Mythology

Satyr, Pan & Faun

Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Satyr – a sylvan deity in Greek mythology having certain characteristics of a horse or goat and fond of Dionysian revelry.

I’ve always been a huge admirer and lover of Greek mythology, of gods and deities, heroes and legendary creatures.

So I came up with the idea of this Satyr ring a long time ago, because I’ve been fascinated by the complex nature of this spirit. Just imagine this human-animal hybrid, a wise spirit, sensual woodland creature and dancer! I think they’re pretty cool. And of course I absolutely love the way satyrs embody the power of nature in all its splendour, with all its bright and dark sides.

What are satyrs?

A woodland creature depicted as having a human torso, goat legs and tail, pointed ears, horns and beards. They were a race of fertility spirits of the countryside and wilderness. As companions of Dionysus they were usually shown drinking, dancing and playing flutes and chasing the nymphs. In a broader sense, the satyr symbolizes the duality of human nature, consisting of emotions and reason.

Satyrs are also known to be tricksters, prophets and wisdom keepers, all at the same time! And on the other hand, they were sensual creatures free of any prohibitions, moral and social norms. So usually satyrs had no moral or social aspect whatsoever, and were simply the embodiment of pure, basic instinct. They were the very opposite to urbanity and civilization itself. But over the course of Greek history, satyrs gradually became portrayed as more human and less wild.

What do we know about Pan?

The parentage of Pan is unclear; generally he is the son of Hermes and a nymph. Plato also called him ¨the double-natured son of Hermes¨. With his homeland in rustic Arcadia, Pan was recognized as the god of shepherds, hunters, the flocks, the mountain forests and meadows.

His name is the root word of “panic“. The Greeks believed that when accidentally awakened from his nap he could give a great terrifying shout. From this aspect of Pan‘s nature, Greek authors derived the word “panikos“, “sudden fear”. Pan was fond of music, and known as the inventor of the pan flute (or Syrinx), a musical instrument consisting of multiple wooden pipes of gradually increasing length.

Faun vs. Satyr. What is the difference?

The Romans identified satyrs with their native nature spirits, fauns. It is derived from Faunus, the name of an ancient Italic deity of forests, fields, and herds, who from the 2nd century BCE was associated with the Greek god Pan.

But the main difference between them was their behaviour and nature. Fauns were described as humble, gentle and innocent with handsome and attractive appearance. Satyrs, as we know, were the exact opposite. Fauns are known to be naïve and foolish. On the other hand, satyrs are wise and have great knowledge as well.

14 Magical Rings – In History and Fiction

Mythology, Rings, Symbolism / By mayarijewelry

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14 Magical Rings – In History and Fiction

“One ring to rule them all,

One ring to find them,

One ring to bring them all

And in the darkness bind them.”

Tales of magical rings date back to antiquity, and probably even before recorded history.

1. King Solomon’s Magical Ring

According to legend, the famous king Solomon had a very valuable gold ring. It was not only precious, but also magical. Using the power of the ring, Solomon summons a full register of demons and takes authority over them. Out of all the king’s treasures, this ring is regarded as the most mystical.

Legend has it that the one who finds the ring will become the ruler of the world.

2. Ring of Gyges

According to the Greek philosopher Plato, the Ring of Gyges was a magic ring that made its wearer invisible. When given a ring, a shepherd named Gyges becomes invisible and anonymous. Through his invisibility he seduces a queen, kills the king, and takes the kingdom. This poses the moral question of whether a person with such a power would misuse it for evil deeds.

3. Ring of the Nibelung

“Der Ring des Nibelungen”, four music dramas (grand operas) by German composer Richard Wagner, that were based on the classic Norse myths and German heroic poetry.

Wagner made a lot of changes to the story in order to make it suitable for his four operas. The story tells of a hoard of gold which is being guarded by the Rhinemaidens. The dwarf Alberich steals the gold and uses some of it to make a ring which makes the owner powerful over all the world. When Wotan, the chief god, steals it from him, Alberich puts a curse on the ring. The ring will bring death to whoever has it. The ring goes through the hands of several characters, all of whom die in the end.

4. The Kingmoor Ring (also Greymoor Hill Ring)

The Kingmoor Ring was found at Greymoor Hill, near Kingmoor by a young man who came across it in the ground.

The inscription on it reads:

᛭ᚨᚱᛦᚱᛁᚢᚠᛚᛏᛦᚱᛁᚢᚱᛁᚦᚩᚾᚷᛚᚨᚴᛏᚨᛈᚩᚾ / ᛏᚨᚿ

The inscription amounts to a total of 30 signs, its meaning has not been fully deciphered but it is believed to be of magical nature – likely a spell of healing or regeneration.

