Featured Mineral
Luna's Mandala is excited to announce a new Featured Mineral. The Featured Mineral page will provide detailed information and a series of pictoral examples that will be periodically updated every three months.
These beautiful examples are available at the shop for purchase. Or email luna@lunasmandala.com if you are interested in anything.
Our current feature:
Animal carvings are commonly referred to as
fetishes, totems or just good luck charms.
Fetishes usually are carved by Native Americans in honor of their long time traditions with animal spirits, as they believe that animals are closer than humans to the creator…These are carvings of “power”.
Totems are commonly seen in the totem poles found in the Northwest. The sad part is that wood will decay and rot over time, so it does not make the best material. If the wood carving is not exposed to the elements it can last quite a long time if properly cared for. Wood is commonly used in carvings coming from Indonesia and the artists from that region truly capture the spirit of the creature.
The term spirit totems however refer to an animal that a person is drawn to or is commonly seen in their lives. These animals remind us of challenges that we face or things that we dream of (horse = freedom, eagle = soaring).
Either way, people choose to collect these charms, made out of a variety of different materials, as reminders. Some people collect different types of animals (Zuni carvings, favorite artists, etc.) or they focus on one carving or animal that “speaks” to them. You can wear an animal charm, put them in your “pouch”, add them to a sand or salt bowl, or in a place of honor on your alter. One of my favorite fetishes is in my crystal bowl (a bowl that has crystals, feathers, and sage…)
Carving has been around almost as long as humans have been in existence. The earliest forms were more along the lines of knapping (arrowheads) and were for useful items. As humans developed, so did their creativity. Artful designs were added to everyday items like pots, pipes, ceremonial masks, etc.
One of the oldest carvings found thus far is a 35,000 year old, 2.4 inch sculpture of a woman made from ivory (a less than common material at the time). This sculpture was found in southern Germany in 2008. The most commonly known is the Venus of Willendorf that was found in 1908 in Austria. It dates 24,000 BC – 22,000 BC, and measures approximately 4 3/8 inches. The carving is made from limestone, a common material used in earlier carvings. It is said that her “voluptuous” figure symbolizes fertility. The true purpose of the carving is not known, but there is much speculation that the figure was meant to bring abundance to the village, person, etc.
Some common materials used for carving are: soapstone, marble, limestone and semi-precious gemstones (malachite, jasper, tigers eye, fluorite, etc.) Depending on how hard the stone is, the types of tools can vary. For instance if you are carving out of soapstone, a finger nail can make indentations. Most stones these days are harder and metal tools are used in the carving process.
TRIVIA:
WHAT ANIMAL IS CARVED BELOW….10% OFF NEXT ONE ITEM PURCHASED.
To view past FEATURES, click below:
Fluorite (Archive 1)
Selenite (Archive 2)
Animal Carvings (Archive 3)
Fossils (Archive 4)
Mandala (Archive 5)
Calcite (Archive 6)
Obsidian (Archive 7)
Going Green (Archive 8)
Quartz (Archive 9)
Kyanite (Archive 10)
Our New Space (Archive 11)
