Stang

From Traditional Witchcraft Wiki Project

Stang is Old Norse for "pole", but is more generally used to refer to a bifurcated pole, i.e. a forked stick, usually of ash or hazel, but may be constructed of any wood. The stang is sometimes topped with iron tines, akin to a pitchfork, and when topped with a horsehead forms the basis of the niding pole. The stang is one of the many enchanted vehicles popularly believed to have been flown by witches to the sabbat, along with besoms, distaffs, and goats. Some witches hold that the stang is an emblem of their Horned God, and is used as an altar to such, others believe it to be representative of the World-Tree, and neither are necessarily exclusive. Some witches use the stang also to scribe their working site, call up the powers and awaken the land, others still dress it with crossed arrows and other vestments. It also has a certain correlation with the lore of the horse, especially the hobby horse, which relates to Sleipnir as the World-Tree (see also Gallows).

The stang can be used to invoke deity, mark out the compass and as a focal point in rites.In some traditions after the compass has been marked out the staff is stood upright at its centre where it represents the cosmic axis, centre of the crossroads or world tree. Its roots in the deepest parts of underworld (Annwn), its trunk passing through the centre of this world (Nor), and reaching up to the Heavens (Nevek), uniting all worlds and giving access to them.

Some traditions interpret the horns to represent the union that resolves of all dualities, Female/Male, Death/Life, Tomb/Womb, Dark/Fair etc.