Ear, the Rune of Decay

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Meaning: hanging tree or grave.     Phonetic Equivalent: 'ea'

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

The grave is horrible to every knight,

when the corpse quickly begins to cool

and is laid in the bosom of the dark earth.

Prosperity declines, happiness passes away

and covenants are broken.

There are no Icelandic or Norwegian rune poems.

Ear

Cala Gobraith, 2013

Ear, elemental essence of entropy,

elegantly ensuring the balance of existence,

engulfing all in the slow passage of time.

Ear erodes away in slow decay

everything whose time has passed,

extinguishing ego and enfolding all in the

essential eventuality from which there is no escape.

Krasskova sees this rune as one of transitions, passage from one state to another, dissolution, decay, learning to let go and move on, and spiritual challenge. She associates Ear with the goddess Hella.

Raven Kaldera considers Ear to be a rune that teaches that death is a natural part of life. He, too, associates this rune with Hella, the Norse goddess of the death. He sees Ear as a rune showcasing the inevitability of impermanence in all things and the necessity of accepting that all things change.

For me, this rune, like Hagalaz, is summed up by the phrase 'Auguries of destruction be a lullaby for rebirth'.  Death leads to life. It is the slow gentle decay and wearing away of that which needs to change, for sometimes slow change is preferred over rapid change.

Meditation associations: dead flowers in a chalice, lush grave growth, caskets, images of the body farm, stacks of bones in an ossuary.

*Kaldera, R. The Futhork Runes (webpage) http://www.churchofasphodel.org/articles/Futhork_Runes.html

*Krasskova, G. Runes: Theory and Practice. New Page, 2010.

Random Musings of a Lorekeeper II

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Cardiff Giant

Cardiff Giant today

Frauds, hoaxes and the Fringe oft do contain a seed of truth. What makes this hoax so alluring at first blush is that we *do* indeed have giants among us. In some cases, this size is merely the upper end of what is normal for humans. In other cases, it is caused by a medical condition called ‘gigantism’, characterized by excessive growth and height, far beyond the norm. People suffering from gigantism (also known as somatomegaly) often have a host of other, related medical issues. This condition is not a result of normal genetic variance, but a medical imbalance caused by an overproduction of growth hormone when the person is young, often due to a damaged pituitary gland. Acromegaly is another condition, often affecting people in middle age, characterized by slow changes in size and features. This condition is also caused by damage to the pituitary gland.

Cases of gigantism, in any form, are quite rare. Even individuals in the upper end of normal human height ranges are rare. However, in centuries past, our ancestors, at least…. our ancestors who were Christian... fervently believed in the existence at one point in time of an entire race of giants because the Bible said so. They (and many today…) believe that what the Bible says is to be taken literally, as historical truth, rather than myths, legends and allegoric lessons. Perhaps the most famous Biblical giant was Goliath, who, if the measurements are translated, stood over 10 feet tall.

Needless to say, when the Cardiff Giant was first unearthed in October of 1869, in Cardiff, New York, it was taken as fact. Thankfully, that was not to last! Unlike some hoaxes, the case of the Cardiff Giant was easy enough to debunk once the scientists became involved. The Cardiff Giant was unearthed when a group of workers was doing some digging on a farm. They came across evidence of something buried and worked to excavate it. When they were done, they had uncovered what appeared to be the petrified body of a gigantic man. Petrified, mind you, not mummified. This was a body of stone, some 10 feet tall, with a shoulder width of 3 feet. Word quickly spread of the find and the person whose land it was found one, one Stub Newell, erected a tent over his petrified man and began charging the sum of .50$ per person for a viewing. Newell himself garnered several thousand dollars worth of admission fees and the spectacle of the Giant brought a business boom to Cardiff and nearby Syracuse in terms of tourist traffic.

It took only a month for rumors began to fly that the Giant was a fake. A local resident, one Daniel Luce, came forward with a story of seeing an extremely large wagon bearing a sizable and heavy load headed towards Cardiff the previous year. Next came the stories from Newell’s relatives that he had been bragging about a profitable fraud he was perpetuating. However, the most devastating testimony came from professional geologists, archaeologists and paleontologists who had viewed the Giant. They all declared, almost immediately, that the Giant was a statue and if it were being passed off as a ‘petrified human’, then it was a hoax and not a very good one.

