The ogham and the universal truth of the trees as above, so below the ogham and the universal truth of the trees as above, so below by montalbano, dean a. The book of ballymote 91 the book of lecan 1416 these manuscripts refer to older sources. In it multilple books are combined amo ng others also lebor ogaim the book of ogams, also known as the ogam tract, is an old irish treatise on the ogham alphabet. Even the younger futhark is introduced as a kind of viking ogham nrs. For over a hundred years it was a treasured possession of the mcdonaghs of corran. While there is only one entry in the herb list, i developed the rest of this list using the same rules that would have been used to create the lists that are recorded. May 11, 2012 the eleventh century lebor gabala erenn tells that ogham was invented soon after the fall of the tower of babel, as does the fifteenth century auraicept na neces text. However, the 14th century book of ballymote leabhar bhaile an. A 15th century treatise on ogham, the book of ballymote, confirms that ogham.
Stewart that i first heard where the faery tunes of ireland, like pretty girl milking a cow, and the faery tunes of ocarolan, came from. Each ogham is listed by its ancient gaelic name, then its modern irish name and then its welsh counterpart. Ogham divination in the summerlands ogham, divination. These manuscripts mainly concern themselves with recording how the ogham was used as an alphabet system. In the book of ballymote, the invention of ogham was achieved when ogma sunface raised four pillars of equal length, and it was upon these pillars that the characters of the letters were etched. Celtic spiritualitythe book of ogham is a practical manual for divination using the ancient. For divination during magical ceremonies, small staves, each with their own. However, there is no direct evidence that the ogham alphabet was used in antiquity for divination or any other magical purposes. It opens the doors to the authentic understanding of ancient celtic cosmology and psychology in ways that have never been done before. The scholars primer says that ogham was only to be used by learned men would they be monks or druids. Oct 31, 20 however, the 14 th century book of ballymote leabhar bhaile an mhota contains genealogies, mythologies, and histories of ireland written in ogham script.
It is easy to read and comes highly recommended in discussions on ogham. Ogma was a sun god, known as ogma grianaineac sun face or ogma cermait honeytongued whom irish mythology tells us is the inventor of ogham. Leabhar bhaile an mhota book of ballymote the book of ballymote shows many forms of the script, including the beth, luis, nion ogham in the form of a wheel, known as fionns window. Sunface, as a proof of his ingenuity, and that this speech. The book of ogham makes great usage of useful patterns in addition to smaller scale precision and larger scale organization. However, the ogham was never actually used this way by the celts but was rather used as an alphabet to write inscriptions on stones, trees, and staffs from around the 4th century to the 10th century. In an irish legend, a druid writes down ogham letters on yew sticks and then uses them for divination, but it gives no further details.
Divination with the ogham wiki witchcraft basics 101 amino. It also contains treatises on metre and the profession of a poet, on the ogham writing and language. The original twenty letters each consist of from one to five straight lines or notches intersecting a stem line. This is a technique for divining the sex of an unborn child. In lebor ogaim the book of ogams, also known as the ogam tract, is an old irish treatise. The ogham tract also gives a variety of around 100 variant or secret modes of writing ogham 92 in the book of ballymote, for example the shield ogham ogam airenach, nr. Knowledge of ogham is thought to have passed down the generations orally until the medieval times. A calendar of thirteen months named for certain sacred trees. In the story, druid dalan takes four wands of yew, and writes. Ogham oham is an ancient alphabet used to write old irish and other. The scholars primer, the values of the forfeda and the book of ogham.
Kelly gives us an ogham which is based largely on the wordoghams of the book of ballymote. In the book of ballymote, written in 91, the invention of ogham was achieved when. In the book of ballymote, the invention of ogham was achieved when ogma sunface raised four pillars of equal. We read the signs, the art, and the ways of mother nature to give us clues and insight into our own lives.
