Apotropaic magic is a
ritualA ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers, or dictated purely by logic, chance, necessity, etc..A ritual may be...
observance that is intended to turn away
evilEvil, in many cultures, is a broad term used to describe what are seen as subjectively harmful deeds that are labeled as such to steer moral support. Evil is usually contrasted with good, which describes acts that are subjectively beneficial to the observer. In some religions, evil is an active...
. It can be as elaborate as the use of
magicMagic, sometimes known as sorcery, is the practice of consciousness manipulation and/or autosuggestion to achieve a desired result, usually by techniques described in various conceptual systems...
al
ceremoniesthumb|right|250px|Part of the ceremony of the Changing of the Guard in Whitehall, London.A ceremony is an activity, infused with ritual significance, performed on a special occasion.-Celebration of life:...
or spells, or as simple as the vaguely
superstitiousSuperstition is a credulous belief or notion, not based on reason, knowledge, or experience. The word is often used pejoratively to refer to folk beliefs deemed irrational. This leads to some superstitions being called "old wives' tales"...
carrying or wearing of a "
good luckLuck is a belief in good or bad fortune in life caused by accident or chancewhich happens beyond a person's control.Luck is significant in everyday life,as well as Morality, Epistemology, Business and other endeavors....
" token or "charm" (perhaps on a
charm braceletA charm bracelet is an item of jewelry worn around the wrist. It carries personal charms: decorative pendants or trinkets which are signifiers of important things in the wearer's life.- Charm Bracelet History :...
), crossing one's fingers or
knocking on woodKnocking on wood, and the spoken expression "knock on wood" or "touch wood" are used to express a desire to avoid "tempting fate" after making some boast or speaking of one's own death....
.
"
ApotropaicApotrope refers to objects such as amulets and talismans or other symbols intended to "ward off evil" or "avert or combat evil."...
" is an adjective that means "intended to ward off evil" or "averting or deflecting evil" and commonly refers to objects such as
amuletAn amulet , a close cousin of the talisman consists of any object...
s or other
symbolA symbol is something such as an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. For example, a red octagon may stand for "STOP". On maps, crossed sabres may indicate a battlefield...
s.
Apotropaic magic is a
ritualA ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers, or dictated purely by logic, chance, necessity, etc..A ritual may be...
observance that is intended to turn away
evilEvil, in many cultures, is a broad term used to describe what are seen as subjectively harmful deeds that are labeled as such to steer moral support. Evil is usually contrasted with good, which describes acts that are subjectively beneficial to the observer. In some religions, evil is an active...
. It can be as elaborate as the use of
magicMagic, sometimes known as sorcery, is the practice of consciousness manipulation and/or autosuggestion to achieve a desired result, usually by techniques described in various conceptual systems...
al
ceremoniesthumb|right|250px|Part of the ceremony of the Changing of the Guard in Whitehall, London.A ceremony is an activity, infused with ritual significance, performed on a special occasion.-Celebration of life:...
or spells, or as simple as the vaguely
superstitiousSuperstition is a credulous belief or notion, not based on reason, knowledge, or experience. The word is often used pejoratively to refer to folk beliefs deemed irrational. This leads to some superstitions being called "old wives' tales"...
carrying or wearing of a "
good luckLuck is a belief in good or bad fortune in life caused by accident or chancewhich happens beyond a person's control.Luck is significant in everyday life,as well as Morality, Epistemology, Business and other endeavors....
" token or "charm" (perhaps on a
charm braceletA charm bracelet is an item of jewelry worn around the wrist. It carries personal charms: decorative pendants or trinkets which are signifiers of important things in the wearer's life.- Charm Bracelet History :...
), crossing one's fingers or
knocking on woodKnocking on wood, and the spoken expression "knock on wood" or "touch wood" are used to express a desire to avoid "tempting fate" after making some boast or speaking of one's own death....
.
"
ApotropaicApotrope refers to objects such as amulets and talismans or other symbols intended to "ward off evil" or "avert or combat evil."...
" is an adjective that means "intended to ward off evil" or "averting or deflecting evil" and commonly refers to objects such as
amuletAn amulet , a close cousin of the talisman consists of any object...
s or other
symbolA symbol is something such as an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. For example, a red octagon may stand for "STOP". On maps, crossed sabres may indicate a battlefield...
s. The word is of Greek origin:
apotrope literally means "turning away" or averting (as in "averting the
evil eyeEvil eye is a look that is believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck on the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike...
