Icy Sedgwick's Blog, page 27
September 26, 2020
Why did these 3 hybrid mythical beasts fall out of fashion?
There is always something strange about a creature made up of different parts. They exist in a liminal space, not belonging to one particular species, and often endowed with the strengths of all. Hybrid mythical beasts are particularly popular, bleeding from classical legends into medieval literature. We’ve already looked at griffins, which are essentially hybrid […]
The post Why did these 3 hybrid mythical beasts fall out of fashion? appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
September 19, 2020
Unicorns: The Myths & Legends Behind the Glitter & Rainbows
Unicorns occupy a strange position in popular culture. In fantasy narratives, they’re often pure, noble animals who save the hero in their darkest hour. Yet a recent splurge in the beauty industry saw unicorns splashed across holographic makeup lines, with brushes shaped like spiralled horns. And they’re a perennial favourite with children. Behind the glitter […]
The post Unicorns: The Myths & Legends Behind the Glitter & Rainbows appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
September 12, 2020
Dragons in Folklore: The Lambton Worm and the Laidly Worm
When you think of dragons in folklore, you might think of graceful Chinese dragons or treasure-hoarding lizards like Tolkien’s Smaug. Jacqueline Simpson and Steve Roud note that within the Church, dragons always represented evil. Meanwhile, in the secular world, they stood for “ferocity in battle” (2003: 98). This explains their popularity on family crests, and […]
The post Dragons in Folklore: The Lambton Worm and the Laidly Worm appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
September 5, 2020
Griffins of Legend: A Tale of Fossils, Guardians, and Heraldry
Most people’s first introduction to griffins (also gryphon) might come via popular culture. Mine was via its appearance on the logo of the Midland Bank, and also as part of the Vauxhall car insignia. They’re a striking example of a mythological beast, more ferocious than unicorns but more approachable than dragons. Typically, griffins are hybrid […]
The post Griffins of Legend: A Tale of Fossils, Guardians, and Heraldry appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
August 29, 2020
Sleep Folklore: Demons, Poppies, and Saving Your Soul
Certain things are held to be vital to healthy human functioning. A varied diet, exercise, exposure to sunlight, and plenty of sleep are usually among them. Yet sleep remains the most mysterious of the four. Our ability to do it is hampered by a range of factors. We have a vague notion that our body […]
The post Sleep Folklore: Demons, Poppies, and Saving Your Soul appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
August 22, 2020
Plague Folklore: Strange Doctors, Cures, and the Black Death
For historians, the most devastating epidemic of all time is that of the Black Death. It reached Europe in October 1347, having affected Syria, Persia, China, India, and Egypt throughout the 1340s (History.com 2020). The epidemic went on to kill more than 20 million people. Its destruction gave rise to much plague folklore that persisted […]
The post Plague Folklore: Strange Doctors, Cures, and the Black Death appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
August 11, 2020
Oracle Cards vs Tarot Cards: What’s the Difference?
Divination has become a popular pastime in recent years. Runes, cards, and dowsing are all options you might see over on Instagram. Brigit Esselmont at Biddy Tarot even brought out a handbag-sized tarot deck for readings on the go. If you visit your local metaphysical shop or bookstore for tarot cards, you might see oracle […]
The post Oracle Cards vs Tarot Cards: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
August 8, 2020
Elf-Shot: Old English Medicine and Magical Remedies
When examining the history of medicine, there can be a tendency to focus on the classical theories of doctors like Hippocrates and Galen. Galen, we should remember, thought that the body made blood in the liver and it disappeared into tissues as it moved around the body. But is this the kind of medicine favoured […]
The post Elf-Shot: Old English Medicine and Magical Remedies appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
August 4, 2020
Explore 3 strange legends of the Newcastle Castle
The Newcastle Castle occupies a strange position in the city centre. So strange that some people can’t believe we have a castle in town at all! Buildings have stood on the site for centuries, dating back to the Romans and their Pons Aelius fort. But the Newcastle Castle was originally founded in 1080 by Robert […]
The post Explore 3 strange legends of the Newcastle Castle appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
August 1, 2020
Need healing? You Need Aesculapius, Roman God of Medicine
It’s easy to sometimes take modern medicine for granted. We don’t have to visit an oracle or priest to diagnose an illness. Popping to a pharmacy is less messy than sacrificing a chicken to read its innards. In the UK, we currently have the NHS. Yet the ancient Greeks and Romans had Aesculapius. But who […]
The post Need healing? You Need Aesculapius, Roman God of Medicine appeared first on Icy Sedgwick.