Ogham is an early medieval alphabet used primarily to represent the old irish language. The name of the pregnant woman is divided there unless she. Fionns wheel is a cryptic figure that is found within the book of ballymote and its treatise on ogham. It then presents the many different variants of the ogham found in the book of ballymote. Introduction to the celtic ogham witches of the craft. This online exhibition takes a look at some of the scholarly works undertaken on the book of ballymote. The book of ballymote also contains older manuscripts which contain ogham script, such as the 11 th century lebor gabala erenn the book of the taking of ireland and the 7 th century. The book of babymote also includes nintytwo recorded secret modes of writing ogham written in 9091 ce. Ballymote gave an overview of each letter, its meaning, and its particular plant, mostly trees, so the ogham has also been called the tree alphabet. In this book, you will find ways to use the ogam for divination, ideas on incorporating ogam into ritual, discussions of how. The celtic tree ogham has been and is still used as a tool for divination. A 15th century treatise on ogham, the book of ballymote, confirms that ogham was a secret, ritualistic language. Runes, celtic religions and celtic history 2nd edition free bonus included.
The ogam tract also gives a variety of some 100 variant or secret modes of writing ogham 92 in the book of ballymote, for example the shield ogham ogam airenach, nr. Fionns wheel is a diagram found in the book of ballymote. A 15th century treatise on ogham, the book of ballymote, confirms that. These divination cards are based on the mnemonic lists, as found in the book of ballymote. For more details on the book of ballymote, there is a fabulous website. The book of ballymote illustration ancient history. A complete system of oghamic divination four different methods of divination the lore of each of the 20 ogham characters instructions on how to make ogham fews celtic psychology. The book of armaugh, the book of ballymote a primary source for oghams, the tain bo. I feel these patterns are in deep harmony with celtic and other western traditions as well as recreated or newly created ideas to fill in the gaps or extend into new territory. Fionns window the feige find is a graphic representation of the celtic underworld. It also includes a fascinating set of ogham symbols known as the sacred branch thought to have been used in magic. Some of the irish manuscripts used as references on druids are. Irish bardic texts provide evidence for the use of ogham in magic and divination. The book of ballymote leabhar bhaile an mhota ria ms 23 p 12 written on vellum, probably around 91, the book of ballymote was produced by the scribes manus oduignan, solomon odroma, and robert mcsheedy, for tonnaltagh mcdonagh, whose clan kept the manuscript until the early 16th century, when it came into the hands of the odonnell clan.
The book of lecan 1416, book of ballymote 91 and book of leinster 12th century are some medieval manuscripts that record the use of ogham as an alphabet system. The ogham alphabet consists of twenty letters to which a further five were added at a late stage in its development, probably later than the 8th century. A group of twenty sacred trees that give names to the letters of the ogham alphabet. Two of the earliestprinted mentions of the ogham alphabet appears in irish monastic works. The secret language of the druids pdf book library.
Fionns window, an oracular map most probably used as a design upon which ogham sticks were cast for divination, was discovered in the 14th century book of ballymote and like the ogham can also be used as a magical symbol in its own right as. Ogam scales from the book of ballymote equinox project. The book of ballymote is an iconic and hugely important 14th century irish manuscript. Ogham is an early medieval alphabet used primarily to write the early irish language and later. The book of leinster 12th century the book of ballymote 91 the book of lecan 1416. According to the highland society of scotlands dictionary of the gaelic language 1828 ce, ogham is the occult manner of writing used by the ancient irish. In it multilple books are combined among others also lebor ogaim the book of ogams, also known as the ogam tract, is an old irish treatise on the ogham. The cad goddeau, battle of the trees, and the book of taliesin. The ogham tract is independent of the auraicept, and is our main source for the briatharogaim. There is slight evidence of the use of ogham as divination in irish myth, and this is what ogham is used for today by many celtic pagans and druids. Ogham was developed during the roman empire and demonstrates the spread of its influence far beyond the imperial frontiers. In the ancient book of ballymote, an important reference for scholars of ogham, we are told that ogma, much skilled in dialects and poetry, as proof of his intellect, invented ogham for signing secret speech known only to the learned, to the exclusion of rustics and herdsmen. The book of ogham is a great introductory book on the ogham.