"). The Greeks propitiated the
chthonicChthonic designates, or pertains to, deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in relation to Greek religion.Greek khthon is one of several words for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather...
"Gods of Aversion"—the
apotropaioi.
Apotropaic symbols
Among the Ancient Greeks the most widely-used image intended to avert evil was that of the
GorgonIn Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a horrifying gaze that turned those who beheld it to stone...
, the head of which now may be called the
Gorgoneion, which features wild eyes, fangs, and protruding tongue. The full figure of the Gorgon holds the apex of the oldest remaining Greek temple where she is flanked by two lionesses. The Gorgon head was mounted on the
aegisAegis , from Greek αιγίς, is a large collar or cape worn in ancient times to display the protection provided by a high religious authority or, it is the holder of a protective shield signifying the same, such as a bag-like garment that contained a shield. Sometimes the garment and the shield are...
and shield of
AthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena is the goddess of wisdom, peace, warfare, strategy, handicrafts and reason, shrewd companion of heroes and the goddess of heroic endeavour...
.
Curiously,
eyes were often painted to ward off the "
evil eyeEvil eye is a look that is believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck on the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike...
". 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
TurkishThe Turkish people , also known as the "Turks" are defined mainly as citizens of the Republic of Turkey. An early historic text provided the definition of being a Turk as "any individual within the Republic of Turkey; whatever his/her faith or racial/ethnic background; who speaks Turkish, grows up...
budget airlineA low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that offers generally low fares in exchange for eliminating many traditional passenger services...
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
evilEvil, in many cultures, is a broad term used to describe what are seen as subjectively harmful deeds that are labeled as such to steer moral support. Evil is usually contrasted with good, which describes acts that are subjectively beneficial to the observer. In some religions, evil is an active...
. On churches and
castleA castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The term has a history of scholarly debate surrounding its exact meaning, but it is usually regarded as being distinct from the general terms fort or fortress, in that it describes a residence of a monarch or...
s,
gargoyleIn architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a buildingThe term originates from the French gargouille, originally "throat" or "gullet"; cf...
s or other
grotesqueThe word grotesque comes from the same Latin root as "grotto", meaning a small cave or hollow. The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of Ancient Roman decorative art rediscovered and then copied in Rome in the 15th century...
faces and figures such as
Sheela na GigSheela na Gigs are figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva. They are found on churches, castles and other buildings, particularly in Ireland and Britain, sometimes together with male figures. One of the best examples may be found in the Round Tower at Rattoo, in County...
s and
Hunky PunkHunky Punk is Somerset dialect for grotesque carvings on the side of buildings . It is a local form of Gargoyle....
s would be carved to frighten away
witchesWitchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the use of certain kinds of supernatural or magical powers. Witchcraft can refer to the use of such powers in order to inflict harm or damage upon members of a community or their property...
and other malign influences. Those other openings, fireplaces or chimneys, may also have been carved. Rather than figural carvings, these seem to have been simple geometric or letter carvings. Where a wooden post was used to support a chimney opening, this was often an easier subject for amateur carving. To further discourage withcraft,
rowanThe rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or small trees. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya, where numerous apomictic microspecies occur...
wood may have been chosen for it.
Similarly the grotesque faces carved on
Pumpkin lanternA jack-o'-lantern is typically a carved pumpkin. It is associated chiefly with the holiday Halloween, and was named after the phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat bogs, called ignis fatuus or jack-o'-lantern...
s (and their earlier counterparts, made from
turnipThe turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot...
s,
swedeThe rutabaga, swede , or yellow turnip is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip...
s or
beetThe beet is a plant in the amaranth family. It is best known in its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is probably the red root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet...
s) at
HalloweenHalloween is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Gaelic pagan festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints. It is largely a secular celebration but some have expressed strong feelings about perceived religious overtones...
are meant to avert evil: this season was
SamhainSamhain is a festival held at the end of the harvest season in Gaelic and Brythonic cultures. The festival has aspects of a festival of the dead...
, the Celtic
New YearThe New Year is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of the next year. Cultures that measure yearly calendars all have New Year celebrations...
and, as a "time between times", it was believed that
soulThe soul, in many religions, spiritual traditions, and philosophies, is the spiritual and eternal part of a living being, commonly held to be separable in existence from the body; distinct from the physical part. It is typically thought to consist of ones consciousness and personality, and can be...
s of the dead and other dangerous spirits walked the earth at this time. (
See also: Celtic calendarThe term Celtic calendar is used to refer to a variety of calendars used by Celtic-speaking peoples at different times in history.-Continental Celtic Calendar:...
