In a Welsh legend Lleu Llaw
Gyffes,
because of a curse, could not have a wife of this
world, so the wizard Gwydion made him a wife of
flowers. The broom, the meadowsweet and the oak
blossom he used to fashion a beautiful woman. He
called her Blodeuwedd (flower face) but alas she
was fickle. She conspired with her lover Gronw to
kill Lleu Llaw Gyffes. She did not succeed but as
punishment Gwydion turned her into an owl,
because she was afraid of the darkness. Read the
whole story here
(ref: "The Mabinogian"
)To this day in Wales owls are often
called blodeuwedd. Another Welsh word for owl is
"gwenhwyfar" which echoes the name of
King Arthur's unfaithful wife.
In
the tradition of homeopathic magic I think of
this brooch aa a charm against unfaithfulness.
From
the Aberdeen
Bestiary (circa 14th c):
"...the night-owl is a bird that loves the
darkness of the night. It lives in decaying walls
because it sets up house in the ruins of roofless
dwellings. It shuns the light, flying at night in
search of food ... the night-owl keeps watch in
the night, as when the righteous man, alert to
the darkness of sinners, avoids their errors. It
lives in the cracks of walls, in the sense that
he considers the weakness of the world and awaits
its downfall. It seeks food by night, as when he
reflects upon the life of sinners and uses their
example to nourish the mind of the righteous
..."
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Colour: Amber Soyer
172/173, brown Soyer 174 Size: 1
1/2" x 1 1/2"
origin
artefact:
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All
brooches can also be ordered as necklaces
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