Posts tagged with magic
Eyebrow painting of North African women
January 27th, 2010
All from Harquus: North African Women’s Traditional Body Art Volume 2: Paint (pdf) by Catherine Cartwright-Jones.
“A person with thick, black eyebrows can see better in very bright light, and will be less likely to squint. Eyebrow paint may have had the same function as sunglasses, while accenting expressive eyebrow movement.”
I think I prefer the explanation from Catherine’s Introduction to Harquus Part 2: Kohl and Surma (pdf):
“Some women believed that blackening their eyelids and eyebrows would protect them from the glance of the Evil Eye, and also prevent them from transmitting the Evil Eye to another person.”
Tribal women of Formosa
October 9th, 2009
According to Masegseg Jingror: “”Tattoo marking is a common practice among the…Atayal. For women, having tattoo marks on one’s face and body means three things: First, it is a symbol of reaching maturity.Second, it indicates that she is a person capable [of] weaving. And finally but not the least, when they pass away they can recognize the spirits of their ancestors in heaven through the design of the tattoo marks.Besides, tattoo marks were believed to have magical power which enabled them to avoid evil forces. But more importantly, tattoos are marks of their identity indicating to which tribe they belong”" (Tung 1996, p.152).
Bear men
October 2nd, 2009
D. Eberhard David Hauber. Biliotheca Acta et Scripta Magica. Lemod : Joh. Heinrich Mener, 1739. Page 0.3206 in The Fantastic in Art and fiction.
HOME PROTECTION
March 17th, 2009
At my parents’ house.
TAO MAGIC THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF DIAGRAMS & CALLIGRAPHY BY LASZLO LEGEZA
March 7th, 2009
…marbled pattern of ch’i painted on the forehead in theatrical make-up…recalls the shamanistic masks used in Taoist magic.
Exorcist charm of a Heavenly Messenger riding a Dragon, to be used against the evil influences of Darkness
75: Talisman to repel demons
77: ‘Tao penetrates Heaven and Earth and has qualities beyond Form’
Encounters of the Spooky Kind
October 14th, 2008
Herefordshire folklore
August 17th, 2008I’ve been to the Museum and Art Gallery of Hereford and there was a section on local folklore.
Curse doll and curse found in a crevice of the brickword at 21 East Street, Hereford. The curse was found within the folds of the dolls dress. It reads:
” Mary Ann Ward. I act this spell on you from my holl heart wishing you to never rest nor eat nor sleep the rester part of your life. I hope your flesh will waste away and I hope you will never spend another another penny I ought to have. Wishing this from my whole heart. “
