la più importante raccolta italiana di manoscritti.

#viaggi #demedici #famiglia de'medici #mondo mediceo #palazzo medici riccardi #cappella dei magi #piazza s. lorenzo #basilica di s.lorenzo #cappelle medicee #michelangelo #vasari #biblioteca medicea laurenziana #firenze

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the-lastdragon · 4 years

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Cosimo

. ㅤㅤ �� 〉 :⸙: .�� welcome to: 𝑇𝘩𝑒𝐿𝑎𝑠𝑡𝐷𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑠 „ ↴ ㅤㅤ ﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀﹀

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ╰─▸ ❝ #PaterPatriae has ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ . . . logged in ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ

ㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ ↺ ' 𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨... ₊˚.༄ ೃ - ㅤㅤ ��ㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ . . . . . ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ① ೃ࿐┊𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐛𝐚́𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐬 。 ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► nombre: Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► fandom: Histórico ; Médici: Master Of Florence ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► estatus: Canon ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► as known as: Cosme, Cosimo ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► faceclaim(s): Richard Madden ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ② ೃ࿐┊𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢́𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐬 。 ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► orientación sexual: Heterosexual ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► procedencia: Florencia, Italia ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► ocupación: Banquero ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► residencia: Palacio Médici, Florencia ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► habilidades ; Personalidad: Para la sociedad florentina, Cosimo era uno más, aunque tenia grandes cantidades de dinero no vivía de una forma ostentosa, solía hacer donaciones y ayudar a quien se lo pedía, financiando a los gremios menores en la ciudad, Cosimo era un hombre igual o más inteligente que su padre, sabia que las personas ricas podrían dar poder a base de dinero, pero las personas con pocos recursos no podrían darle tanto poder a base de riquezas, pero, el poder publico es más fuerte que cualquier tipo de moneda. En el terreno familiar, siempre tuvo un gran amor hacia su familia, aunque siempre ha visto a su hijo Piero como alguien débil y prefirió darle más poder a segundo hijo, Giovanni, antes de que a Piero, le amaba, al igual que a su esposa, aunque, luego de que ella interviniera para salvarlo y lograra su exilio de Florencia, su relación se volvió por un tiempo distante y allí tuvo una amante de donde proviene su hijo más pequeño, Carlo. Aunque al poco tiempo volvió a confiar y amar a Contessina hasta el ultimo día de su vida. ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ③ ೃ࿐┊𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 。 ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici nació el 27 de septiembre de 1389, en Florencia, Italia, siendo el primogénito de Giovanni de Medici y Piccarda Bueri, y el único de los gemelos que sobrevivió ya que su hermano menor, llamado Damiano, ( Los gemelos recibieron el nombre de los santos Cosme y Damián) murió a los pocos días de nacer, por lo contrario Cosimo contaba con una excelente salud, seis años después del nacimiento de Cosimo, nació Lorenzo, quien fue su hermano menor y lo más parecido a un mejor amigo que pudo tener. Cósimo al ser parte de una familia tan importante, como es de esperarse, desde temprana edad recibió una educación mediocre, pero era inteligente y estaba interesado tanto en arte como en política, siempre estuvo rodeado de figuras imponentes de la Toscana, Roma y de toda Italia en si, su padre se encargo de enseñarle e instruirle en cada una de las cosas para que en un futuro tomara su lugar en el Banco Medici, aunque, era claro que las ideas de Cosimo siempre estuvo más interesado en el arte, cosa que molestaba demasiado a su padre ya que "debía tener los pies en la tierra" y con el tiempo, Cosimo tuvo sus pies en la tierra, tanto tiempo como pudo.

