Pagans and Witches Eat Ritual Horse Meat, don't they?

Horse Skulls used as protection totem or foundation sacrifice in buildings

Pagan Horse Skulls, Ritual Sacrifice & Eating Equine Flesh

Several reasons for this posting:-

(i) Attacks upon horses across the UK being blamed on witchcraft, pagans & Satanists

http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2012/04/19/animal-charity-fear-witchcraft-is-behind-horse-attack/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-16508657

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-314834/Return-horse-ripper.html#ixzz1swH2mPr5

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-314834/Return-horse-ripper.html#ixzz1sxmgGgz8

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/nov/10/paulharris.theobserver

(ii) The growing number of nouveau witches claiming wicca status who are seemingly oblivious and naive of fact of use in many traditional cultural pagan, witchcraft practises of items derived from previously living creatures.

(iii) The denial & misrepresentation by some pagans that usage of various parts of, eating of. & killing of horses is a fact of various widespread pagan histories & practises.

The horse's head as a source of power is an idea that seems to have survived among the various cultures of Europe and beyond.

A Copper Age cemetery dated about 4500-5000 B.C. Syezh'ye in Russia revealed ritual deposits of horse skulls.

Concealed Horse Skulls are uncommon but not exclusively rare in Ireland, Wales and England. In the United Kingdom concealed horse skulls most usually found beneath or within the structure of a building used as a probable foundation sacrifice.

Over 40 skulls were found beneath the floor the Portway Pub at Staunton-on-Wye in Herefordshire. Another sealed within the bread oven of a property in Manuden, Essex.

Ellsdon church in Northumberland contained three skulls in its bell turret. In Cambridgeshire several houses have contained horse bones within the structure of the walls. In Wales there are over forty recorded examples of concealed horse skulls in properties. In 1987 the Manx Museum became aware of a concealed skull in a house on the island being renovated.

http://www.youtube.com/mywitchcraft

In 1983 some ten horse skulls were recovered from beneath a cottage in Carnlough, in Ireland.  Also in Ireland At Moyreisk, a house near Quin, horse skulls were found in recesses in the wall. Also in Ireland Edenvale near Ennis four horse skulls were found one in each corner beneath the floor.

The Celts, Germanic & Scandinavian pagan pre-Christian cultures all said to have practised animal sacrifice & ritual eating of horse flesh.

A Catholic religious ban of eating horse flesh was aimed at suppressing continuing Pagan culture & practise. Pope Gregory III charged Boniface in 732 AD with abolishing Pagan custom of slaughtering and ritual eating of horses.

Totemistic taboo may be a reason for reluctance to eat horse meat as an everyday food and its historical association with being a meat food of the poor, but did not necessarily preclude ritual slaughter and consumption. Icelandic people said to have been initially reluctant to embrace Christianity largely over the issue of giving up horse meat.

Scandinavian & Germanic cultures had customs involving horse's head upon a pole, as protection from witchcraft & other evils

Horse Skulls continue to feature in some UK folklore festivals like Welsh Mari Lwyd & Cornish Penglaz

http://www.earl-of-rone.org.uk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_Dance

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/821000.stm

The Mal Corvus Collection has a horse skull positioned facing doorway entrance. Some might think of it as a protection totem to keep ‘lilac & fluffy‘ witches at bay.

http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/folk.htm

Half Goat Faun Horned Roman Pagan Mythology God Deities

Fauns are Roman mythical Pagan

woodland rural spirits or lesser deities.

http://www.youtube.com/mywitchcraft

 
Fauns are Roman mythical Pagan woodland rural spirits or lesser deities.


The faun described as being upper half human with lower half of a goat, with goat horns or goat kid nubs. Fauns are often associated with the Greek Satyrs and the Greek God Pan.

The Roman Faun, half goat half human
Image Royal Copenhagen Porcelain

Satyrs often associated with fertility, wine, passion & high sexual appetite and have acquired horns in many depictions.

Fauns and satyrs were originally quite different creatures, early Satyrs having ears and tails of horses or asses. Satyrs depicted as orgiastic sexualized drunken followers of Greek god Dionysus and his festivals. Fauns collectively are often represented as being younger than Greek Satyr

Faunus

An ancient Roman deity of the untamed woodlands, plains & fields being half human half goat. Faunus, has been equated with the Celtic horned god Cernunnos, with the Gaelic Celtic Dusios.and Cornish Bucca. The Pagan Roman Faunus was naturally equated with the Greek god Pan, who was a pastoral god of shepherds.

The Greek God Pan had always been depicted with horns and many depictions of Faunus also displayed this trait. The Romans believed fauns as manifestations of animal & forest spirits could help or hinder men travelling in remote places

There are some similarities and parallels to be drawn amongst all these various different pagan horned nature deities. All these horned deities speculatively interpreted as gods of nature and/or fertility.

