How The Horseshoe Became A Symbol Of Good Luck
Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - It's a common ancient superstition that a horse symbolizes good luck. The lucky emblem's status has survived over the centuries, and many ancient societies considered a horseshoe sacred. There are still debates about how a horseshoe should be positioned to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits in modern times.
The ancient history of how the horseshoe became associated with good luck is rather fascinating.
Left: Horseshoe. Credit: Pixabay - Public Domain - Right: The St Dunstan legend. French painting by Antoine St Aubert. Credit: Public Domain
Horseshoes Were Made By Blacksmiths Who Possessed Supernatural Skills
One reason horseshoes were considered lucky was that they were made by blacksmiths who held a high status in society. It was believed that blacksmiths possessed supernatural skills and knowledge of white magic against witchery.
There were many famous blacksmiths, such as Wayland the Smith, a legendary master blacksmith, and Lord of the Elves. Wayland the Smith was known under different names in the folklore of many ancient cultures; in French, he is Galand. In German folklore, this prominent figure is known as Wieland. In Norse mythology, the Smith is called Volund.
Fairies Were Afraid Of Iron
Ancient myths and legends tell stories about fairy folk that lived what is now Northern Europe and the British Isles during the Stone Age period.
Credit: Pixabay - Public Domain
Around 400 B.C. Celtic tribes invaded the lands, and the fairy people had to hide in forests where they camouflaged themselves by wearing green clothes. Sometimes, the Celts encountered the mysterious, magical "little people" living in the woods. These tiny beings were also referred to as elves and goblins.
There are many ancient stories about the fairy folk. Several of the tales have been passed down from one generation to another.
The leprechaun is one of the most famous and influential creatures of the Irish Faerie Folk.
A portrait of a fairy, by Sophie Gengembre Anderson (1869). Credit: Public Domain
It was believed that witches got their power from the fairy people in the very distant past. The fairies were accused of causing many misfortunes among the settlers. People thought the creatures possessed evil powers and they could cast spells. However, people became convinced the fairies were afraid of iron. Horseshoes were made of iron, a metal that was considered sacred in ancient times.
To ward off goblins and evil spirits from their homes, the people hung iron horseshoes over their front doors. "Horseshoes were doubly frightening to the little people because they looked like the Celtic moon god's crescent," Donald E. Dossey states in his book, "Holiday Folklore, Phobias, and Fun."
St. Dunstan And His Meeting With The Devil
Legend credits St. Dunstan with giving the horseshoe, hung above a house door, special power against evil. St Dunstan, the 10th century English saint, was born near Glastonbury in England.
Dunstan was a blacksmith, and he became the Archbishop of Canterbury in 959 A.D. he became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is also St Dunstan, the 10th century English saint born near Glastonbury in England.
From The Horse Shoe by Edward G. Flight, we learn that one day, St. Dustan was visited by a man the saint quickly recognized as the devil.
Monastic Chapel 1920, Holy Cross Monastery, West Park, New York. Credit: Randy OHC - Flickr - CC BY 2.0
The devil asked him to attach horseshoes to his cloven hooves. St. Dustan did what he was told, but he also explained that he would have to shackle the devil to the wall to perform the service. The blacksmith deliberately made the job so excruciatingly painful that the bound devil repeatedly begged for mercy. St. Dunstan refused to release him until he gave his solemn oath never to enter a house where a horseshoe was displayed above the door.
This is the story behind one of the great traditions of folklore: the nailing of a horseshoe over a door.
Many people still believe that hanging a horseshoe in the home can ward off evil spirits, provided it hung with the two ends hanging up, forming a u-shape.
Updated on January 14, 2022
Written by Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
Expand for referencesMore From Ancient Pages
-
Mystery Of The Ancient Double-Headed Eagle Symbol
Ancient Symbols | Oct 11, 2017
-
Elli – Norse Goddess And Symbol Of Old Age That No One Ever Could Defeat
Featured Stories | Dec 21, 2017
-
Omphalos – Mysterious Ancient Sacred Object And Its Meaning
Artifacts | May 24, 2017
-
Huge 2,000-Year-Old Roman Basilica Discovered In Israel May Have Been Built By Herod The Great
Archaeology | Jul 29, 2021
-
Spectacular Vardzia Cave Monastery – Huge Underground Complex Founded By The ‘Mountain Queen’ Tamar
Featured Stories | Dec 28, 2015
-
Riddle Of The Two Calicuts And How We Got History Wrong
Archaeology | Jan 20, 2023
-
LIDAR Technology Reveals Lost Bronze Age Forts In Devon
Archaeology | May 4, 2020
-
Can Pollen Analysis Solve The Ice Age Mystery How And When Homo Sapiens Migrated Across Europe And Asia?
Archaeology | Sep 23, 2023
-
Intriguing 3,400-Year-Old Multipurpose Pyramid Found In Kazakhstan
Archaeology | Nov 2, 2023
-
French Grotte de Cussac Cave Reveals Secrets On Life And Death 25,000-30,000 Years Ago
Archaeology | Jun 22, 2020
-
Hidden Details In Ancient Egyptian Tomb Paintings Revealed By Chemical Imaging
Featured Stories | Jul 28, 2023
-
2,000-Year-Old Stringed Instrument Found In Vietnam
Archaeology | Feb 22, 2023
-
Discovery Of 1500-Year-Old Celestial Observatory Dated To Sassanian Empire
Archaeology | Mar 16, 2017
-
Satellites Discover Over 160 Hidden Ancient Mounds In North America
Archaeology | Aug 2, 2018
-
Mysterious Philistines: They Migrated Across Mediterranean – DNA Testing Shows
Archaeology | Jul 4, 2019
-
Disgusting Vandalism And Looting Of Viking Graves In Norway
News | Nov 6, 2020
-
3,000-Year-Old Ancient Egyptian Artifact Seized By US Agents In Memphis
Archaeology | Aug 29, 2022
-
DNA From 10,000-Year-Old Scandinavian Chewing Gum Reveals Stone Age Diet
DNA | Jan 19, 2024
-
‘Blue Highways’ Helped Middle Stone Age Humans Who Survived The Toba Supereruption 74,000 Years Ago
Evolution | Mar 26, 2024
-
Enigma Of Étienne Le Ray – Unusual Vagabond Prophet Nicknamed Nostradamus Of Brittany
Featured Stories | Sep 28, 2020