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► En 1415, Cosimo contrajo matrimonio con Contessina Bardi, hija de una familia de banqueros, al principio la relación fue un poco fría ya que él lo era, pero con el tiempo, el carácter y la formas de Contessina lo fueron cautivando poco a poco, aunque aún no podía ignorar a su ex amor, una mujer que había conocido en su juventud y que su padre pago para que se alejara de él, un año antes, en 1414, acompañó al papa Juan XXIII al Concilio de Constanza viajó luego por Francia y Alemania, y a su regreso a Florencia se encargó de varias embajadas: a Milán, en 1420; a Lucca, en 1423, y a Bolonia, en 1424. ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► Fue el hijo de Giovanni de Medici quien forjó la fortuna familiar al realizar inversiones acertadas en relación al negocio de la banca y del comercio. Estos negocios quedarían a cargo de Cósimo al morir su padre. Ante la muerte de su padre en 1429 lo hizo volverse el hombre más poderosos de toda Florencia, Cosimo heredó tanto su riqueza como su experiencia en banca de su padre Giovanni. En 1433, el poder de Cosimo sobre Florencia comenzó a parecer una amenaza para el partido anti-Medici liderado por figuras como Palla Strozzi y la familia Albizzi , encabezada por Rinaldo degli Albizzi . En septiembre de ese año, Cosimo fue encarcelado en el Palazzo Vecchio por su participación en un fracaso para conquistar la República de Lucca , pero logró convertir la pena de prisión en una de exilio. ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ④ ೃ࿐┊𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 。 ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► familiares: ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Padre | fallecido ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Piccarda Bueri ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Madre | fallecida ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Lorenzo di Giovanni de'Medici

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Hermano menor | libre

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Contessina de' Bardi ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Esposa |

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Piero di Cosimo de' Medici ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Hijo primogenito | libre

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Hijo | libre.

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Carlo di Cosimo de' Medici ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Hijo ilegitimo | libre.

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► externas:

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Maddalena ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Amante | personaje no roleable o me zapean.

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ{♡} Rinaldo degli Albizzi ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ↳ Ex-Amigo, enemigo | libre

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ⑤ ೃ࿐┊𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 。 ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► Broken Crown - Mumford & Sons. ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► Renaissance - Paolo Buonvino, Skin. ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ⑥ ೃ࿐┊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐱 。 ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ► Álbum: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.240895044399198&type=3 ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► Título del post: ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ⑦ ೃ࿐┊𝐜𝐫𝐞́𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐬 。

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► template: __ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► adornos: usuarios ➷ ღ 𝒜́𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓁 y •H en Amino. ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ► formato: Wirecode. ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ╰─▸ ❝ #PaterPatriae has ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ . . . logged out

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flyingthehedge · 5 years

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Bone Magic Series: Feathers, Fangs, and Claws: How to Use Them in Magic

Previously in the series, I covered bones and skulls and furs and pelts. This is only a fraction of the animal remains witches commonly use, and while this is a bone magic series, I strongly felt the need to cover a variety of animal remains because their uses make more sense with the proper context. This post will discuss all those miscellaneous remains, including feathers, teeth, and claws.

Feathers

Feathers are keratin filaments that cover the outside of birds and even some dinosaurs. They make up the plumage and not only provide warmth and water resistance, but also allow for flight. Like animal pelts and skins, feathers do not preserve well over time, so much of what we know of their historical magical uses stem from indigenous cultures, mostly Native American, and ancient mythology. Feathers have long been used as ornamentation on ceremonial garb, particularly headdresses among many groups worldwide, or as robes and cloaks. Birds are believed to possess a spiritual essence, their feathers being used to aid in flight and communication with the spirit world (source).

The type of bird largely impacted the type of magic associated with the feather. Macaw feathers, desired for their color and highly valued, were used by the Tewa for ceremonial purposes as a way to bring rain, which was believed to come from the South, the cardinal direction associated with the macaw (source). These feathers were so valuable, in fact, that they were often traded for goods, including turquoise and skins (source). Among the Zuni, turkey feathers were believed to represent mortality and therefore not worn by a dancer should death follow. Today, turkey feathers are often buried on All Souls' Day so the dead may wear them to dance (source). Eagles were and are symbolic of the sun or sky and were often used in combination with turkey feathers. It was believed the eagle was a spirit messenger and could take prayers to the heavens. Wearing the feather of an eagle is said to bring strength, wisdom, and protection (source). In the Hopi Snake Dance, a dancer follows the snake carrier while continuously brushing the rattlesnake with an eagle feather to stop the snake from striking (source). In Celtic mythology, the eagle was believed to be one of the oldest of all creatures. In the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, Culhwch is tasked with finding the magical child Mabon. He asks a number of animals to help him in his quest, the eagle being the animal who tips him off as to where Mabon is (source). The eagle also appears in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in an account of the Battle of Brunanburh which says, "...the grey-coated eagle, white-tailed, to have his will of the corpses." This suggests the eagle took advantage of the deaths during the battle, thus again showing wisdom and ingenuity. Furthermore, Highland clan chiefs often wore three eagle feathers in their bonnets as a symbol of rank (source).

