-----Original Message-----
From: Caroline Tully <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 2:30
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Iron hardware as deterent to witches?

Ah… the fascinating “magical Blacksmith” topic…. (To which I have nothing to add right now).

~Caroline.

From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of kaostar
Sent: Friday, 25 February 2011 8:46 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Iron hardware as deterent to witches?

maybe also the big mythological and magical emphasis on blacksmiths and supernatural power etc, creating metal from the earth, loads of alchemical symbolism and pacts with the devil etc- as it was 'un-natural' to be able to create iron from stone; the latter angle perhaps being a hint as to the nature of some of the taboos

Dave E

---------- Original Message -----------
From: mandrake <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 09:42:19 +0000
Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Iron hardware as deterent to witches?

> On 24/02/2011 23:08, Caroline Tully wrote:
>
> Meteoric iron has been around from very earliest times -
> In Egypt it is a "Sethian" substance - as is flint (the earliest cutting edge)
> Wonder whether some of these supposed taboos are connected -
> Iron and flint is often the preferred choice for ritual tools - implement for opening mouth - door bolts etc?
> So doubt the supposed modern taboo on its use??
>
> Mogg Morgan
>
>

>
> People were cutting down trees with metal before the use of iron though. (The biblical Israelites also thought that iron was bad and associated it with the Philistines).
>
> ~Caroline.
>
>
> From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chas S. Clifton
> Sent: Friday, 25 February 2011 2:32 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Iron hardware as deterent to witches?
>
> Or at least non-ferrous metals. I still have and use my bronze athame
>
> which one Craft teacher required.
>
> On Feb 24, 2011, at 5:03 AM, John Power wrote:
>
>
>
>
> I know of covens where they won't use metal implements in the circle: just wood. The spirits/faeries/devas don't like them [except maybe the gnomes, but they are underground most of the time]. This may be because iron/steel is used to cut down trees....and make their resident spirits homeless.
>
> John
>

------- End of Original Message -------