Blacksmithing looks like a magical art at the best of times. Take metal from underground, apply fire and pressure, and create something wonderful – or deadly. It’s hardly surprising that so many cultures would have blacksmith gods among their deities. From Ptah in ancient Egypt to Vulcan in ancient Rome, these creators were also often […]
#FolkloreThursday
Blacksmiths of Legend: Wicked Wizards of Metal and Flame
Blacksmiths have long been held up as having supernatural abilities – either for good or ill. In Ireland, smiths held such a high status that people thought they had magic powers (Doyle 2010: 11). Notice I say ‘smiths’ at this point. The term does refer to metalwork, and it breaks into specialisms like silversmiths, blacksmiths, […]
Weather Lore: A Tale of Portents and Omens
Is there a difference between lore and superstitions when it comes to the weather? Surprisingly, yes, there is. Superstitions are widely defined as being irrational beliefs. But weather lore? Jacqueline Simpson and Steve Roud explain that “[l]ore about the weather consisted mainly of practical information and advice, based on observation of nature, and transmitted orally” […]
Persephone: Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Dead
Spring has well and truly sprung, with plants popping up here in the British Isles and lambs gambolling around in the fields. If you’re a follower of Greek myth, then you know we have Persephone to thank for this renewal of spring! But how much do we really know about this dual deity, both goddess […]
Jack-in-the-Green and the Green Man: One and the Same?
If you head to Hastings in East Sussex for the May Day celebrations, you may see a strange figure at the parade. Morris dancers ply their trade alongside a person wearing a huge decoration of leaves and branches. This person is known as the Jack-in-the-Green. But who or what is this unusual figure? Does he […]
What Do Eggs, Bunnies, and Bonnets have to do with Easter?
Say ‘Easter’ to most people, and they’ll think of eggs or rabbits. They may even think of Jesus, hot cross buns, or ancient pagan deities. The whole celebration has become something of a mishmash of all these things. There are sombre overtones for the religious, and fun treats for the secular. In a lot of […]
