Encounter with a mystical spider

 

 

1st century B.C. – A.D. 2nd century Peru - nose ornament - MET

 Peru – gold nose ornament – MET

1st century B.C. –2nd century A.D

 

 

Huntsman spider drops in

 

I arose one morning last autumn around 6am and as I sat down at my desk, I noticed high on the wall facing me, a large Huntsman spider. They are approximately the size of a clenched fist and they used to scare the bejessus out of me till I learnt they were non poisonous to humans. Huntsmen have the speed and agility to catch cockroaches and other insects., so I welcomed its presence. Around 7.30am when I opened the blinds to let in the morning sunshine it scattered sideways behind the abstract painting on the wall to my side, as they are nocturnal creatures. The next morning it was there again, this time lower on the wall in my direct line of sight and it hid behind the painting once again when I let the sun filter in.
This was a daily occurrence for 3 months during which time I learnt that they were regarded by the Druids, American Indians, Pre Columbian Central Americans and other ancient cultures as a source of creative inspiration (on a mystical level) and as the guardian of the ancient language and alphabets and that ‘those who weave magic with the written word probably have a spider totem’. Ted Andrews in “Animal Speak” mentions that ‘the Spider reminds us to awaken our own sensibilities to be more creative in life’

 

huntsman-spider friendly spider

Huntsman Spider on my wall

 

To the Osage American Indian tribe, spiders were a special symbol of patience and endurance. To the Blackfoot, they represented intelligence and skillfulness. The Ojibwe associated spider webs with their dream catchers, a type of traditional hand-woven Ojibwe craft meant to filter out bad dreams. Spiders were also highly regarded as providing the means to weave dreams and auspicious aspirations into reality. Maybe this is why to many Native Americans, it is still considered bad luck to kill a spider. It was considered good fortune to have a spider weave a web outside your window.
They called the female spiders ‘Grandmother’ because she kept and taught the mysteries of the past and how they would affect the future. The spider had the awareness to teach us how to use the written language with power and creativity, so that your words would weave a web around those who read them. (useful for a blogger) They say it is good to visualize a resplendent web that represents your deep past to bring order into the present. The intricate, fine detail on a spiderweb is truly a creative masterpiece and a sight to behold.

Associated with wisdom and divination, the spider serves as a channel of communication with the spirit world and, as such, its totem is also linked with leadership and rulers. Because the ground-dwelling tarantula  (earth spider) lives underground in spider silk-lined nests, it is thought to be closer to the realm of the dead who are buried in the earth. The spider’s ability to produce spider silk also places it in a special group of animals and insects that share skills with humans-in this case, the talent to spin or weave.
The highly creative web that the spider weaves has strands like the spokes of a wheel running in a straight line from the edge to a spiral in the middle. It is symbolic of an inner portal, more so because some have eight sectors, and are made by a spider who has eight legs and 8 eyes. This connects them to the ancient 8 sector Magic Square, long recognized by the ancient cultures of the Egyptians, Chinese, Druids, Mongolians and Peruvians to represent inner pathways and powers.
Spiders have a life span of only 3 years and tend to expire in late Autumn, so as to avoid another winter. This knowledge was useful when I came to my desk one cold morning and witnessed my spider friend draw up its legs into a symmetrical dying pose and calmly perform its final exit.

 

 

Italian-amica-absynth-photo red head girl in turquoise colour web

Model Amica, Absynth photography, Italy

 

 

amphora-art-nouveau-vase with gold nymphs in relief and a large spider web

Amphora vase with reliefs of golden nymphs and  spider web

 

 

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Andrew Whitehead spider sculpture – ‘run Scotty run’

 

 

 

amphora-twin-handled-vase-art-nouveau-era

Double handle Amphora vase

 

 

annemarie-heinrich

Annemarie Heinrich – German/Argentine photographer

1930’s Buenos Aires

 

 

a-riessner-stellmacher-kessler-porcelain-and-enamel-spiderweb-vase-turn-teplitz-bohemia-austria-circa-1905

Riessner, Stellmacher,  Kessler porcelain and enamel spiderweb vase

Turn Teplitz, Bohemia, Austria, 1905

 

 

African ceramic spider bowl, Bamum peoples. Cameroon

 

African ceramic spider bowl, Bamum peoples. Cameroon

Early to mid 20th century

The spiders decorating the rim are associated with divination throughout the Grassfields region. They represent wisdom and are associated with the earth and the ancestors.

