Monday, February 16, 2009
Old Irish Pictish Love Ogham Stone Ceramic Pendant
This "Pictish Ogham Stone" earthenware pendant is another collaborative effort between my husband, Grizzly Mountain Arts, and myself. I am so lucky to have a master carver with a studio right next to mine! Dave carved the original Pictish standing stone ogham, then made me a wonderful mold from that piece.
This pendant, which spells out the word "Love" in ogham writing, measures about 2 inches in length and about 1 1/2 inches in width. It has been glazed with an earthy bluish-brown glaze and hangs from a sturdy cotton cord with copper clasp. The cord could easily be removed if you have a favorite chain or cord you prefer. A gift box is included with your purchase!
**What are Pictish Ogham Stones?**
Ogham, is an Early Medieval alphabet used primarily to represent the Old Irish language (and, occasionally, the Brythonic ancestor of Welsh). Ogham is sometimes referred to as the "Celtic Tree Alphabet", based on a High Medieval Bríatharogam tradition ascribing names of trees to the individual letters.
There are roughly 400 surviving ogham inscriptions on stone monuments throughout Ireland and Britain, the bulk of them stretching in arc from County Kerry in the south of Ireland across to Dyfed in south Wales. The remainder are mostly in south-eastern Ireland, western Scotland, the Isle of Man, and England around the Devon/Cornwall border. The vast majority of the inscriptions consist of personal names.
Monumental ogham inscriptions are found in Ireland and Wales, with a few additional specimens found in England, the Isle of Man, Scotland and Shetland. They were mainly employed as territorial markers and memorials (grave stones). The stone commemorating Vortiporius, a 6th century king of Dyfed (originally located in Clynderwen), is the only ogham stone inscription that bears the name of an identifiable individual. The language of the inscriptions is predominantly Primitive Irish and Old Irish, apart from the few examples in Scotland, such as the Lunnasting stone, which record fragments of what is probably the Pictish language.
The more ancient examples are standing stones, where the script was carved into the edge (droim or faobhar) of the stone, which formed the stemline against which individual characters are cut. The text of these "Orthodox Ogham" inscriptions is read beginning from the bottom left-hand side of a stone, continuing upward along the edge, across the top and down the right-hand side (in the case of long inscriptions). Roughly 380 inscriptions are known in total (a number, incidentally, very close to the number of known inscriptions in the contemporary Elder Futhark), of which the highest concentration by far is found in the southwestern Irish province of Munster. One third of the total are found in Co Kerry alone.
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The Druid's Egg
Earthenware Druid's Egg PendantsI have a new line of earthenware pendants that will be available in both my 1000markets.com shop and my Etsy shop! Good Dirt Jewelry's line of Druid's Egg pendants, is another collaborative effort between my husband, Grizzly Mountain Arts, and myself. I am so lucky to have a master carver with a studio right next to mine! Dave carved the original Druid's Egg, then made me a wonderful mold from that piece. All of the Druid's Eggs above are the result!
**What Are Druid's Eggs?**
The Druid's Egg (also “glain,” “serpent's egg,” or “snake stone”) was a talismanic object sacred to the Druids. Tales about it resemble those of the Philosopher's Stone sought by the alchemists. Its myths may also be related to those of the Omphalos, a meteoritic stone which was kept at Delphi and was thought to be the egg of the serpent-monster Python. In legends, the Druid’s Egg is credited with endowing its possessor with the ability to obtain almost all he might desire. The Druid's Egg was also believed to create a favorable outcome in courts of law, so much that the Romans outlawed carrying one into any courtroom.
In truth, the Druid’s Egg was an egg-shaped talisman made of stone. This consecrated object served as a tool for meditation and magickal focus, and symbolized the promise of renewal and rebirth. They could be made from any stone, and were generally small enough to fit in the palm of one's hand (about the size of a chicken's egg).
In lore, the Druid's Egg was a magickal egg produced by serpents. It could be obtained only on St. Johns Eve, when snakes were supposed to gather in a ball and form an egg from their spittle. As the snakes twisted and writhed, the egg emerged from the mass of vipers and would then float upward into the air.
Many species of snake do form such a ball in the cold months, but the few species of snake native to Britain are not egg-layers. A snake which does lay eggs is the python, not found in Britain, but which was kept in the goddess temples of the Aegean; this may be taken as further evidence of an association between the Druids (or their predecessors) and the Delphic cult which kept the sacred Omphalos stone.