“It is positively absurd to consider this a fossil man. It has none of the indications that would designate it as such, when examined by a practical chemist, geologist, or naturalist.”

        -Dr. J. F. Boynton, ‘The Lafayette Wonder’, Syracuse Daily Journal, Oct. 20th, 1869.

In the beginning, these scientists believed that the Giant might be a valid artifact of antiquity. One theory was that it was a statue crafted by Jesuits who had once lived in the area between 1520 and 1760 CE. A well-known sculptor, Eratus Palmer, examined the Giant from a sculptor’s perspective and found evidence of sculpting toolmarks on the ‘body’. Further damaging evidence came to light when the area the Giant was excavated from was examined and it was found that the burial was far more recent, perhaps only a year or two. Dr. Boynton, one of the scientists who were investigating the Giant, determined that it was carved of a soft stone known as gypsum. This was important because gypsum would not have survived centuries in the soil of the area. It would have eroded away long before now. Boynton determined, based on how gypsum weathers and the soil type of the area in questions, that the Giant had likely only been buried just over a year. Another scientist, Othniel Marsh, declared the Giant to be ‘remarkable.’  Marsh went on to clarify that it was a ‘remarkable fake.’

The skepticism of scientists such as Marsh and Boynton, along with others, made the newspapers, at least, rethink their previous endorsement of the Giant. It wasn’t enough to sway public opinion though. However, in December of 1869, George Hull, a relative of Newell’s, came forth and admitted that the Giant was a hoax. Hull was a devout atheist and the idea to create the Giant came after a long and heated argument with a travelling Methodist minister who insisted on the literalness of the biblical stories. Hull disagreed, believing those stories were allegory at best and tall tales at worst. Hull commissioned distant sculptors to craft the statue, then had it transported to Newell’s farm and buried. There it lay for over a year, till Newell uncovered it. Needless to say, the religious ministers who had been using the Cardiff Giant in their sermons as an example of the Bible’s truth, were less than pleased with Hull’s confessions. It was even said that the Giant really wasn’t a fake and that Hull had been coerced into a ‘confession’ by the neighboring towns who were jealous of the attention that Cardiff, and later Syracuse, had garnered from the attraction of the Giant. Unfortunately for them, Hull’s confession was too detailed to ignore. Then the sculptors came forward to add to the confession and it was all over after that.

Othala, the Rune of Inheritance

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Meaning:  inherited wealth, homeland, family estate.  Phonetic equivalent: 'o (o with a line over it)'

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

An estate is very dear to every man,

if he can enjoy there in his house

whatever is right and proper in constant prosperity.

**This rune has no Norwegian or Icelandic poems.

Othala

Cala Gobraith, 2009

Othala- acorn to strong

oak; gifts passed from generation to generation;

objects, words, skills, gifts, memory;

offered inheritance that legacy lives

on, unobscured by time's inexorable march.

Obtain the oath of the othalai;

offer loyalty to lineage and its legacy shall be yours.

Krasskova sees this rune as home, both literally and figuratively, all that which one has ownership over, continuity of one's ancestral line, wealth and inheritance from one's ancestors, in whatever form that takes, the concept of lawful ownership and property boundaries.

Aswynn sees Othala as inherited land or family estates, genetic inheritance and inheritance of title,enclaves and the safety of the home. For her, if Inguz is the DNA, Othala represents the actual inherited traits of genetics.

For Melville, this rune represents homeland, ancestral property, family home, inheritance, ancestor spirits, sacred enclosures, universal truths and homecoming. Associations: deity- Odin, tree- hawthorn, plant- daisy, animal- salmon, bird- raven, astrology- moon, color- yellow, element- fire.

Bob Oswald considers homeland, family, inheritance, estate, possessions, ancestral home and inherited characteristics to be among Othala's aspects. Associations: deity- Odin, tree- hawthorn, plant- white clover, astrology- full moon, color- deep yellow, element- earth, stone- spinel.

Diana Paxson sees in Othala aspects such as sacred spaces, inherited spiritual affinities, and inheritance. For her this is a rune of kinship, defining family and community.