5. Howard Carter’s Ring of Protection

Howard Carter was the archaeologist who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. At the time, everybody was surprised because of the fact that the curse of King Tut’s tomb did not affect the archaeologist. Carter said that his ring protected him against all harmful influences. The ring was adorned with geometric symbols which were placed and balanced according to the principles of esoteric knowledge. The design was meant to protect a person from danger, curses, and black magic. Today, the ring is known as “the ring of Ra” and it is believed that it was originally designed by the people of the lost city of Atlantis. According to the same theory, Egyptians are regarded to be the descendants of these people.

6. Draupnir

In Norse mythology, Draupnir is a gold ring possessed by the god Odin with the ability to multiply itself: Every 9th night, it duplicates itself by creating eight perfect copies, each one of the same size and weight as the original.

7. Genghis Khan’s Ring

Genghis Khan, the great Mongol ruler, knew how to take advantage of magic. In the 12th century, he reigned over the great Mongolian Empire and some believe this is due to a powerful magic ring. The ring had a ruby engraved with a magic Indian symbol and it was worn by both Genghis Khan as well as by his nephew. Some claim that this symbol actually comes from Hyperborea, the long lost continent. As for the ring of Genghis Khan, many Asian archaeologists are still looking for it.

8. The One Ring (“The Lord of the Rings”)

Probably the most famous fiction ring of all times, it is a central plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”. It is a solid gold band that looks like any ordinary ring, until cast into fire; once in flames, glowing inscriptions appear on it. Also it can change in size by its own will. The Ring’s primary power was control of the other Rings and domination of the wills of their users. Granting the wearer invisibility, the One Ring also used to strengthen the wearer’s power.

9. Green Lantern Ring

Green Lantern’s ring, considered to be one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. Depending on the skill and willpower of the wearer, it can do almost anything if the wielder’s willpower is strong enough. It has the ability to affect and use forces like gravity, radiation, heat, light etc. Most commonly, a Green Lantern Ring is used to shoot energy beams, fly, translate all languages, and create green light energy constructs.

10. Sorcerer’s Apprentice Ring

The title character and his mentor use the rings to focus their magical powers. Like magical wands in other fantasy fiction, magic rings function as instruments for sorcerers to channel their powers with magic inside the ring. It projects electromagnetic energy into the physical world. The magic ring gives the sorcerer who wields it better advantages.

11. Dracula’s Ring

It first makes an appearance in Son of Dracula (1943), where it was worn by John Carradine. Then the ring made its way to Bela Lugosi’s finger in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). Later Christopher Lee wore it in other Dracula movies. This extravagant signet ring with a blood-red ruby set into it, was designed with the arms crest of Dracula’s lineage. Crest rings traditionally reflect the pride and dignity of a family name and history.

12. The Yellow and Green Rings (The Chronicles of Narnia)

In “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew”, yellow and green magic finger rings were created to respectively transport people to and from the Wood between the Worlds. These rings were created by the magician “Uncle Andrew” with the help of magical dust from Atlantis.

13. The Mandarin’s Rings

The Mandarin is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books. He is one of Iron Man’s most destructive enemies. The Mandarin is a badass athlete with tremendous skills in various martial arts. His principal personal weapons are the 10 rings which he wears on the fingers of both hands. The Mandarin learned how to make the rings respond to his mental commands. On his left hand he wears Ice Blast, Mento-Intensifier, Electro-Blast, Flame Blast, and White Light. On his right hand, Black Light, Disintegration Beam, Vortex Beam, Impact Beam, and Matter Rearranger.

14. Singing Ring (The 10th Kingdom)

And last but not least, the most adorable ring in all ten Kingdoms! A singing engagement ring from the movie “The 10th Kingdom”, that grands a lifetime love guarantee!

Sword Symbolism in a Nutshell

Mythology, Symbolism / By mayarijewelry

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Sword Symbolism in a nutshell

Symbolic meaning

The sword is one of the most complex and most common symbols. Its concept is ambivalent: on the one hand, the sword is a terrifying weapon, on the other, a powerful ancient force.

The making of a sword incorporates all the elements: Earth, Fire, Air, Water. It also requires secret skills and knowledge, thanks to which swords were endowed with magical properties. The symbol of the sword as a weapon represents the dual concept of life and death.

The sword is also a powerful magical symbol, the emblem of witchcraft. Also the cult of the sword in many cultural traditions contributed to the fact that it acquired a ceremonial and ritual significance.

Wavy, flames-like double-edged swords were associated with purification. For example, in alchemy, such a sword is the emblem of fire. In addition, it is also a symbol of power, justice, light, honor or authority.

Many swords have magical properties and are given to heroes for the advancement of justice.

Excalibur – the legendary sword of King Arthur, that was given to him by the Lady of the Lake (it was not the same sword that he drew from a stone).