 

 

ziegler-schaffhausen-1920s German yellow bulbous vase with black spider motif

Ziegler Schaffhausen,

Switzerland -1920’s

 

 

humler-nolan-december-2012-moorcroft-vase-depicting-a-large-black-spider-in-its-web-approaching-a-smaller-insect-silhouetted-by-a-large-full-moon

Moorcroft vase with large black spider

Humler & Nolan

 

 

art-nouveau-spider-motif-vase-on-brass-base

Exquisite Art Nouveau porcelain vase with spider motif

 

 

 

hopi-polychrome-tall-jar-with-spider-design-by-burel-naha

Tall Hopi ovoid jar with spider design by Burel Naha

 

 

Black glass art deco-spider-and-web-perfume-bottle with crystal stopper

Art Deco spider motif perfume bottle

 

Black Widow Spider hat by Kirahley Kreation on Etsy

Black Widow Spider hat by Kirahley Kreation on Etsy

 

 

carlton-ware-rare-spiders-web-vase-in-pale-blue-lustre-pattern

Pale blue vase with flowers and gold lustre spider web – Carlton Ware

 

 

 

crown-devon-fieldings-mattajade-m192-jug-spiders-web-art-deco

Fieldings Crown Devon British Art Deco jug

 

 

mens-spider-initiation-1999 possum clifford Australian indigenous painting

‘Men’s Spider Initiation’ –  Clifford Possum

Australia, 1999

 

 

maple-leaves-and-spider-web-period edo

Japanese Maple Leaves and Spider Web dish

(Traditional luck symbols)

Edo period

 

The outside spider web motif gate at Witches House in Beverly Hills.

The outside spider web motif gate at ‘Witches House’ in Beverly Hills.

 

 

vase-with-relief-decoration-of-a-spider-in-its-web-extremely-unusual-embossed-decoration-with-a-spider-web-in-icts

Charles Catteau – 1904-06

Vase with relief decoration of a spider in its web.

 

 

dame-barbara-hepworth-english-1903-1975

Barbara Hepworth

 

 

 

david-macdonald-is-among-the-pieces-on-display-during-the-ohio-craft-museums-exhibit-in-touch-with-the-spirit-running-through-march-23

David Macdonald

Ohio-Craft Museums exhibit ‘In Touch With The Spirit’

 

 

carlton-ware-may-just-be-my-new-china-obsession

Carlton Ware jug

 

 

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Art Nouveau Tri Spider Brooch – Georges Fouquet

 

 

 

gorgeous-amphora-vase-titled-sovereign-of-the-night--image-courtesy-treadway-toomey

Amphora vase titled ‘Sovereign of the Night’ ($18,000 sold).

Image courtesy Treadway Toomey.

 

 

 

goyin-silveira ceramic vessel

Goyin Silveira, Mata Ortiz

 

 

 

gourd-art-by-pamala-redhawk

Gourd Dream Catcher  by Pamala Redhawk

 

 

leila-amat-ortega

Photo –  Leila Amat Ortega

 

 

 

rainforest-shield-design-garra-spider-napolean-ouispiders-of-the-venomous-kind-were-totems-of-the-traditional-rainforest-people-of-far-north-queensland

Rainforest Shield Design – by Garra (Spider) Napolean Oui

Spiders of the venomous kind were totems of the traditional rainforest people of Far North Queensland. This totem is still used today by the Djabu

 

 

 

goyin-silveira-mata-ortiz-hand-built-polychrome-pottery-vase-olla-spider-motif-lrg

Vase olla with spider motif  – Goyin Silveira, Mata Ortiz

 

 

nazca-spider-nc-latinamericanstudies-

Nazca spider

 

 Vintage Czech Hand Made Perfume Bottle with Crown Topper. Love the Spider

 Vintage Czech Hand Made Perfume Bottle with Crown Topper.