)
MirrorA mirror is an object with at least one polished and therefore specularly reflective surface. The most familiar type of mirror is the plane mirror, which has a flat surface...
s and other shiny objects were believed to deflect the evil eye. Traditional English "Plough Jags" (performers of a regional variant of the
mummers playMummers' Plays are seasonal folk plays performed by troupes of actors known as mummers or guisers , originally from the British Isles , but later in other parts of the world...
) sometimes decorated their costumes (particularly their hats) with shiny items, even to the extent of borrowing
silver plateSheffield plate is a layered combination of silver and copper that was used for many years to produce a wide range of household articles. These included buttons, caddy spoons, serving utensils, candlesticks and other lighting devices, tea and coffee services, serving dishes and trays, tankards and...
for the purpose. "Witch balls" are shiny blown glass ornaments, like Christmas baubles, that were hung in windows.
SymbolA symbol is something such as an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. For example, a red octagon may stand for "STOP". On maps, crossed sabres may indicate a battlefield...
s such as
crucifixA crucifix is a cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. It is a principal symbol of the Christian religion...
es,
silver bulletTraditionally, the silver bullet is the only kind of bullet for firearms that is effective against a Werewolf, witch, or some monsters.-In folklore:...
s, wild
roseA rose is a perennial flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colours. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles...
s and
garlicAllium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, and chive. Garlic has been used throughout recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that...
were believed to ward off or destroy
vampireVampires are legendary creatures said to subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, generally by drinking their blood. Although typically described as undead, some minor traditions believed in vampires that were living people....
s.
In
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
and
Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
,
magpieMagpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae. The names 'jay' and 'magpie' are to an extent interchangeable, although this does not accurately reflect the evolutionary relationship between these birds...
s are thought to bring bad luck and many people repeat various rhymes or
salutationSalutation may refer to:*Salutation , a portion of written correspondence*Salutation , a technique for identifying resources...
s to placate them.
In
ancient GreeceAncient Greece is the civilisation belonging to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca. 1100 BC and the Dorian invasion, to 146 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth. It is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the...
, 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
DelosThe island of Delos , isolated in the centre of the roughly circular ring of islands called the Cyclades, near Mykonos, is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece...
. 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. A similar use of phallic representations to ward off the evil eye remains popular in modern
BhutanThe Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked nation in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalaya Mountains and is bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by People's Republic of China. Bhutan is separated from the nearby state of Nepal to the west by...
and is associated with the 500 year old Buddhist tradition of Drupka Kinley, and is paralleled by other south Asian uses of the
lingamThe Lingam is a symbol for the worship of the Hindu deity Shiva. The use of this symbol for worship is an ancient tradition in India extending back at least to the early Indus Valley civilization...
symbol.
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
horseshoeA horseshoe is a U-shaped item made of metal or of modern synthetic materials, nailed or glued to the hooves of horses and some other draught animals. Like a shoe on a human, it is used to protect the animal's feet from wear and tear...
s 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
weddingA wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
s, and small paper horseshoes feature in
confettiConfetti is a multitude of pieces of paper or metallic material which is usually thrown at celebrations, especially weddings . Confetti is made in a variety of colors, and commercially available confetti is available in imaginative shapes...
.
White
heatherCalluna vulgaris, known as Common Heather, ling, or simply heather, is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to , and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in...
is often sold by Irish travelling people and Roma "to bring good luck". (Frequently this turns out to be not heather but white
sea-lavenderLimonium is a genus of 120 flower species. Members are also known as Sea Lavender, Statice, or Marsh-rosemary. Limonium is in Plumbaginaceae, the plumbago or leadwort family. Despite their common names, species are not related to the lavenders or to rosemary.The genus has a subcosmopolitan...
, a species of
Limonium.)
In
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
,
rushJuncus is a genus in the plant family Juncaceae. It consists of 225 to 300 species of grassy plants commonly called rushes. They occur in all wet regions of the world, but rarely in the tropics...
St Brigid's crossesBrigid's cross, Brighid's cross, or Brigit's cross, often with the "Saint" prefix, or Cros Bríde, Crosóg Bríde or Bogha Bríde, though not recorded before the seventeenth century, is an Irish symbol. Though a Christian symbol, it possibly derives from the pagan sunwheel. It is usually made from...
were kept indoors (in houses and animal houses) to keep away illness for the year.
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