Gram – the sword of the hero of Germanic-Scandinavian mythology Siegfried (Sigurd), that he used to kill the dragon Fafnir. This weapon was described as being ¨all decked with gold and gleaming bright¨

Durendal (Durandal) – the sword of Furious Roland, the hero of the Old French epic. According to the legend, this weapon was capable of cutting through giant boulders of stone with a single strike, and was indestructible.

Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (“Grass Cutting Sword”) – a famous Japanese sword, one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was found within one of the tails of the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi defeated by the legendary warrior Susanoo.

Shamshir-e-Zomorrodnegar – the legendary Persian sword from the epic of Amir Arsalan. The emerald-studded magic shamshir had originally belonged to King Solomon. Legend claims that it was carefully guarded by a demon called Fulad-zereh, because he was invulnerable to all weapons and only this sword could harm him.

Symbolism & Secret Knowledge

Mythology, Symbolism / By mayarijewelry

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Symbolism & Secret Knowledge

Dictionary definition:

Symbol – something used for or regarded as representing something else; a material object representing something, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign.

In all known cultures, we find traces of knowledge encoded in symbols: we see symbols in rituals, in alchemical books, we see them hidden in the stunning proportions of the pyramids and ancient temples…

Symbolic language is a universal language. Symbolism not only expresses the relationship between things and ideas, but also reveals the laws of the connection of the material world with the supernatural world.

However, most people do not know the language of symbols, they cannot decipher it, while it is extremely important for understanding the ways of human development, art, religion and mythology.

In the old days, symbolism was a secret knowledge, but now the time has come when access to symbols is open to everyone.

Symbols help to better understand the surrounding world, which means living in harmony with it.

The word symbol derives from the Greek σύμβολον symbolon, meaning “token, watchword”.

The history of the symbolism of our civilization goes back deep into the past, to the era of the caveman.

Since ancient times, people have been looking for a universal language that would be able to express the connection between things and events in the surrounding mysterious world. These searches led to the discovery of the first generalized images, and then, as evolutionary development, and abstract concepts. Such images and concepts are called symbols.

A symbol cannot be “invented”, created artificially, as it reflects the Highest Truth. The perfect Universal Symbol is so comprehensive that it is able to meet the needs of different eras, religions, cultures and civilizations.

Time did not radically change the structure of symbolism. Whatever the nature of the origin of the symbols is, modern mankind got them not only completely formed, but already systematized.

The same symbols exist in all ancient cultures: in Ancient Egypt, Sumeria, India, China, Africa, in pre-Columbian America… And everywhere they have similar semantic meanings, which indicates their common origin from the same source.

Satyr, Pan & Faun

Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Satyr – a sylvan deity in Greek mythology having certain characteristics of a horse or goat and fond of Dionysian revelry.

What are satyrs?

What do we know about Pan?

Faun vs. Satyr. What is the difference?

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14 Magical Rings – In History and Fiction

“One ring to rule them all,

One ring to find them,

One ring to bring them all

And in the darkness bind them.”

Tales of magical rings date back to antiquity, and probably even before recorded history.

1. King Solomon’s Magical Ring

2. Ring of Gyges

3. Ring of the Nibelung

4. The Kingmoor Ring (also Greymoor Hill Ring)

5. Howard Carter’s Ring of Protection

6. Draupnir

7. Genghis Khan’s Ring

8. The One Ring (“The Lord of the Rings”)

9. Green Lantern Ring

10. Sorcerer’s Apprentice Ring

11. Dracula’s Ring

12. The Yellow and Green Rings (The Chronicles of Narnia)

13. The Mandarin’s Rings

14. Singing Ring (The 10th Kingdom)

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Sword Symbolism in a nutshell

Symbolic meaning

The sword is also a powerful magical symbol, the emblem of witchcraft. Also the cult of the sword in many cultural traditions contributed to the fact that it acquired a ceremonial and ritual significance.

Excalibur – the legendary sword of King Arthur, that was given to him by the Lady of the Lake (it was not the same sword that he drew from a stone).

Gram – the sword of the hero of Germanic-Scandinavian mythology Siegfried (Sigurd), that he used to kill the dragon Fafnir. This weapon was described as being ¨all decked with gold and gleaming bright¨

Durendal (Durandal) – the sword of Furious Roland, the hero of the Old French epic. According to the legend, this weapon was capable of cutting through giant boulders of stone with a single strike, and was indestructible.

Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (“Grass Cutting Sword”) – a famous Japanese sword, one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was found within one of the tails of the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi defeated by the legendary warrior Susanoo.

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Symbolism & Secret Knowledge

Dictionary definition:

Symbol – something used for or regarded as representing something else; a material object representing something, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign.

Symbols help to better understand the surrounding world, which means living in harmony with it.

The word symbol derives from the Greek σύμβολον symbolon, meaning “token, watchword”.

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