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The Raven Series
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The raven is one of those birds that has a tremendous amount of lore and mythology surrounding it, and it is often contradictory. It is a bird of birth and death, and it is a bird of mysticism and magic. They intrigue us and they aggravate us. There are actually five species of crows, one of which is the raven. |
The first noticeable characteristic about this bird is its striking black color. Sometimes it will have hints of deep blue and purple on the feathers as well. Black is the color of creation. It is the womb out of which the new is born. It is also the color of the night. Black is the maternal color and thus the black night gives birth to a new day. Although the raven is a diurnal or daytime bird, it reminds us that magic and creation are potentials very much alive during the day. The raven, because of its color, was a common symbol in medieval alchemy. It represented "nigredo," the initial state of substance - unformed but full of potential. |
In Roman mythology raven and crows used to be as white as swans. In fact a white raven watched over Apollo's pregnant lover at Delphos. One day the raven brought bad news to Apollo and was turned black. |
 The Raven Series Apparition 30" x 40" |
Watchfulness warns other ravens and other animals of intruders and threats - human and animal. They have been observed raising a ruckus when hunters are around, warning deer and other birds. They recognize possible dangers and they always post lookouts when feeding - their most vulnerable time. This ability to warn is connected to the raven's second most¬noticeable characteristic - its voice. The raven is actually a member of the songbird family because of its voice box structure. Although few think of the raven as a songbird, there have been many claims (unsubstantiated) over the years that when it is alone, it will sing in a soft musical voice. |
 The Raven Series What is there about the Lightest Light and the Darkest Dark 30" x 40" |
 The Raven Series Gathering of Tricksters and Sorcerers (three canvases) 12" x 16" each |
Ravens have a complex language. They have a remarkable voice range, but they actually do not sing. They' can caw in many different ways, each with its own meaning. Ravens are great at vocalizations, and they can be taught to speak. They incorporate and mimic the calls of other species.  The Raven Series Mischief 41 x 41" |
Ravens are playful and they are excellent tool users. They will use stones and anything else that is available to help them crack nuts and such. They are birds not intimidated by others, and they are very fast and wary. Because of this, they are not easy prey for other animals or birds. They are also known for their amorous behavior, reflecting the strong creative life force to which they have access. |
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The courtship and mating procedures also reflect much about the raven's association with magic. The male raven sets out to make itself as handsome as possible, and it is during this time that its voice takes on a singing quality. |
In China a three-legged sun crow was worshipped. It was a symbol of solitude. To the Athapaskan Indians of Alaska, a raven was the creator of the world. To the Celts, the raven was also associated with creation. In Biblical lore, the prophet Elijah was fed by ravens and crows while hiding in the wilderness. In the Norse tradition, the god Odin had two ravens who were his messengers. In the near East, the raven was considered unclean - because it is a scavenger. It is one of the foods listed as forbidden in the Bible. The raven is one of the birds that Noah sent out after the floods, but it did not return to the ark. On the other hand, also in Biblical lore is the tale of how a raven fed the prophet Elijah when hiding from King Ahab. |
The raven has a long history of being an omen. During the Middle Ages the croak of the raven was believed to foretell a death or the outcome of a battle. It was even taught to the common folk in Christian communities that wicked priests became ravens when they died. Even today, some old timers tell how you can expect hot weather when a raven is seen facing a clouded sun. The raven in mythology is, in many ways, comparable to the coyote tales of the plains Indians, the Bushmen tales of the mantis and other societies in which an animal plays both a significant and yet confusing role. The coyote was both trickster and wise being fool and wise one. |
Ravens are a manifestation of the Great Goddess of the Celts, Morrighan-Rhiannon, oracular, messenger, tale-bearer, and augury: a gossip. To have the foresight of the raven is a proverbial saying which refers both to the raven's knowledge and his prophetic gifts. To have raven's knowledge is an Irish phrase meaning to see all, know all. |
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The raven was a battlefield bird in both early Teutonic and Old Irish mythology. The Old Irish battle goddesses, Badb, Morrigan, Macha, all were seen on the battlefields in raven form. Cormac's Glossary describes the invocation of Morrigan in battle by war trumpets simulating the raven's cry. The raven banner of the Danes was described by the Anglo-Saxons as being a banner of pure white on which a raven became visible in time of war. The raven was also the oracular bird of the Old Irish mythological Bran; and Bran is one of modem Irish words for raven, and, figuratively, for modem chieftain. | The legend that on the presence of Bran's head in London depends the safety of the kingdom may account for the keeping of tame ravens by the Tower of London garrison to this day. The Bayeux tapestry shows William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings under a raven banner. |
Owen Glendower had a pet raven who gave him the magic stone by which he could become invisible. In Cornish folk belief Arthur lives on in raven form. The Cornish people therefore do not shoot ravens; to shoot a raven would be to shoot the hero. | |
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The raven has, in dance and legend, been invested with supernatural powers. In Tibet he is considered tbe messenger of the supreme being. As crest among the Bella Coola Indians, and as totem among K wakiutl, he serves as prototype for a dance mask. The K wakiutl cannibal dancer may appear in the guise of a raven. The great raven, gahgagoowa, is leader of the Iroquois Society of Mystic Animals, handhidos (Onondaga, Cayuga), hadihidu'us (Seneca and is invoked both in the Marching and Curing songs. | |
So it would seem that wherever ravens are, there is magic. They are symbols of creation and spiritual strength. They remind us to look for opportunities to create and manifest the magic of life. They are messengers calling to us about the creation and magic that is alive within our world every day and available to us. | <>/tr>|
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