In legends, the Druid who caught the Druid’s Egg after its creation was advised to take instant measures to prevent being robbed of it: as soon as the egg had been obtained he was to throw himself upon a horse that was kept waiting for him, as he would be pursued by the snakes; he was further instructed not to halt until he had gotten to the other side of the first running water to which his flight brought him, across which the serpents would be unable to follow.
The Druid’s Egg appears to have been an object of interest to the ancients, some of whom describe having actually seen and handled it. Among those who have specially described it is the Roman historian Pliny, who claimed he was shown one of these by a Druid from Gaul and called it an "anguinum."
"There is also another kind of egg, of much renown in the Gallic provinces, but ignored by the Greeks. In the summer, numberless snakes entwine themselves into a ball, held together by a secretion from their bodies and by their spittle. this is called anguinum. The Druids say that hissing serpents throw this up into the air, and that it must be caught in a cloak, and not allowed to touch the ground; and that one must instantly take flight on horse-back, as the serpents will pursue until some stream cuts them out. It may be tested, they say, by seeing if it floats against the current of a river, even though it be set in gold. But as it is the way of magicians to cast a cunning veil about their frauds, they pretend that these eggs can only be taken on a certain day of the moon, as though it rested with mankind to make the moon and the serpents accord as to the moment of the operation. I myself, however, have seen one of these eggs; it was round, and about as large as a smallish apple; the shell was cartalaginous, and pocked like the arms of a polypus."
Of all the historic sources who have testified to seeing this legendary egg, none claim to have witnessed its creation.
While the Druid's Egg is not a widespread tool in modern Druidism, it is used by some as a ritual implement for grounding and to protect its owner from manipulative magick or other harmful intents by acting as a magickal “shell,” absorbing and transforming any destructive energy.
In Wales, there is still some belief in the objects; they call them mân macal ("snare stones") and glain y nidir ("the snake's jewel").
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Fossil Mammoth Ivory and Ceramic Pendant
This is a collaborative piece between my husband Dave, Grizzly Mountain Arts, and myself!
Dave has carved a stunning piece of fossil mammoth ivory that's at least 10,000 years old. I have inlayed it into an earthenware base that has been glazed with a malachite green glaze. The cord is a wonderful faux suede material that can easily be tied to accommodate many necklines, or you can easily remove it if you have a favorite chain you prefer to use. This piece can be found in my 1000markets.com collection.
**What is fossil ivory?**
Fossil ivory is ancient ivory whose composition has changed from ivory to mineral. Care should be taken to distinguish fossil ivory from recent ivory which has yellowed or discolored. Fossil ivory (including walrus, mammoth and mastodon) and other archaeological and paleontological materials are regulated by an array of Federal and State laws. These items may not be collected on any Federal or State lands. Fossil ivory may be collected on private lands with the permission of the land owner, and is not regulated under the Marine Mammals Protection Act. Fossil ivory does not have to be tagged or registered. Anyone may sell fossil ivory without first handcrafting it.
**Where do we get our fossil ivory?**
Ancient walrus and mammoth tusks are dug out of the permafrost or bone mounds by Alaskan and Siberian natives annually during the summer thaw and sold to subsidize their family or village income. We buy our ancient walrus ivory shards from ivory buyers that travel to the St. Lawrence Island area to buy from the ivory co-ops.
**Learn more about fossil ivory**
If you would like to learn more about fossil ivory, please visit the link below:
http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/qa.htm
"Fresh" ivory and elephant ivory will never be used in any of the artwork created by Good Dirt Jewelry.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Tribal Toad Ceramic Pendant
This unique "Tribal Toad" is crawling his way up this earthenware pendant! The pendant measures 2 inches in length and 1 1/2" in width, and has been glazed with a sage green glaze to have an aged look. I have used a brass bead and an old wooden bead that I found at a powwow this summer to compliment the pendant.
If you would like to view more photos of this pendant, please visit my 1000markets.com shop!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Celtic "Love" Ogham Ceramic Pendant
This "Love" Ogham has been glazed with a clear crackle glaze to give it an aged look. Each piece comes out of the kiln with it's own unique characteristics! The Ogham writing on this pendant has been glazed with a brown glaze, and the pendant hangs from a faux suede cord that can be tied to accommodate many necklines. This material is also great because it doesn't shed all over your clothes like real suede can. The bead is an old Tibetan yak bone bead that has been inlayed with turquoise and coral.
This ogham, and others, can be found at my 1000markets.com shop!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Earthenware "Wood" Earrings
Friday, January 30, 2009
"As Red as My Love" Treasury!
Thank you, Minaude!
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