Depicted in the video are Royal Copenhagen porcelain ‘faun’ designs primarily by Theodore Madsen (1880-1965) and Christian Thomsen (1860-1921)

Paganism Festivals Pagan Wheel of the Year

http://www.youtube.com/mywitchcraft

How much money for Dried, Desiccated and Dead, Cats, Rats & Bats

Mummified Rat House Protection
from Mal Corvus Collection

Mummified Cats, Dried Rats and Desiccated Bats in your loft

Yesterday my eye was caught by an article in the Daily Mail about how a person walked into an antique shop in Somerset, United Kingdom to try to sell a mummified cat & a rat.

I have seen ridiculous amounts of money requested for such mummified items on eBay and even seen a few illegal items listed (ie: UK bats), but that is generally due to ignorance of the laws governing sale of such things rather than any criminal intent. 

The folklore practise of cats & often accompanying rats/mice being walled up, buried or placed in old buildings, where they become mummified (desiccated) is well documented & surprisingly common in the United Kingdom. Consensus seems to be that these creatures were placed in loft/wall spaces as a form of house protection, both physically & spiritually.

More commonplace, less gruesome & therefore less likely to be recorded by the local press, is a similar practise of placing shoes, most often children’s shoes in lofts, under floor boards & in wall cavities.

A quick Google search brought up mummified cats in Kent, London,  Essex, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Dublin, Wiltshire, Dorset, and Devon, even in Pendle, Lancashire (witch country) where there has had a recent discovery, just in time for the 400 year anniversary of the Pendle Witch trials.

Interesting to me was just how many of these mummified cat discoveries were in the last decade. One might have thought there were not that many ancient buildings left in the UK which had not been worked on by builders previously.

The practise of sometimes placing a rat or mouse with the cat led me in my enquiries to mummified King Rats. Now these really are a gruesome spectacle. Folklore is King Rats are a bad omen & associated with plaque surrounding these creatures, the king rat phenomena being the result of these creatures unfortunately becoming trapped intertwined by their tails.

Anyone ferreting around in their attic for a modern day mouldering moggy feline fossil may come across a more regular inhabitant of some of our loft spaces, bats.

Native species of Bats in the UK are a much protected family of mammals by law….even surprisingly dried desiccated dead ones! The Bat Conservation Trust (UK) has a very informative website regarding both live & dead bats in your home, and what to do and not to do!

As to Cats & Rats, the Mal Corvus Collection has a desiccated Rat (see image top above), but would love to add a mummified cat to the collection.

C21st UK Rituals to Thieves, Killers and Carrion Feeders of Witchcraft Repute

The Witches MAGPIE
Killer, Thief, Cunning Prophet or Good Luck Omen

C21st UK Rituals to Thieves, Killers and

Carrion Feeders of Witchcraft Repute.

The Witches MAGPIE, Killer, Thief, Cunning Prophet or Good Luck Omen

In the Middle Ages and during witch-hunts in Europe, the bird considered to ‘chatter to witches’, like crows, ravens and black cats connected with witchcraft.

Magpies long reviled for allegedly carrying a drop of blood under their tongues. They are seen by some as a predator, eating other birds' eggs and their young, as well as carrion of dead animals like still born lambs.

Their feathers, skulls & bones used symbolically in some practical & traditional witchcraft practises.

Witch Curse Object with Magpie Feathers.
Mal Corvus Collection

A Magpie near the house in the UK said to foretell death, but two together chattering is a sign of prosperity. They have a weakness for shiny objects (bling) & known to steal jewellery, etc. from available windows, making them for some the ‘chav’ of the bird world. 

C16th ‘mag’ meaning chatter, & ‘pie’ meant pied (black & white) making the bird ‘chatter-pied’ or magpie.

Sighting a lone Magpie is generally associated as ill omen or bad luck in the UK. Upon encountering a single bid many still doff their hat or salute as a form of respect. …Or will greet the bird "Hello Mr Magpie" "How’s your wife” or "Good Morning/Evening Sir".

Others may spit on the ground upon seeing a single Magpie to avert the bad luck. It is the only bird in the C21st in the UK with such widespread ritual superstition greeting associated with it. The bird does mate for life, hence possible folk ritual enquiries as to the absent partner.

The ancient Roman’s viewed the magpie as a creature of high regard & intelligence, as do Chinese, Koreans, Finnish, & Native North Americans. Recent studies have shown Magpies are factually amongst the most intelligent of all birds.

Magpies are now one of the most common birds in the UK. The RSPB say numbers having increased by 112% over the last 30 years.

In witchcraft they are seen as cunning prophets or messengers associated with divination, prophecy and symbolism of bridges crossing between spirit world & this realm.