Crow feathers, like the eagle, were also used for wisdom and knowledge, as well as death and witchcraft (source, source). The tail feathers of a peacock, in spite of the beautiful plumage, is believed to bring ill luck and attract the evil eye, due to the tip resembling a human eye. Peacocks are scared to Juno, the patron goddess of women, and to rob a peacock of its tail feathers is thought to offend her (source). This, of course, is not a complete list of all feather correspondences but it does drive the point home that feathers have numerous magical associations.

In Egyptian myth, the feather of Ma'at was the judge of one's soul. According to the story, the heart of the deceased was handed over to Osiris, the God of Death, who placed it on a giant golden scale and balanced it against the white feather of Ma'at, the feather of truth. If the heart was lighter than the feather, thus showing it was free from impurities and sin, then the gods would consult the Forty-Two Judges to decide whether or not the soul was worthy. If so, the soul would pass to the Field of Reeds, the Summerland/Heaven equivalent in Egyptian mythology (source). The feather is also the symbol of Shu, the Egyptian god of Air and father of the Earth. Shu is often depicted wearing a feather in his hair. As such, the feather is often associated with the element Air (source).

Ancient Shamans in Siberia and the Druids of Europe often wore birdlike cloaks and costumes to represent transformation. The Colloquy of the Two Sages describes the possession of a three-colored feather robe by a High Bard. "...A covering of bright bird's feathers in the middle, a showery specking of fin-druine (white silver) on the lower half, and a golden color on the upper half." Another similar description is found in Cormac's Glossary, referred to as a tugen which was a Feathered Cloak commonly worn by Irish poets to represent mysticism and knowledge (source).

Feathers are also commonly placed in Witched Ladders. In the late 1800s, several strange items were found in the eaves of a house in England including a string of feathers. The house was then declared to belong to a witch and the string of feathers was referred to as a 'witches ladder.' In this case, it was a string of cockerel feathers and it was suggested to be used to cross over the roof of houses, cause death, and hex neighboring cattle. It was believed each feather was a hex, curse, or bad wish upon another. Throwing the witches ladder into the water was said to break the curse as the water would purify and loosen the feathers from the string. Their removal from the ladder meant the curse was also removed. Modern witches create witches ladders to curse, invoke clarity, or bring positive intent such as luck, prosperity, love, healing, or success with each feather representing a wish (source).

Today, feathers are used in much the same way as they have been historically used. Witches use feathers from an assortment of birds for an assortment of magical purposes. For example, placing blackbird feathers under someone's pillow is said to compel them to tell you their innermost secrets, while the feathers of a Wren are believed to prevent drowning (source). Furthermore, feathers are often placed on altars to represent air or placed in hedge riding sachets to aid in soul flight. Different colored feathers also have a variety of meanings. For example, finding a black feather means an angel is protecting you, green for abundance, and white for purity (source). Finally, many witches use a feather to waft smoke from incense or a herb stick. Their uses are endless and have been used for centuries by magical practitioners around the world.

Teeth and Claws

Other animal remains include teeth and claws (I will cover shells and blood in the future, but not as part of this series). Teeth could be classified under bones, but I felt the need to discuss some of their specific uses separately. Teeth are hard external bones covered in enamel used for mechanical digestion. Some of the earliest uses of teeth, whether animal or human, dates back to burial practices in the 7th and 8th centuries. Amulets containing teeth have been found in numerous graves, particularly those of women and children across Europe. It is believed these amulets were placed in the grave for protection for both the living and the dead (source, source). From the 7th to 9th century, animal teeth were used to identify cunning women and these bones were commonly buried with the practitioner (source). In the 13th and 15th century, cattle teeth were found in graves, an indicator of healing magic (source).

In Ancient Rome, teeth were highly valued as a form of protection against the evil eye. Giovanni de'Medici was particularly fond of using animal teeth as a form of protection, particularly for the protection of children. Paintings by Detti and contemporary inventories suggest that animal teeth, more specifically wolf teeth, were mounted around homes, including the estate of Piero Ubaldini and Giulio de'Medici. Like many items during the Renaissance, teeth were believed to be a form of sympathetic magic. They were placed around the neck of a nursing infant to protect the child from danger and promote the development and growth of the child's own teeth (source, source).

