Fairy stones

 

These are natural crystals called Fairy Stones. There are two kinds of fairy stones, the mineral staurolite and a carbonate concretion in clay. There are healing properties of fairy stones. Others call these stones Fairy Crosses, Goddess Stones and Menilite Opal. 

These stones have been found throughout the world in former glacier deposits. They get their reputation for the shapes and patterns on the surfaces. It's caused by geological events but seems as though somebody has drawn on them but no one has. There patterns are mostly shapes of crosses, flowers and even hearts on the stones. 

Often used as good luck charms, they also have been carried around as protective objects as it was believed they give off magical energy. It was also believed the Fairy Stones ward off evil spirits. 

Storm Valkyrie 💋

Thor's hammer pendants

  Here is some of my Mjolnir pendants that I often wear. 

1. Ivory. Note, this isn't my own Mjolnir but a new one in a shop. I've had it for 17 years and it's not white as snow like the one pictured anylonger. It's turned yellow with age! It's pretty and warm.  

2. The carnelian. This is another one that feels gentle and warm. It isn't cold or severe on the skin. This particular Mjolnir carved from a gemstone, Carnelian that is associated with fire and passion. The gemstone is a healer for bones and kidneys.

3. Pewter. One of the kindest metals for sensitive skin is pewter. This Mjolnir has a red glass stone in the centre. My boyfriend has one of these but his glass stone is green. There is something artistic and gothic looking about these detailed pendants.

Many have been wondering: What is a Mjolnir? It is a powerful weapon that belonged to the god of thunder, Thor. The mjolnir is also called Thor's Hammer, it's mentioned in the Poetic Edda. The symbol of Mjolnir has been worn as a pendant throughout the Viking world, and became popular again in modern times. 

Others have been asking: Is it a masculine pendant? Yes but it also can be worn by women. Thor is a god that protects all people, including men, women and children. Some jewels have fashioned the Mjolnir to be in so many varieties, from bone, alloys, wood, stones, gems and metals that are base, noble and precious.  

Storm Valkyrie 

Snakes

The most fascinating reptile alive now is the snake. Well yes many more reptiles are each beautiful and interesting to learn about, although nothing is quite so intense as the snake. Also called serpents, snakes have been a part of human mythology for thousands of years. They have an infamous reputation because of the serpent that gave Eve the apple of knowledge, according to the Bible. This followed with humans being banned from the Garden of Eden. Some would regard this as symbolic, with Adam and Eve portraying an earlier age of humans being closer to nature as hunter-gatherers. Because of this story, snakes generally have been associated with evil. Despite that, snakes appear as symbols of healing and medicine. This comes from Greek mythology and the Rod of Asclepius, which became the constellation "the serpent-bearer". 

Far back in ancient times, Minoan figurines of snake goddesses were made. The artwork shows fine details of their clothes, as the Minoan dresses were long, full and layered. Later the classical Greek myths mention Gorgons, snake-haired women that turned people to stone. Also there was the giant snake called Python who was killed by the god Apollo. This was much to do with the oracle of Delphi as some believe there is a connection. 

The biggest snake is found in Norse mythology, named Jörmungandr. This is The World Serpent that circles around the earth and holds its tail with its mouth. If the tail is ever released, that means the time of Ragnarok (doom) will come. It's said that the god Thor will eventually slay it. Jörmungandr is the offspring of Loki and the giantess Angrboda. According to some stories, Thor once lifted a giant cat, which really was Jörmungandr in disguise. One paw remained on the ground but if it had been lifted completely, the world would've been destroyed. 

Storm Valkyrie 🐍

Childhood book review

 This book review post is today about the A4 sized hard cover "Hilda Bowell's Treasury of Poetry." This green book version was published by Collins in 1983. Its full of spellbinding illustrations on every single page. The book can be fun to read for kids and also for adults too. It's very nature inclined with animals, seasons and folklore. It has epic poems such as "I went to sea in a sieve" by Edward Lear and "The Butterfly's Ball" by William Roscoe. It has fairy tale poems including "The Mermaid" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. A few well known authors William Blake and Lewis Carroll have featured poems. There are sad poems like "Babes in the Wood". 