The WITCHES MAGPIE, Killer, Thief, Cunning Prophet or Good Luck Omen

Gripping C20th Witch Curse Talon and Skull Object

C20th Witch Talon and Skull Witchcraft
Malicious Curse Tool from Mal Corvus Collection

A Gripping C20th Witch Talon and Skull

Witchcraft Malicious Curse Tool Object

There is much ‘pink & fluffy’ feel good witchcraft being promoted & proselytised today. It is therefore quite easy with the current witchbrand repackaging to lose sight of the long standing historical reputation, practise & even purpose why many ordinary persons actively consulted a witch crafter. Consultation was often either for the creation of a curse or directing ill will towards another, or for protection of the same from another.

Most witches, wise women, pellar, cunning folk, conjurers (in the old sense of the word) were simply providing a local pay or barter for service. One village White Witch or Wise women was another village Dark Witch.

Of course there were the ancient DIY lead curse object versions like those employed by the Romans and used with the help of the Gods via their places of worship.

A curse (also called execration) is an expressed wish that adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity, one or more persons, a place, or an object.

Often much of an object intended for delivering a curse is made up of symbolic component parts drawn together as one by the charm/curse crafter. The ‘Cursing Talon or Claw’ illustrated above is made up of several vital symbolic parts.

• The pointed beak of the birds’ skull is for direction.

• The feathers to give the curse flight to carry it where intended

• The claw to grip the intended recipient of the curse for delivery.

(NB: Note the use of Magpie feathers, a bird which has various superstitions and folklore attatched to it.)

In some cases a small piece of paper with appropriate (inappropriate) words of a curse will be also attached (like a carrier pigeon), or simply spoken, or even thought in ritual creation of the charm/curse object.

There is a considerable difference between a ‘cursed object & a ‘cursing’ object.

A cursed object

…is one that carries its curse around with it. Cursed objects are often supposed to have been stolen from their rightful owners & the curse conveys on with the object. One of the most famous is the Hope Diamond.

A ‘cursing object’

..may be used as a means of conveyance on conduit for a curse. Usually in its creation words are attached either in thoughts or spoken.

It is a little like once any idea has been formulated and expressed it cannot be undone. The words we think or speak go out into the air and many believe they have power to do good or evil.  Even the Christians seem to think so. Ecc. 10:20 “Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter”.

Some items of witchcraft may have both ‘come to’ and ‘go away’ properties dependent upon purpose & intent of the charm/curse creator. What is defence/protection for one may in practice be psychic assault upon another.

Cursing objects may be seen by some as weapons of witchcraft warfare. In themselves, like magick benign, it’s how it may be used that determines ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and that will depend upon perception of being either the sender or recipient.

Many objects may be perceived as cursing objects, but are just as likely to be defensive protection against curses.

For example: The ‘witch bottle’ may be seen as a cursing item, but may be used as ‘go away’ protection from a curse or malevolence. Likewise is may be the created object of cursing directed against an intended target or recipient.

The ‘witch poppet’, wax doll or other forms of witch doll may be used both in negative & positive practice. It may be used in healing, but is far more commonly associated with intent to cause harm or ill will.

The study of the many forms of curses entails the study of both folk religion and folklore. The deliberate attempt to levy curses is often perceived by some as part of the practice of magic.

In many religious & belief systems, the curse itself and/or accompanying ritual is considered to have some causative affect & power in the result. Belief in curses & the adverse affects are widespread. Indeed there are numerous references in Christian, Hindi & Islamic texts to curses.

A cursing object in its application may require it surreptitiously being placed in the home, on the property or in possession of the intended target or may be hung (air), cast/drowned into water (water), buried (earth) or burned (fire) depending on actions, intent & belief factors of the witch charm crafter.

A handy little Chinese folk curse; “May the worst day of your past be the best day of your future”

Which is a different take on, "Today is the 1st day of the rest of your life”

Imagine a world without Witches and Witchcraft

Imagine a world with no witches, witchcraft...and no Harry Potter?

I'm having a difficult day submitting this blog URL here and there.  Tiresome and tedious given that my broadband conveys a signal with all the efficiency of a hand fire bucket chain of one armed untrained monkeys.

That said I stumbledupon whilst blundering about this poem:-  So I nicked it!

Can You Imagine?
(For the Child in All of Us)
by Robert F. Potts

Can you imagine a world without witches,
A world with all people the same?
Where the only known dragons are hiding in books,
And children are terribly tame?
A world without magic would be sad indeed.
I cannot imagine the pain
Of having a world where there's no Santa Claus,
Where wizards are searched for in vain.

Can you imagine a world without spells,
That science and businesses run?
And think of the sadness a unicorn feels
When he no longer plays in the sun
Can you imagine a world without witches,
No elves, and no magical pools?
And can you imagine how dull it would be
If all that we had were the schools?

I cannot imagine a world without witches,
A world with no magical wand.
A world without beauty, or even a dream,
Or a wood sprite of whom to be fond
They say I should grow up and be more mature,
Like a normal adult ought to do.
But I'd rather, at night, go to dance with a witch,
And I'll bet that you feel that way, too

I just like it (maybe its the frame of mind I'm in). 

Thank you Mr Robert F Potts for brightening my tedious morning