Later teeth that had fallen out were commonly thrown into the fire instead of kept for protection as it was believed the teeth could be picked up by a witch and used to cause misfortune (source). Still, later the folktale of the Tooth Fairy arose in the United States around 1900. It is important to note that the Tooth Fairy did not exist in British folklore, making this a largely American tradition, although the Italian Marantega and several other folktales around the world are remarkably similar. It was believed that by placing the tooth under the pillow that the fairy would reward the offering with a monetary gift. The tale of Marantega, an old witch who trades coins for teeth, is very similar to the myth of the Tooth Fairy. However, it is believed she seeks teeth to fill her own toothless mouth (source). In several Asia countries, including China, Japan, and Korea, children who lose teeth from their lower jaw would throw their teeth on the roof, while those lost from the upper jaw are tossed on the floor or placed under the pillow. It was believed that the new tooth would be pulled toward the old tooth, lessening the time it would take to replace the tooth. In Mongolia, the teeth were fed to dogs, so that the new tooth would be as strong as the dog's teeth, or buried under a tree so that the new tooth had strong roots (source).

In Conjure, teeth have been historically and still are used in a variety of magical workings. For example, badger and alligator teeth were and are used in mojo bags (source). In fact, in 1760 Jamaica passed an act that forbid the slaves from engaging in magical activities, using dog and alligator teeth as evidence of such magical workings (source). Today teeth are used for protection, to bring luck, in binding spells, as part of a bone tarot set, in mojo bags, or in spells that increase communication.

Like teeth, claws can be used in much the same way, pulling on the attributes of whatever animal it came from. Historically, claws have very little written about them. In fact, much of what I could find is about cutting human fingernails. It was believed that cutting your nails on a Friday or Sunday was unlucky while cutting on Monday was thought to bring good health and Tuesday wealth (source). Romans often wore images of bears or bear claws to ease childbirth and protect the unborn child (source). Today, witches use claws as altar decorations, for protection, and mojo bags. For example, cockerel claws are used in protection charms in Voodoo and Santeria practices.

Overall, animal remains have and are an integral part of magical practices the world over. Whether they are used in rituals or spells, they bring us closer to the world around us. How do you use feathers, fangs, or claws in your magical practice?

Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Bone Magic Series

Introduction

A Brief History of Animal Remains in Magic

Bones and Skulls: How to Use Them in Magic

Furs and Pelts: How to Use Them In Magic

Feathers, Fangs, and Claws: How to Use Them in Magic

How to Ethically Acquire Animal Remains

Cleaning and Preserving Animal Remains

Working With the Spirits of Animal Remains: Crossing Over & Contracting

Feeding Your Bones

Throwing the Bones + Build Your Own Bone Tarot

#bone magic #hedge witch #hedgewitch #traditional witchcraft #tradcraft #witch #witchcraft #witchy #pagan #neopagan #occult #wicca #wiccan #witchblr #witches of tumblr #pagans of tumblr

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tipsycad147 · 5 years

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BONE MAGIC SERIES: FEATHERS, FANGS, AND CLAWS: HOW TO USE THEM IN MAGIC 5

Feathers

These feathers were so valuable, in fact, that they were often traded for goods, including turquoise and skins (source).

Among the Zuni, turkey feathers were believed to represent mortality and therefore not worn by a dancer should death follow. Today, turkey feathers are often buried on All Souls' Day so the dead may wear them to dance (source).

Eagles were and are symbolic of the sun or sky and were often used in combination with turkey feathers. It was believed the eagle was a spirit messenger and could take prayers to the heavens. Wearing the feather of an eagle is said to bring strength, wisdom, and protection (source)

. In the Hopi Snake Dance, a dancer follows the snake carrier while continuously brushing the rattlesnake with an eagle feather to stop the snake from striking (source).

In Celtic mythology, the eagle was believed to be one of the oldest of all creatures. In the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, Culhwch is tasked with finding the magical child Mabon. He asks a number of animals to help him in his quest, the eagle being the animal who tips him off as to where Mabon is (source).

The eagle also appears in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in an account of the Battle of Brunanburh which says, "...the grey-coated eagle, white-tailed, to have his will of the corpses." This suggests the eagle took advantage of the deaths during the battle, thus again showing wisdom and ingenuity. Furthermore, Highland clan chiefs often wore three eagle feathers in their bonnets as a symbol of rank (source).

Crow feathers, like the eagle, were also used for wisdom and knowledge, as well as death and witchcraft (source, source)

The tail feathers of a peacock, in spite of the beautiful plumage, is believed to bring ill luck and attract the evil eye, due to the tip resembling a human eye. Peacocks are scared to Juno, the patron goddess of women, and to rob a peacock of its tail feathers is thought to offend her (source).

