Lucien Henry, a French, then Australian artist of renown and revolutionary fervour, designed a stained glass window of 'Australia' as goddess for Sydney town Hall in the last years of the Victorian era. Although romanticism was a style of the period, I find it intriguing that the allegorical symbols he depicts her with, namely ram's horns, a miners lamp and a trident are also symbols of traditional witchcraft. Of course the use of such allegory does not necessarily mean a magickal background, the symbols could just be mundane or ideal.

Just wondered if any of the historically minded here have seen this, researched it or him?

The doc below has a pic.

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/AboutSy...anFlora.asp#pdf

In which 'tradition' of 'witchcraft' are ram's horns, miner's lamps and tridents symbols in?

Thanks,

Marto

None you know about obviously. Do some more of your internet hunting and I am sure you will find all the answers you need.
No thanks necessary.

Why would I thank someone who did nothing?

In terms of the meaning of the window, it's made very clear everywhere one seeks, to whit:

++By contrast, the Australia window is a dazzling display of colonial sentimentality. The central figure is Oceania, the allegorical figure of New South Wales, the ruler of the southern seas, Draped in the the Union Jack and the flag of St George, she wears a solar halo and a headress formed from the horns and wool of a ram, a symbol of pastoral bounty. In her hands she holds a trident, denoting maritime authority; and a miner's lamp, a reference to the mineral wealth of the colony. The stars of the Southern Cross illuminate the central window which is flanked by two panels of waratahs, flannel flowers and stenocarpus and the text "Advance Australia 1788 and 1888"++

Not very 'witchy'.

Obviously, that's why I asked. I wouldn't have asked if I had known. What ONE WITCHCRAFT TRADITION Involves the combination of ram's horns, miner's lamps and tridents?

I'm not about to waste my google-fu at crap neo-pagan sites or for every freaking country in the world when it's much easier to just ask someone who obviously knows, right? It's not like I don't have access to JSTOR and other resources, but there are thousands of articles at the uni. library so asking for a simple name is not much, I should think. YOU were the one that asked. I and others have access to 'historical' information but if you want others to do the work and answer your question (s) , it seems reasonable to ask for some clarity. I'm no sluggard at 'history' but there's a lot of it! .

There was a brand of miner's lamps that used the symbol of ram's horns as a 'patent' embellishment. If you are speaking about 'Delphi', that's nothing to do with a 'Witchcraft tradition' and they wouldn't thank you for trying to make it so (and a person would really have to work to shoe-horn in those three items in conjunction and exclusive from the other things mentioned in order to justify a 'Delphi Tradition').

So, if you don't want to tell, perhaps I could ask others here what is the name of the 'tradition' being referred to that incorporates all three of these items?

Anybody?

Thanks,

Marto

I seem to remember Cochrane favoured subterranean rituals where no doubt a lamp of some kind would have been useful. I've seen a three prong wooden pitchfork used as a stang & I've also seen a rams horn used for the rallying call at a Heathen blot.

Yours

trying to be helpful

Thank you!

However, if we're back to Mr.Bowers ( who was from a Methodist family ) , one could hardly call that some kind of 'Traditional Witchcraft' .

(sorry, sometimes a laugh escapes me)

*ahem*. Anyway, a 'miner's lamp' is a very specific item with a history all it's own, ditto for trident and the symbolism of ram's horns. I can't think of a 'single' belief' system which revolved around these specific items.

Marto

Don't those who accept Trad Craft suggest that the everyday tools and whatnots of the people were bent to Craft purposes? I've vague memories of some I knew saying something like that?

If so, then these representations of farming, fishing and mining could well be the symbols of a farming family, a fishing family and a mining family respectively but I have trouble thinking of any ancient community that did all three things and the only area where all three could possibly be done by one community that springs to mind is Cornwall. So possibly, if you believe in Trad Craft, these would be the symbols of a Cornish Tradition?

I'd have to say though, the explanation for these things as given in the article is far more likely than a reference to Cornish Trad Craft. Mind you, I'm freewheeling here without either reference to google or a knowledge of whether the French have any claims about Trad Craft that Henry could have been harking back to.

http://www.geocities.com/cronnekdhu/index.html

???


I do like the sound of the 'blasting rod'

However, I see a distinct lack of miner's helmets, tridents and rams horns. (except the staff can have a 'fork' at the top' ). Good idea for long tables, by the way

Whoa! That's a pretty dire site! I somehow don't think it has any bearing on the window in Australia. I could be wrong though.......

No, I don't think I'm wrong.

Marto

Ah well, it was only an idea.

What's wrong with that jackdaw's beak?

P.S. Lucien Henry was Catholic. That would be HIS 'tradition' .

Marto

The Jackdaw rather resents parting with it

Marto

I think the photo was taken with a zoom lens at maximum zoom, and the birds head was turned slightly towards the photographer so foreshortening the beak.


Yours

bored, Sunday, raining, sound of hoovering in a distant part of the house, too early for Mr J. Daniels ...

That's a pigeon painted black.

Maybe it got hit by a 'blasting rod' by mistake? It's got that 'lifeless' and rather depressed look.

Marto

I've got it! Captain (hence -the trident ) William Bligh (who was from Cornwall ) was made Governor in Australia in 1806. He held vast tracks of land and raised sheep (ram's horns ) and was part of the ruling class that used forced labour in mines (miner's lanterns) !.

There's only one flaw in my theory. They were Christian. Except! To the poor Indigenous people it must have seemed pure magic the way their entire lives were destroyed!

Hey, I'm trying here! It's a reach, but it was the only way I could find a solid 'connection' without the help of the people of said 'Trad'.

I await enlightenment on the connection between an Australian window, a Catholic Artist and a Cornish (or any) ' Witch Tradition'.

Marto