Some of my favourites are: 

"The Spider and the Fly"

"A fairy went a-marketing" 

"The Garden Year"

 

Storm Valkyrie

  

Winter reading and reference

 This time of year makes for good research into winter wildlife. Going out for country walks and observing wildlife, the birds in winter, the plants, trees, berries and frost. Some prefer to watch it online or TV, or read up on it all. One of the most chill and information packed magazines is Countryfile, and this is based on the BBC documentary series about the wilderness.  

There are beautiful and fascinating books that are published by the RSPB (Royal society for protection of birds) that cover a lot of subjects, mostly about birds, and also books on other animals, trees and nature of the British Isles. There are books aimed at different ages, so the children's books are creative and so interactive. There are encyclopedia type books and a whole library of books about birds, animals and plants throughout the year in every season.

  

Storm Valkyrie 🐧

Harii

There was a type of ancient warrior that isn't well known because it hasn't been taught in schools. We've all been told about the various tribes in Europe, but not everything has been explained thoroughly. There was a tribe of people called Harii, that lived in Germania. They were fearsome warriors who were entirely covered in black paint and their own shields were black. Nicknamed "ghost warriors" as they were often nocturnal, or attacking at nightfall, and being like shadows. 

The Roman historian Tacitus, described the Harii as "feralis exercitus" which means "army of the dead". Many believe that the Harii warriors have a lot of similarities with the legendary einherjar (the souls of fallen warriors who dwell in Valhalla). This may also include the Wild Hunt as ghost warriors that ride. 

Today there are the Harii warrior performers with the folk music band Heilung. 

For more description of the Harii read Germania by Tacitus.  

Storm Valkyrie 👀

A Viking table

 

People from the cold north feasted during Yule and then waited under the midsummer solstice for another feast. Vikings had tables packed with food that also included wooden cutlery, plates, jugs and cloths. Meat was always fresh, and the animals were just hunted, then cooked for the meat. Vikings kept cattle for milk and they could live for years, but some animals provided meat. Milk didn't keep so without proper facilities, the milk was turned into butter. Depending on how much milk there was available, if there was a lot of it, they also made it into cheese. The Vikings had ducks, chickens and geese for their eggs and sometimes meat, but Vikings enjoyed eating wild eggs too. A lot of the meats and root vegetables were made into stews. 

They had a lot of roasts. They ate pork, lamb, goat, fish. As very efficient and clever hunters, the Vikings caught a variety of animals. Boar, deer, reindeer, so their food was often rich in meat. On of the most interesting foods the Vikings ate was bone broth. They would get animal bones, then roasted them and this was transferred to a pot of boiling water. The cook would be done slowly until the marrow escaped. Today eating a meal with roasted bone marrow is so Viking!

Storm Valkyrie 🐺🍵🌼

The enigma of the Ulfberht swords

 

Before I continue, I want to bless all a happy New Year. 

There is a mysterious sword that exists and has baffled archaeologists for a long time. It's a type of Viking sword with "Ulfberht" carved on the blade. There are about 170 of these swords, dating far back in ancient history. It's guessed that they were forged between 800 AE to 1000 AE. Some Vikings, but maybe not everyone of them, just a select few, were given these incredible swords. 

So what makes the swords different to other swords at the time, is what they appear to be made of. These swords are made of crucible steel. 

It's said by research that the creation of each Ulfberht swords needed to heat iron at extremely high temperatures, such as 3000 degrees fahrenheit. But back then there wasn't the technology to get temperatures this high! Blacksmiths generally used hammers to get the metal blades perfect although the Ulfberht swords were at such high temps that the heat burned impurities out. What also is found in the Ulfberht swords is full of carbon, far more than any other sword from those times.

Is this one of those mysterious artefacts with completely lost technology? Yes. Nobody has the answers as to how furnaces back in the era of the Vikings were so hot to make these particular swords. Could this also have been a lost art? Yes it is. Unfortunately there are many forgotten skills and missing details. Is this a true to life Valyrian steel? Kind of, but the real life Valyrian metal is Damascus steel. 

I hope that this has been quite an interesting and different post to begin 2021.

Storm Valkyrie