Icelandic magical staves

Icelandic magical staves (Icelandic: galdrastafir) are sigils that were credited with supposed magical effect preserved in various Icelandic grimoires dating from the 17th century and later.[1]

Table of magical staves
Icelandic nameManuscript descriptionImage
Að unni“To get a girl”, this magical stave is used by a man in love to gain the affections of the object of his desires.[2]
ÆgishjálmurHelm of Awe (or Helm of Terror); to induce fear, protect the warrior, and prevail in battle.[3]
AngurgapiCarved on the ends of barrels to prevent leaking.
BrýnslustafirFor use on whetstones.[4]
DraumstafirTo dream of unfulfilled desires.[4]
DreprúnTo kill an enemy's cattle.[5]
FeingurA fertility rune.[4]
GapaldurTwo staves, kept in the shoes, gapaldur under the heel of the right foot and ginfaxi under the toes of the left foot, to magically ensure victory in bouts of Icelandic wrestling (glíma).
Ginfaxi
HólastafurTo open hills.
KaupalokiTo prosper in trade and business.
LásabrjóturTo open a lock without a key.
LukkustafirWhoever carries this symbol with them encounters no evil, neither on the sea nor on the land.[6]
MáladeilanTo win in court.[7]
NábrókarstafurA stave used when making necropants (nábrók), a pair of trousers made from the skin of a dead man that are capable of producing an endless supply of money.[8]
SkelkunarstafurTo make your enemies afraid.[9] (A similar looking stave is titled Óttastafur in the Huld Manuscript.)
Rosahringur minniA lesser circle of protection.
SmjörhnúturButterknot, to find out if butter was made using milk stolen by a Tilberi.[10]
Stafur gegn galdriStaves against witchcraft.[11]
Stafur til að vekja upp draugTo invoke ghosts and evil spirits.
ÞjófastafurFor use against thieves.[12]
TóustefnaTo ward off foxes.[13]
Varnarstafur ValdemarsValdemar's Protection Stave; increases favor and happiness.
VatnahlífirProtection against drowning.
VegvísirTo guide people through rough weather.[4]
VeiðistafurFor luck in fishing.
gollark: Yes, which doesn't make it good or better than alternatives.
gollark: Similarly, it is possible to write one in BrainF[EXPUNGED] if you can interface it with TCP sockets somehow.
gollark: Yes, this is wrong, you *can* just about write a good website in PHP.
gollark: Yes, popularity leads to extra effects like good libraries and such, but there are lots of other popular web-y languages now.
gollark: Evidently, many are wrong.

See also

References
  1. ""Staves or magical signs" Galdrastafir - Strandagaldur ~ Galdrasýning á Ströndum ~ Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft". www.galdrasyning.is.
  2. Lbs 4375 8vo, Iceland, 1900-1949 in the National Library in Reykjavík
  3. McCoy, Daniel. "The Helm Of Awe". Norse Mythology for Smart People. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  4. Huld Manuscript ÍB 383 4 in the National Library in Reykjavík
  5. From a 17th-century grimoire, in the Antikvarisk-Topografiska Arkivet in Stockholm.
  6. Huld Manuscript ÍB 383 4] in the National Library in Reykjavík
  7. From a 19th-century manuscript, lbs 4375 8vo, in the National Library in Reykjavík.
  8. "Nábrókarstafur - Strandagaldur ~ Galdrasýning á Ströndum ~ Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft". www.galdrasyning.is.
  9. From Skuggi. Ársritið Jólagjöfin 4. Ár. 1940. "GALDRA-SKRÆÐA" by Jochum M. Eggertson
  10. "Butterknot - Tilberi ~ Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft". www.galdrasyning.is.
  11. From a 17th-century manuscript, lbs 143 8vo, in the National Library in Reykjavík.
  12. From a 17th-century medical text, am 434a 12mo, in the Arnemagnean Collection in Reykjavík.
  13. From a 19th-century manuscript, lbs 4375 8vo, in the National Library in Reykjavík.


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