This staff depicts a tendriled Viking serpent coiled all the way up and down the length of the staff with the set of Elder Futhark runes inscribed within its body. It stands at just shy of 63.5″ and is made of sumac wood which is both lightweight and sturdy. It is also coated with boiled linseed oil for some protection against the elements.
Tag: runes
Elder Futhark Maple Hiking Staff
I especially enjoy working with runes and the straight lines certainly make them easier to create with a handheld wood burner than some other subject matters. This staff is 57.5″ piece of maple wood and contains the elder Futhark rune set in ascending order on one side and descending order on the other. Wood burned above the one rune set is a five pointed star, or pentagram, and above the other set is a Celtic trinity knot, or triquetra. The pentagram here symbolizes fire, water, earth, air, and spirit while the triquetra symbolizes the mother-maiden-crone goddess trinity. However both symbols vary in meaning depending on their locations and cultural context. Tied to the top is a string of pyrite and skull beads. Pyrite is symbolic of luck, wealth and prosperity while also being known in mythology as a stone to induce creativity, physical health, and well being. Skulls have numerous symbolic meanings around the world and in Celtic and Norse mythology by themselves. Here they are intended to symbolize magic, creation, and transformation. And the maple wood itself is symbolically known for balance, generosity, intelligence, and longevity. I used boiled linseed oil to protect and polish the wood.
Runic White Mage Crystal Wizard Staff
This is the first piece made with direct help from our new and first shop member other than myself. He debarked the wood, did most of the sanding and gave input into the overall design of the piece as well as assisting on other projects. It measures 65” or 5’5” from the base to the top of the glass crystal. Several pieces of amethyst were added along the underside of glass crystal for stability and aesthetic reasons, but really only the central stone remained visible of wrapping it with leather rawhide. The spiral running along the length of the staff was hand carved with a steel file and then highlighted with a silver paint pen and touches of copper too. Small blemishes and imperfections that didn’t come out with intense sanding were filled in with the copper paint to add a little more overall texture and nuance to the piece. Along the top of the spiral, I then used a wood burning tool to create the Elder Futhark rune set and the three larger runes symbolizing (from left to right) good luck, protection, and strength. There’s also a five pointed star and three sided knot on opposite sides of the top. I finished it by rubbing some boiled linseed oil along the length of the staff. And since I liked the accidental darkening effect of the oil on a previous staff (and because I already got some on the rawhide anyway) I applied some to the rawhide wrapping as well – which as I mentioned in another piece may not be the best idea, but shouldn’t be a problem for what the leather is being used for.
Artist: J.R. Goslant
https://www.etsy.com/shop/AstrolabeArts
Chi Rho Templar Staff
The idea behind this piece is if a Templar Knight retired and tended to a farm this would be the staff he used. The top has a subtle natural spiral that I wanted to leave intact and to possibly serve as the hand grip (depending on your height and preference). Below the spiral I wood burned the “chi rho” and ichthys symbols, on the reverse I wood burned a Templar cross. Below those are “alpha” and “omega” followed by “INRI” and “IHS” and a runic script which reads “Milites Christi” on the respective sides. There’s also a strand of leather rawhide with a rune charm I found and thought would be fitting: “Nyd,” meaning “endurance, survival, and destiny. I then used a spray acrylic sealer and boiled linseed oil to preserve and protect the wood. Some of the oil also got onto the rawhide and darkened it slightly, but came out looking better. Boiled linseed oil isn’t typically supposed to be used on rawhide, but shouldn’t cause any problems for a static piece on a staff. It has a slight bend to it and measures 58″ tall.
Artist: J.R. Goslant
Small Ægishjálmur and Elder Futhark Hiking Stick
This staff is about 53” tall and made from a piece of river wood, more specifically a “beaver chew,” or “beaver stick.” Beavers removed the bark from the wood by chewing it off and although the light sanding and polyurethane coats have obscured many of the toothmarks, some still remain visible.
I wood-burned the Nordic rune “Ægishjálmur” twice at the top and was meant to protect the wearer in battle. Originally I wanted to do a Nordic compass, it looks similar, but it’s a little more detailed and would have been much more difficult to do given the size of my wood-burner. Going down the staff on each side is the Elder Futhark rune set with each one representing a letter, a number, and would be used in divination.
Artist: Justin Goslant SOLD
Artist: Justin Goslant SOLD
Artist: Justin Goslant SOLD
Artist: Justin Goslant SOLD
Artist: J.R. Goslant
Tribal Druid Shaman Staff / Runic Hiking Stick
Overall, I’d have to say I’m pleased with the finished product. I wanted to create something that aesthetically blended certain tribal, Nordic, and Greek elements together and feel like I’ve achieved that.
Burned in at the top are stars and two phases of the moon (waxing and waning crescents). Below those, is the hand grip made of mostly tan rawhide lace and bordered by black rawhide lace. After the grip is more wood-burning with the Greek zodiac symbols and Elder Futhark runic alphabet wrapped around about a third of the overall staff.
This Tribal Druid Shaman Staff is about 62” in height and has been coated with several layers of polyurethane for protection from the elements and for its aesthetics.
Artist: J.R. Goslant
https://www.etsy.com/shop/AstrolabeArts
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Artist: J.R. Goslant
Artist: J.R. Goslant
Artist: J.R. Goslant
Artist: J.R. Goslant
Artist: J.R. Goslant
Artist: J.R. Goslant
Astrolabe Arts 