 

 

 

orient-flume-1978-absolutely-gorgeous-vintage-art-glass-paper-weight-rare

Orient & Flume glass paper weight

1978

 

rouge-royale-carlton-ware-ginger-jar-spiders-web-pattern-with-lid

Rouge Royale Carlton Ware ginger jar

 

 

 

rare-nippon-moriage-spider-jug

Nippon Moriage Spider Jug

 

 

 

Rozenburg-eggshell-porcelain-bud-vase-with-spider-in-web-1903

Rozenburg – Eggshell porcelain bud vase with spider in web decoration

1903

 

 

 

spider-web-on-face-of-statue

Spider web veil on statue

 

 

spider-web-teapot

Spider Cobweb Teapot by MissFiendishApparel on Etsy

 

 

red-spider-lily-iflowers kebana-display

Red Spider Lily ikebana

 

 

boringsidneyspider-hat

Flapper spider hat

BoringSidney  – Etsy

 

 

 

staurino-fratelli-in-italy-spiders-mean-good-fortune-and-money

Spiderweb ring by Italian jeweller Staurino Fratelli. In Italy spiders mean good fortune and money.

 

 

pucci-spider-vase pucci-umbertide-ceramic-vase-40s-spider-vase-baldelli-rometti

‘Pucci’ spider vase, Italy 1952

Company “Ceramiche Pucci”, founded by Ing. Domenico Pucci in 1947 in Umbertide, near Perugia, was an offshoot of the Rometti factory

 

 

Liverpool street-parade-mechanized-spider

The giant spider ‘La Princesse’ coming out of hibernation by La Machine

Liverpool

 

 

tarantulalong-arana-pollito-by-isidora-lopez

Tarantulalong Arana Pollito mosaic by Isidora López

 

 

web-of-intrigue-egyptian-revival-poster

Web of Intrigue Egyptomania poster

 

 

 

spider web art-nouveau-gothique

Gothic Art Nouveau structure

 

 

 

tanya-bechara-spider-mug

Red Back Spider Mug – Tanya Bechara

Sydney, Australia

 

Spiderweb-steel Bench-by-Metal-Abuse

Spiderweb steel bench by Metal Abuse

 

 

Spider-rhinestone-jewelry-and-fishnet-fascinator

Rhinestone spiders

 

 

Spider Web Fascinator/hat

Spider Web Fascinator

 

 

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4 Comments

  1. Agus
    Posted June 2, 2020 at 2:48 am | Permalink

    Beautiful post! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  2. Carmen Dragone
    Posted December 4, 2021 at 12:45 pm | Permalink

    I am very interesting in south american culture. This blog has precious material about all the countries.

  3. Posted May 9, 2022 at 4:14 pm | Permalink

    Uttu was the Sumerian goddess of weaving.[91] Her name was a term for a part of a loom and a cognate of the Sumerian verb tuku, “weaving.”[503] While the claim that her name means “spider”[91] and that she was envisioned as a spider spinning a web[91] can be found in a number of publications, recent research shows that association between Uttu and spiders is limited to a single text (a hemerology), which connects her Sumerian name with the Akkadian word uttutu (spider).[503] She was worshiped in E-ešgar (“house of work assignment), part of the Esagil temple complex in Babylon.[503] She appears in the early myth Enki and Ninhursag,[503] in which she resists the sexual advances of her father Enki[504] but he convinces her to let him in using a gift of fresh produce and the promise that he will marry her.[504] Enki then intoxicates her with beer and rapes her.[504] She is rescued by Enki’s wife Ninhursag,[504] who removes Enki’s semen from her vagina and plants it in the ground, resulting in the growth of eight new plants, which Enki later eats.[504] She also appears in the myth Enki and the World Order and in Debate between Sheep and Grain.

  4. Anonymous
    Posted October 22, 2022 at 5:28 am | Permalink

    Love your art work

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