The Spear of Lugh Eisteddfod
Crafting the Spear of Lugh
by Fox
I was originally asked out of the blue by Bobcat to craft a staff for the trophy for the Eisteddfod. I was honoured to be asked. I got to thinking and looked into the stories of the Druids. The Spear caught my imagination. I saw it as more of a symbol then a thing of battle, though still with the strength to defend the bearer.
After making drawings of several ideas, I went to see Bobcat. Between us we decided on the drawings to be placed onto and into the shaft. The idea of the three collars of drawings came from the three sun rays of the awen symbol. I wanted to leave a lot of space on the shaft for the bearers' names to be placed upon it. Over time, the shaft would become full of names as each bearer held the spear for a year and a day.
While I could have made the shaft myself, I felt that a master of martial skills should craft it, so I approached Stav master Graham Butcher. The shaft was crafted from oak. I can not say why I chose this wood, it just seemed right to me. The forger of the head was harder. I knew weapon forgers, but while highly skilled, none of them seemed right for the job. It was quite by chance I came upon a young man just starting out forging weapons. His work was plain and simple but carried the energy and love he had for his craft in the blades. I chose a simple but well made spear head from him. I set to work in a sacred place, burning and carving the patterns on the the shaft, brought the head to a high reflection as a mirror for the spirit of bearers, and sung life into the spear as the head was fitted and the spear completed.
The first time the spear was seen was at the first Druid Camp I went to. After presenting the spear to Bobcat for her appraisal, the spear was taken round as many people as I could find to be held and introduced to them. Things started to happen around the spear. I walked in to a tent to find a man just staring at me. When asked, he told me he had dreamed the night before of a man with a spear with patterns upon the shaft, almost the same as the spear I held.
I was asked to hold onside of the gateway to the west with the spear in the evening's ritual, presenting the spear to Bobcat during the ritual. That night the women took the spear off with them to the grove. I have no idea what they did to it up there and I really do not want to know. The spear was smooth and polished when I gave it to Bobcat, when it was returned to me the following day, it was dull, raw, the shaft was so rough to the touch.
So, after I had talked with the blue fire smiths, I asked for males to come to the grove at a set time to do our part with the spear. Twelve men came to join me in the grove. The spear was carried by one of the men's daughters named Rhiannon. From a branch in the grove, a partly forged long sword hung, fire created in the centre, the mead horn was passed. The smith's hammer struck the blade and the sound resonated around the grove, as the deep ringing faded. It was struck again on that day at the sun's highest point. The men worked there craft and smoothed and tempered the spear. As the spear left the grove, The shaft was smooth and the head shined...
The Spear of Lugh has been an honour to craft. The crafting of the spear and some of the things that has happened to me with it helped me to begin the healing path after my wife died so suddenly. She shined brighter then I could ever polish the spear head.
About the craftsman
Fox has been a sacred crafter for a number of years, crafting ritual tools for Pagans of all paths. Keeping the natural lines and beauty of the wood used in his work as much as he can is important to him.
Having skills in a lot of areas, including pyrogphary, fletching and carving, and a background in martial skills, helps him craft a lot of his work to be practical and strong as well as magical.
Fox draws his influence from the world and people around him. A keen musician, his crafted pieces are often sung or played over with a flute to add to their charm.
Fox can be contacted by email at spiralpyrofox@yahoo.co.uk