One version of the athame, with a steel blade and
bog-oak hilt. The image of the Triple Moon is
in silver.
An athame or athamé is a ceremonial black-handled knife, one of several magical tools used in Wicca; other forms of modern witchcraft have
since adopted the term for various ritual knives. It is variously pronounced /ˈæ.θə.meɪ/, /ə.ˈθeɪ.miː/, etc. The notion seems to
have originated in the grimoire originating in the Middle Ages and usually known as the
Key of Solomon[1].
The athame is first mentioned in the writings of Gerald Gardner in the 1950s, who
claimed to have been initiated into a surviving tradition of witchcraft called Wicca. The athame was their most important ritual
tool, which had many uses, but was not to be used for actual physical cutting[2].
There has been speculation[3] that Gardner's interest
and expertise in antique swords and knives, and in particular the magical kris knives of Malaysia
and Indonesia, may have contributed to the tool's central importance in modern Wicca[4].
Appearance
An athame can take many forms. It frequently has a double-edged blade with a sharp point, and a handle which is often black.
The handle may be inscribed with particular symbols dictated by the tradition[5]. Janet and Stewart Farrar in "A Witches Bible" suggest that the point of an athame be dulled
so as to prevent un-intended physical harm during ritual use.
In "eclectic" forms of witchcraft the handle decorations range from astrological glyphs to runes, the
symbols being chosen by the owner. Many fantasy-themed athames are also available from medieval and neopagan supply shops.
Use
The athame's primary use is for ritual and magical purposes only, to direct energy; if things
such as herbs or cords need to be cut, another knife called a boline - a white-handled knife - is used. An exception is the "kitchen witchcraft" philosophy, which actively
encourages the use of magical tools for mundane purposes to increase the witch's familiarity with them.
An athame may be employed in the demarcation of the Magic Circle
rite.
As a masculine principle, it is often used in combination with the chalice, as feminine
principle, evoking the act of procreation, as a symbol of universal creativity. This is a symbol of the Great Rite in Wiccan rituals[6]. Some
modern witchcraft traditions may prefer not to use iron blades, instead
preferring alternatives such as copper, bronze or
wood. This is most common amongst traditions that have a particular fondness of the
Sidhe, to whom iron is supposedly harmful.
Associations
Many traditions associate the athame with the masculine principle and with the
element of either air or
fire. Janet and Stewart Farrar suggested this difference is due to the Golden Dawn releasing false information in the hopes of preventing its rituals being
used in the correct way.[7]. They add that a witch should
always choose the association which seems the most correct to them. Touching another person's athame without permission is
considered an intrusion of the owner's personal space.
Acquisition
There are rituals of consecration for a newly acquired athame, be it new, or acquired from another person[8]. When purchasing a knife for this purpose (or any ritual tool) it is
considered important never to haggle over the price.[9]
Etymology
Extract from a C16th version of the
Key of Solomon. Note the Bolino (
Boline) top left, Artavo (athame?) below it.
There is no proven etymology for this word, which does not appear in any European language. A ritual knife from the
Key of Solomon (not however the main 'black-handled knife') is named in various manuscripts
artavo, artavus, arthana, artanus, arthany or arthame. Idries Shah, who was personal secretary and close friend of Gerald
Gardner, provides an etymology from an alleged Arabic al-dhammé "blood-letter", which was supposed to be the ritual
knife of a medieval magical cult of Morocco and Andalusia.
This etymology is controversial, however. It appears in his book The Sufis as a quote from A History of Secret
Societies by Arkon Daraul (a probable pseudonym of Shah). Robert Graves (an acquaintance of Shah) suggests an Arabic derivation from al thame (or
adh-dhame), which he translates as "the arrow". [citations needed]
A Latin manuscript version of the Key of Solomon has a drawing that looks like a
sickle, labelled Artavo. It is possible that Gardner's use of 'athame' come from reading from modern French versions of
the same text which read "arthane" or "arthame"[10].
Historical parallels
- The Malay kris is a ritual knife regarded as having magical powers, and Gerald Gardner was a recognised authority on these knives prior to his involvement in Wicca.[11][12]
- The Roman secespita was a ritual knife, however, it was used for sacrifice.
References
- ^ MacGregor Mathers, S. Liddell (ed.) The Key of Solomon (Clavicula
Salomonis) Revised by Peterson, Joseph H. (1999, 2004, 2005). Available here
- ^ Gardner, Gerald. Witchcraft Today (1954) London: Rider. p.150
- ^ Heselton, Philip. Wiccan Roots.
- ^ Gardner, Gerald. Keris and other Malay weapons (1936) Singapore:
Progressive Publishing Company
- ^ Farrar, Janet and Farrar, Stewart. The Witches' Way (1984)
(published as Part 2 of A Witches' Bible, 1996) Custer, Washington, USA: Phoenix Publishing Inc. ISBN 0-919345-92-1
p.253
- ^ Crowley, Vivianne. Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Age (1989)
London: The Aquarian Press. p.159. ISBN 0-85030-737-6
- ^ Janet and Stewart Farrar, The Witches' Way, p. 252.
- ^ Jones, Evan John & Valiente, Doreen Witchcraft: A Tradition
Revealed (1990) London: Robert Hale Ltd p.115
- ^ Doreen Valiente[citation needed]
- ^ de Givry, Emile Grillot. Witchcraft, Magic and Alchemy (1931)
Republished by Dover. ISBN 0-486-22493-7
- ^ Gardner, Gerald (1936). Keris
and other Malay weapons. Singapore: Progressive Publishing Company
- ^ Hutton, Ronald [1999] (2005-05-24).
The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft. New York City: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198207441.
OCLC 41452625.
See also
Boline
Phurba
Vajrakilaya
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