Holly Ogham Birth Spoon (JULY 8th – AUG 4th)
Holly is the Spear, shown by the spiky leaves protecting itself and making it impassable, a shield of spears. A symbol of balance, direction and immortality by these evergreen leaves. Holly planted near a house is said to protect it from storms, lightning and fire. And that no witch can cross her threshold as she is the protector. It’s also said that at midnight on Solstice Eve gathering Holly in the darkness of the woods will make it magical but don’t forget, in repayment a drop of blood or wine needs to be left.
Holly is Christmas, so it seems strange that it’s the end of the Summer season but this is when she starts to change, starts to begin to bloom with her red berries forming. Foraged again in our favourite spot in Gare Hill, I do wonder what the dog-walkers must think of this mad woman and 3 wild kids in amongst the trees taking cuttings and collecting leaves. I hope we make someones day brighter with our madness, the Holly definitely does in Winter.
No Spoon is the Same. They are completely one-of, from the foraged piece to the workshop to be turned by Alchemy into a Spoon connecting you to your Month of Birth or the Tree that resonates just with you.
Brass Spoons created from the Celtic Tree Ogham or Ogham Alphabet using real cuttings from the different Trees. Twigs for the handles with the corresponding leaf underneath the bowl. Powerful spoons returning us to our roots and the Natural world.
The Celtic Tree Ogham was created by the Druids as a secret language around 3rd Century CE. The letters were a series of notches or Runes associated with different trees and the first alphabet known to this country. Oghams were used as divination tools. These were sticks from the different trees with the ogham symbol or Rune inscribed on them and when they were thrown on the ground, studying the symbolism of where they fell was an art form that only a druid could read.
Here are the Ogham Trees representing the 13 Months of the Celtic Year.
Birch ~ DEC 24th – JAN 20th
Rowan ~ JAN 21st – FEB 17th
Ash ~ FEB 18th -MAR 17th
Alder ~ MAR 18th – APR 14th
Willow ~ APR 15th -MAY 12th
Hawthorn ~ MAY 13th -JUNE 9th
Oak ~ JUNE 10th – JULY 7th
Holly ~ JULY 8th – AUG 4th
Hazel ~ AUG 5th – SEPT 1st
Vine/Bramble ~ SEPT 2nd – SEPT 29th
Ivy ~ SEPT 30th – OCT 27th
Reed/Broom/Wheatgrass ~ OCT 28th – NOV 23rd
Elder ~ NOV 24th – DEC 23rd
There are 21 Celtic Tree Oghams in total. Below are the Trees that are associated to important days within the year and Trees that are for parts of the year.
Beech ~ The Tree of the Year
Apple ~ The lighter half of the year. May Day to Samhain/Halloween
Blackthorn ~ 31st OCT SAMHAIN & Darker part of the Year. Samhain/halloween to May Day.
Gorse ~ Spring Equinox, MARCH 19th – 21st
Heather ~ Summer Solstice JUNE, 20th – 22nd
Aspen ~ Autumn Equinox SEPT 21st – 24th
Yew ~ Winter Solstice DEC 20th – 23rd
Pine/Mistletoe ~ DEC 23rd – Proverbial ‘Year and a Day’
It wasn’t until the 6th Century when the Roman alphabet pushed out the Ogham Alphabet which is why its not widely known about today.
I hope you have enjoyed your History Lesson and have learnt something extraordinary re-connecting you to the land and our ancestors on the British Isles.