Dec 26, 2018 the ogham tract also gives a variety of around 100 variant or secret modes of writing ogham 92 in the book of ballymote, for example the shield ogham ogam airenach, nr. It shows all 25 oghams arranged around a series of concentric circles this diagram can be used to divine paths necessary for pathworking, a very powerful shamanicmagical technique. The book of ballymote was written by a scribe and named for the parish of ballymote, county sligo, in 90 or 91. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
The ogham staves can be used for divination, either for yourself or others, as a. Introduction to the magic of the ogham trees eco enchantments. The ogham letters were usually inscribed on trees, sticks, and stakes. Jul 11, 2019 ballymote gave an overview of each letter, its meaning, and its particular plant, mostly trees, so the ogham has also been called the tree alphabet. Even the younger futhark are introduced as a kind of viking ogham nrs.
Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. I dont know really know much about it except that it is full of ogham, like this page here. Ogham is used as a source of divination, but i personally believe that this is a rather. The word oghams from the book of ballymote, the yellow book of lechan and the. The word divination comes from the latin word divinare, which means to foresee or be inspired by a god. Book of ballymote historical manuscript britannica. Mar 27, 2014 this, as much as the divinatory material, opens the reader to vistas as yet uncharted in the fields of celtic studies.
The book of ballymote also contained several diagrams using the ogham fews, but the purpose of them are unknown to this day. Book of ballymote leabhar bhaile an mhota royal irish academy. The first group of 5 is from the north on fionns wheel. I have been working with the trees and the strange alphabet based on them, and reputed to be one of the only things to have come to us from the druids, since the mid 1980s.
One of the first ogham books to come out was liz and colin murrays celtic tree. Finally, it provides some startingpoint ideas about using the ogham for divination and magic, and some useful appendices, including a readytocopy set of ogham. The book of ballymote shows many forms of the script, including the beth, luis, nion ogham in the form of a wheel, known as fionns window. Old irish manuscripts, the book of leinster, written around 1160 and the book of ballymote, written around 90 or 91, gives overviews of each letter, its meaning, and its particular plant or tree its associated with. The book of ballymote ogham alphabet, irish language, celtic.
The knowledge of the trees the father of ogham is ogma, the mother of ogham is the hand or knife of ogma. Since it was presented to the academy in 1785 many scholars have worked to decipher, disseminate and debate its content and form. Fionns window, an oracular map most probably used as a design upon which ogham sticks were cast for divination, was discovered in the 14th century book of ballymote and like the ogham can also be used as a magical symbol in its own right as well as a mandala for contemplation and meditation. Ogham characters are often boasted as a form of divination for modern druids. The book of ballymote 14th century, ireland the ogham alphabet consists of symbols chosen to represent different types of trees, sounds, ideas and images from ancient druidic lore. The book of ballymote leabhar bhaile an mhota, is an iconic and hugely important 14th century irish manuscript. A deep exploration of celtic spiritualitythe book of ogham is a practical manual for divination using the ancient celtic characters of ogham writing.
The book of ballymote indicates that there were a number of secret ways in which ogham could be used to communicate nonverbally. I found it was better for longterm divination than shortterm, but it did work. Leabhar na huidhre and the books of ui mhaine, ballymote, lecan and fermoy in bernadette cunningham and siobhan fitzpatrick eds, treasures of the royal irish academy library dublin, 2009, 1731. The book of leinster, written circa 1160 and the book of ballymote, an irish medieval manuscript written in 90 or 91.
Other uses of ogham have been found in manuscripts, and these provide more insight. It also includes a fascinating set of ogham symbols known as the sacred branch thought to have been used in. The equinox project reproduces this article by barry fell from the epigraphical society occasional papers vol. Finger ogham equates the five letters of each pillar with the thumb and four fingers, such that the first letter of each pillar b, h, m, a are found from the tip to the base joint of the thumb, and so on. Each tally is given with pronunciation, a list of correspondences not just trees, quotes from old irish about the tree associated with the tally, and skips own divinatory meanings, gleaned from his years of practice. Part of the work is devoted to sagas of finn and brian boru, while the book of rights, which odonovan translated and edited in 1847, is taken entirely from the book of ballymote. The knowledge of the ogham was passed down orally until it was recorded in dome medieval manuscripts the book of leinster in the 12 th century, the book of ballymote in 91 see picture below and the book of lecan in 1416. Its also the only ogham book with photos of the 122 different oghams in the book of ballymote and what they represent. Catalogue of irish manuscripts in the royal irish academy dublin, 1943, fasc. Included in the book were several diagrams using the ogham fews, but the purpose of these diagrams is a mystery.
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