Bones, Horns, and Necromancy: A Snapshot Into My Newfound Gems
A got a few lovely gift cards for my Christmas, which really made it a nice one. One of these was for a taxidermy store in the city called Paxton Gate that I absolutely love. Taxidermy, bones, oddities, crystals, plants, and more! Shown here are the bones I got on my first trip; Coyote rib, springbok horn, coyote vertebrae, and badger baculum. Here’s a bit of info on these bones and how I plan to use them under the cut.
Bones are a common tool in magic of the low variety, whether it be folk magic, witchcraft, or anywhere in between on a sliding scale. The utilization of animal bones in magic is mostly based off of the spirits within them, and it’s the spirits residue or energy that gives it power. However, you don’t always need to work with the spirit of the bones directly for their use. It’s one use of them, though, to contact and awaken their spirits. Those that are closest to the heart, head, or spine will have the most residue, and it requires things such as offerings, incense, and reddening the bones to wake them. Reddening the bones (by blood, ink, or fruit, a symbol of life but also of grosser bodies and the physical Saturnian bond) will bind them to the user and fully ignite their flame of power. A sort of consecration for the bones.
The bones shown above are a coyote rib, springbok horn, coyote vertebrae, and raccoon baculum, although I switched the raccoon out for a badger. Two of these connect a specific animal native to my area, which is the coyote, and so, by utilizing these bones and waking them up, I create a connection to an animal that I can regular find here. I plan on getting the skull too, soon. All these points connect strongly to the animal’s spirit, by head, heart, or spine. I plan on making a necklace with the vertebrae to wear around my neck. Thus, altogether connecting me to the land. But also to the trickster, or the Man in Black. As a witchcraft inclined person, I tend to want to connect to the primeval, more trickster-y spirits of the land and wild. This animal purely embodies the trickster of my home, just as a wolf or fox might with others.
Along with the skull, I’ll also be getting another springbok horn. I plan on setting it up on an altar so that they kinda adorn the skull. I want to communicate with the spirits, as well, as animal spirits can be used in anything employing a spiritual agent, as well as just learning from them. I plan on giving them libations of pomegranate juice and red wine from California, to further consecrate them. This is a good idea for any bioregional or land based magicians in my area, as the alcohol itself comes from nearby. The springbok is a foreign animal but still good. I love horned animals, but felt a call to the calmer, less Saturnia animal. I can feel it’s spirit is old and was ready to pass on. It feels proud and wild, which makes this horned spirit good for amplification of magic. This one also connects to the head, making it have some of the strongest magical residue. This one and the vertebrae. The coyote rib having a little at its tip.(edited)
Now! Onto the baculum. This one is certainly the most interesting bone. If you don’t know why, that’s probably because you don’t that baculum means dick bone. I have a badger dick bone. But why? Well, baculums can be used in a large number of ways. They’re often carried, worn, or hung up as a charm for good luck and warding off spirits and dark magic. This is most likely because of the old Roman charms of stone penis’s that would bring good luck and ward things off. Dicks bring luck, I guess. But they’re also used for all sorts of sympathetic magic relating to sexual things. That is, breaking a baculum with someone’s name causes impotency. Rubbing the baculum gets them heated. Wearing one attracts suitors. Etc. Why badger? Badger bones can be used in offensive and protective magic. I also associate them with digging things up, so digging up suitors, for instance.
