Item Tag: Metal

This magical roots amulet contains a raven, a heart, a crescent moon, and a solar cross (the sun) atop a broom. These sit at strategic places across the branches of a rue sprig. This talisman can be utilized in spells and incantations containing these powerful symbolic pagan elements. INCLUDES Charm and necklace chain in a black velvet jewelry bag. You can also choose just the charm alone to use on your own cord or chain, or have me make a pair of earrings for you by selecting the option. MEASUREMENTS The charm is about 1.3″ tall x 1.14″ across x .078″ thick (33mm x 29mm x 2mm). The necklace chain is offered in your choice of length from 16″ to 50″ (40cm to 127cm). MATERIALS The pendant is an antiqued silver zinc alloy casting. The necklace chains and optional earring hooks are made with hypo-allergenic Stainless steel. ABOUT The cimaruta (“chee-mah-roo-tah”; plural cimarute) is an Italian folk charm, a type traditionally worn around the neck or hung above an infant’s bed to ward off the evil eye (Italian: mal’occhio). Commonly made of silver, the amulet itself consists of several small apotropaic charms (some of which draw upon Christian symbolism), with each individual piece attached to what is supposed to represent a branch of rue—the flowering medicinal herb for which the whole talisman is named, “cimaruta” being a Neapolitan form of cima di ruta: Italian for “sprig of rue”. The component parts of the cimarute, which are particularly associated with southern Italy, may differ by region of origin. From out of a central stalk of rue serving as its base, there radiate multiple branches which appear to blossom into various designs; the divergent branches “sprout” at their extremities such magical symbols as: a rose; a hand holding either a wand or a sword; a flaming heart; a fish; a crescent moon; a snake; an owl; a plumed medieval helmet; a vervain blossom; a dolphin; a cock; and an eagle. One cimaruta, for example, might bear the collective imagery of a key, dagger, blossom and moon. Along with various other documented elements of regional magic traditions, the cimaruta is (alleged to be) in borrowed use amongst self-identified Italian-American witches. Some practitioners of the Neopagan “religion of witchcraft” Stregheria (or “Streghe”) may consider it a remnant of a more ancient Italian magic tradition, such as that detailed by Charles Leland in his 1899 text Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches (which—apart from directly influencing the development of Stregheria—claimed the existence of an insular pagan witch-cult active in Italy). Author Raven Grimassi in his book The Cimaruta: And Other Magical Charms From Old Italy (2012) discusses the charm as a sign of membership in the “Society of Diana” which he refers to as an organization of witches. Grimassi argues that the Cimaruta was originally a witchcraft charm used by witches that was later arrogated by Italian Folk Magic, and that Christian symbols were then added to the original Pagan symbols. THE CIMARUTA The cimaruta is a very old charm rooted in the lore of the Old Religion of Italy. Like many of the lasting ancient symbols and beliefs the cimaruta design eventually took on symbolic elements of Catholicism. One example of a Christian addition to the design is the appearance of “the sacred heart” of Jesus. However, ancient Roman charms did include a heart symbol, which may indicate that the heart on the cimaruta is a later Christianization as opposed to an entirely new creation. The traditional cimaruta is fashioned after the image of a sprig of rue, which is an herb that is highly featured in Italian magic and lore. The branch of the rue is divided into three stems symbolizing the triformis goddess Diana. Rue is one of the sacred herbs of this goddess. Various charms appear on the rue design and each one bears its own meaning (as we shall explore later in this article). The primary symbols are the moon, serpent, and key. These represent the goddess in her triple form as Hecate (the key), Diana (the moon) and Proserpina (the serpent). This ancient grouping of the goddess appears in the ancient writings of such figures as Lucan. Ovid and Horace also feature the goddess Diana in their writings related to witchcraft. In a very long article by R. T. Gunther, which appeared in the Folklore Quarterly Review (1905) we find a large array of cimaruta designs. Although the article seems to be a rebuttal against Frederick Elworthy’s research on the cimaruta there is still a lot of useful material to be found. Most noteworthy is Gunther’s acknowledgement of the cimaruta’s pagan roots, which are evident in his associating various symbols on the cimaruta with the goddess Artemis/Diana. He also suggests that the cimaruta design may have evolved from ancient tree worship. Gunther states that he does not believe the cimaruta to have been of ancient Roman origins, and he goes on to state that the cimaruta is not a single charm, but is instead a composite charm consisting of individual charms. All of these, says Gunther, appear individually as magical charms and are of considerable antiquity. One of the most common designs of the 19th century appears below and is the one that most people copy as an example. Pictures and drawings of this common folk magic design have appeared in many publications. Note the inclusion of the “sacred heart” symbol on the bottom, which is a sure sign of a newer cimaruta. This design appears circa 1888. Here we find one of the first non-witchcraft designs and uses of the cimaruta charm (as it appears in Italian folk magic versus witchcraft).