This, of course, is not a complete list of all feather correspondences but it does drive the point home that feathers have numerous magical associations.

The feather is also the symbol of Shu, the Egyptian god of Air and father of the Earth. Shu is often depicted wearing a feather in his hair. As such, the feather is often associated with the element Air (source).

Ancient Shamans in Siberia and the Druids of Europe often wore birdlike cloaks and costumes to represent transformation.

The Colloquy of the Two Sages

describes the possession of a three-coloured feather robe by a High Bard. "...A covering of bright bird's feathers in the middle, a showery specking of fin-druine

(white silver) on the lower half, and a golden colour on the upper half." Another similar description is found in Cormac's Glossary, referred to as a tugen

which was a Feathered Cloak commonly worn by Irish poets to represent mysticism and knowledge (source).

Feathers are also commonly placed in Witched Ladders. In the late 1800s, several strange items were found in the eaves of a house in England including a string of feathers. The house was then declared to belong to a witch and the string of feathers was referred to as a 'witches ladder.' In this case, it was a string of cockerel feathers and it was suggested to be used to cross over the roof of houses, cause death, and hex neighbouring cattle. It was believed each feather was a hex, curse, or bad wish upon another. Throwing the witches ladder into the water was said to break the curse as the water would purify and loosen the feathers from the string. Their removal from the ladder meant the curse was also removed. Modern witches create witches ladders to curse, invoke clarity, or bring positive intent such as luck, prosperity, love, healing, or success with each feather representing a wish (source).

to aid in soul flight. Different coloured feathers also have a variety of meanings. For example, finding a black feather means an angel is protecting you, green for abundance, and white for purity (source).

Finally, many witches use a feather to waft smoke from incense or a herb stick. Their uses are endless and have been used for centuries by magical practitioners around the world.

Teeth and Claws

Other animal remains include teeth and claws (

I will cover shells and blood in the future, but not as part of this series

). Teeth could be classified under bones, but I felt the need to discuss some of their specific uses separately. Teeth are hard external bones covered in enamel used for mechanical digestion. Some of the earliest uses of teeth, whether animal or human, dates back to burial practices in the 7th and 8th centuries. Amulets containing teeth have been found in numerous graves, particularly those of women and children across Europe. It is believed these amulets were placed in the grave for protection for both the living and the dead (source).

From the 7th to 9th century, animal teeth were used to identify cunning women and these bones were commonly buried with the practitioner (source).

In the 13th and 15th century, cattle teeth were found in graves, an indicator of healing magic (source).

Later teeth that had fallen out were commonly thrown into the fire instead of kept for protection as it was believed the teeth could be picked up by a witch and used to cause misfortune (source).

Still, later the folktale of the Tooth Fairy arose in the United States around 1900. It is important to note that the Tooth Fairy did not exist in British folklore, making this a largely American tradition, although the Italian Marantega and several other folktales around the world are remarkably similar. It was believed that by placing the tooth under the pillow that the fairy would reward the offering with a monetary gift. The tale of Marantega, an old witch who trades coins for teeth, is very similar to the myth of the Tooth Fairy. However, it is believed she seeks teeth to fill her own toothless mouth (source).

In several Asia countries, including China, Japan, and Korea, children who lose teeth from their lower jaw would throw their teeth on the roof, while those lost from the upper jaw are tossed on the floor or placed under the pillow. It was believed that the new tooth would be pulled toward the old tooth, lessening the time it would take to replace the tooth. In Mongolia, the teeth were fed to dogs, so that the new tooth would be as strong as the dog's teeth, or buried under a tree so that the new tooth had strong roots (source).

In Conjure, teeth have been historically and still are used in a variety of magical workings. For example, badger and alligator teeth were and are used in mojo bags (source).

In fact, in 1760 Jamaica passed an act that forbid the slaves from engaging in magical activities, using dog and alligator teeth as evidence of such magical workings (source).

Today teeth are used for protection, to bring luck, in binding spells, as part of a bone tarot set, in mojo bags, or in spells that increase communication.

Romans often wore images of bears or bear claws to ease childbirth and protect the unborn child (source).

Today, witches use claws as altar decorations, for protection, and mojo bags. For example, cockerel claws are used in protection charms in Voodoo and Santeria practices.

Willow

https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2019/05/bone-magic-series-feathers-fangs-and.html

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