For me, this rune represents inheritance, inherited gifts and talents, heirlooms, ancestors and family. I strongly associate Othala with the branch of anthropology known as archaeology, the study of man's left-behinds. In short, the study of our ancestors' physical, tangible legacies.

Meditation associations: Grain, ancestors, vast forests, diminishing resources, legacy of past, culture, vine-covered ruins, archaeology, treasures of ancestors, carefully preserved; scent of sun-warmed sands, spiritual legacies as well as the physical.

Runes: Theory and Practice, Galina Krasskova

Power and Principles of the Runes, Freya Aswynn

The Book of Runes, Francis Melville

Discovering Runes, Bob Oswald

Taking up the Runes, Diana Paxson

Dagaz, the Rune of Transformation

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Meaning: day     Phonetic equivalent:  'd'

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

Day, the glorious light of the creator,

is sent by the Lord;

it is beloved of men,

a source of hope and happiness for rich and poor,

and of service to all.

**This rune has no Norwegian or Icelandic poems.

Dagaz

Cala Gobraith, 2009

Daring dagazi- shapers of life's diversities,

dancing the fine edge between creation and

destruction, the very brink where changes

develop and grow to distinctive fruition.

Dagaz decimates the old and

delves deep into the ashes, bringing forth the

delightful differences within.

Krasskova sees in Dagaz aspects of transformation, be it of day to night, season to season or a change in one's life, dynamic union of opposites and the synergy of complementary forces. She considers the following as one of the lessons Dagaz has to offer- things are always in flux and the only constant is change.

Aswynn sees day, transitioning, transformation, synthesis and transmutation, initiation, change, catalysts and transcendence as aspects of Dagaz. In addition, she considers it a hidden doorway to other worlds and notes similarities to both the infinity symbol and to Mobius strips.

To Melville, Dagaz represents security, certainty, clarity, dramatic change, a higher level consciousness, paths of destiny, endlessly repeating cycles of time (day to night, season to season) and mirrored opposites. Associations: deity- Verdandi, tree- rowan, plant- clary sage, animal- deer, bird- skylark, astrology- half moon, color- light blue, element- air.

For Oswald, Dagaz's aspects include breakthroughs, radical change, dawn, dawning of awareness, a major change in direction, growth, progress and development. Associations: deity- Heimdall, tree- spruce, plant- clary sage,  astrology- half moon, color- light blue, element- fire/air, stone- chrysolite.

Among Dagaz's associations, Paxson includes transformation, a change for the positive, a merging of Gifu and Kennaz, rune of the Mid-Winter rebirth of the sun and as signifying or contributing to a new beginning or successful ending.

I see Dagaz as representing time, transformation and alchemy.

Meditation associations: Hourglass, desert sands, science lab, volcanic eruption, acrid scent of coal, change/transformation, essence of time.

Runes: Theory and Practice, Galina Krasskova

Power and Principles of the Runes, Freya Aswynn

The Book of Runes, Francis Melville

Discovering Runes, Bob Oswald

Taking up the Runes, Diana Paxson

Inguz, the Rune of Potential

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Meaning:  Ing   Phonetic equivalent:  'ng'

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

Ing was first seen by men among the East-Danes,

till, followed by his chariot,

he departed eastward over the waves.

So the Heardingas named the hero.

**This rune has no Norwegian or Icelandic poems.

Inguz

Cala Gobraith, 2009

Inguzi, seeds,

ideas to be buried deep,

immersed and nurtured till they

ignite, flowing forth, myriad possibilities

inspiring the imagination to

indulge itself and serve as an

impetus to greater creativity.

Krasskova sees completion, quiet revelation and discovery, fertility, growth, sacrifice of self to further that growth and purity as aspects of Inguz.

Freya Aswynn sees Inguz as relating to agriculture, male sexuality, procreation, association with DNA as a carrier of genetic material and our inherited characteristics, completion, totality, fulfillment, 'seeds' and germination.

Melville sees this rune as relating to potency, latent energy, union, fruition, goal, intense creative activity and sexual energy. Association: deity- Ing/Frey, tree- apple, animal- boar, bird- cuckoo, astrology- black moon, color- orange, element- fire.

Oswald sees Inguz as harmony, unity, approval, completion and security of family. Association: deity- Ing/Frey, tree- apple, plant- selfheal, astrology- new moon, color- yellow, element- earth/water, stone- amber.

To Paxson, Inguz is a rune of the god Ing, of birth and death, seed-forms, creative power, the ending that is a beginning and male sexuality.

For me, Inguz is the rune of potential. I strongly associate this rune with what it is to be 'male'.

Meditation associations: Eye blinking, light brown glyph, seeded possibilities, seeds scattered across a new plowed field, dormant virii in the cold, sing-song sound, semen, masculine half of creativity/fertility, many possibilities but only a few grow to fruition.

Runes: Theory and Practice, Galina Krasskova

Power and Principles of the Runes, Freya Aswynn

The Book of Runes, Francis Melville

Discovering Runes, Bob Oswald

Taking up the Runes, Diana Paxson

Random Musings of a Lorekeeper

Archaeology, as in any other science, has its own share of odd and unusual theories. Fringe archaeology, also known as cult archaeology or pseudo-archaeology, consists of the theories that mainstream archaeology adamantly denies. Such theories include lost continents, ancient astronauts and various Egyptian oddities such mummies’ curses, among other things. Fringe theories are the bane of a proper archaeologist’s existence. We tend to get annoyed at such outlandish claims that have little basis in fact, yet prove to be stubbornly attractive to people and take away from what true learning and knowledge that archaeology has to offer. Mainstream archaeologists are often seen as the ‘bad guys’ by the fringe element, accused of elaborate conspiracies to keep ‘forbidden knowledge’ from being known.

I’d like to take a moment to say that there are times that what seems to be part of the fringe element can actually contain the seeds of truth. Col. Percy Fawcett lost his life in the search for a city hidden in the depths of the Amazon rainforest. He called this lost city ‘Z’ and, when he first became interested in it, it was merely as a theory of a lost city and civilization that could have existed in the Amazon. In his own explorations, Fawcett came across rock paintings, evidence of roads and numerous scattered artifacts.

Based on accounts of the first Europeans to the region, so long ago- the conquistadors- Fawcett surmised that their tales of huge cities in the jungle were true, despite the fact these cities could no longer be found. Hiram Bingham’s discovery of Machu Picchu bolstered Fawcett’s convictions and he began to search in earnest for his ‘Z’. Unfortunately, the search turned to obsession for him. ‘Z’ became his white whale and, like Ahab, it cost him his life. He, his son Jack, and Jack’s friend Raleigh Rimell, entered the Amazon in 1925 and never returned.

By the end, ‘Z’ had become, for Fawcett, not just the city of a lost civilization. It had become, in his mind, a hidden location of the Great White Brotherhood, a group believed by Madame Blavatsky’s Theosophists to be supernatural beings who spread wisdom to humankind through specially selected humans. Fawcett also believed that his son, Jack, was one of these special people destined to be a mouthpiece for these supernatural caretakers.

All evidence points to Fawcett, Jack and Raleigh perishing in the jungles of the Amazon. While I cannot speak to ‘Z’ being a haven of the Great White Brotherhood, to me, this is the fringe of archaeology. However, in recent years, archaeologist Michael Heckenberger has uncovered the remnants of massive settlements in the jungles of the Amazon. One was very close to Fawcett’s estimation of the location of ‘Z’. What Heckenberger found wasn’t evidence of stone cities, like it was always assumed. No, what he found were the remains of settlements that were made of what the jungle had to offer- plant material.

Heckenberger’s work has uncovered evidence of cities enclosed in wooden palisade walls, with moats dug all around. The former structures were made of material that degraded in the humid jungle air, but he has found evidence, well-concealed by the foliage, of causeways, bridges, irrigation canals, mound-works to rival those of North America, and Indian black earth, a type of cultivated soil used for growing crops. The prevailing theory now is that there were indeed major civilizations in the Amazon, that died out when they came into contact with the conquistadors and their European diseases, for which the Native Americans had no adequate defense. The cities, once abandoned and deserted, were reclaimed by the merciless jungle. 

For more information on Fawcett and ‘Z’, I strongly encourage you to read The Lost City of Z, by David Grann and Exploration Fawcett, by Brian Fawcett.