1894 – Robe

Physical description:

Black robe trimmed with red velvet. With silver and red stars and silver crescent moons. On the back is a design of serpents embroidered in silver, including a crescent-moon-topped caduceus.

Museum classification:

Ritual Magic, Goddess

Size:

1250cm long

Information:

The donor said of this robe:

"I made this robe for ritual magic purposes. It was used both in solo workings and in group rituals. At first this was Goddess-inspired ritual magic practised by an all women group that I was part of, but I did use it on my own a lot. I think I made it around 1980, although I can't remember the precise date. It would certainly have been before 1983...The robe is made of black corduroy and red velvet. It was hand-sewn for magical reasons.

 

The robe is dedicated to the goddesses Ishtar and Isis. The black parts relate to the dark and new moon (Isis Veiled); the red to the menstrual rites of Ishtar, and the silver to the full moon. References for this can be found in the work of Dion Fortune and the Liturgy of the Fellowship of Isis.

 

The design on the back...is a representation of the Babylonian Moon Tree (sometimes called "Moon Pillar") which appears in the rites of Ishtar. A snake winds around the tree which has the crescent moon above it. I copied the design from a drawing of a Babylonian carving in a publication produced by the Matriarchy Study Group called Goddess Shrew...I think the original carving is in the British Museum....the story of Ishtar and the Moon Tree may well have been the origin of the image of the Tree in the Eden myth. 

 

The robe was used for ritual magic throughout the 1980s and until 1996. By that time I was working the wonderful Goddess-inspired ritual magic system of the Fellowship of Isis; the work of the amazing Olivia Robertson. It is an extremely powerful; and effective system. My group still works with it today. In 1996 the robe's work was done and a new one made to reflect my magical development. It was donated to the Museum after Graham King arrived. Probably its importance lies in the fact that it illustrates the Goddess/ woman's aspect of ritual magic and the Fellowship of Isis; neither of which are sufficiently recognised within the history of ritual magic."

 

This robe appeared in the Museum's 2018 exhibition 'Dew of Heaven: Objects of Ritual Magic' with the following text:

 

"A symbol is, in a certain mystical sense, that which it symbolises."  Kenneth Grant 

 

Many witches today draw inspiration from ancient sources and deities.  This robe was made in the 1980s by Judith Noble who used initially used it in Goddess inspired ritual magic working as part of the Fellowship of Isis.  It is dedicated to the Goddesses Isis and Ishtar. 

The back of it has a representation of the Babylonian Moon Tree. 

“The moon tree is for me one of the all time great sigils.  Study all its variants: draw it, sculpt it, wear it, carve it into your flesh, burn it into your minds, become it.” (excerpt from Devoted, a book in the Museum library published by Scarlet Imprint).

Understanding the meaning of symbols, stories and images on a deep level is key to ritual magic. 

Judith Noble said: “…the story of Ishtar and the Moon Tree may well have been the origin of the image of the Tree in the Eden myth.”

A fundamental re-assessment of the Bible is central to Ritual Magic.  For instance, in traditional Christian interpretations, the snake is the “bad guy” in the garden of Eden but if you think about it, what does the snake really do?  He brings knowledge to humankind enabling us to be more like God, he raises humankind out of its infancy.   As Hermes Trismegistus said, “This is the end, the Supreme Good, for those who have higher knowledge: to become God.” In this alternative interpretation, the snake is really a bringer of light and wisdom and to be thanked. 

The image of the snake in the tree is much older than the Bible and appears in numerous different religions and cultures. 

You might see symbols in this exhibition that you think you understand such as the Cross, the Pentacle or Baphomet but they can all be viewed as glyphs meaning sacred images that need consideration and which belong to all religions and to none. 

The photographs below show this object on display in the Museum's 2018 exhibition, "Dew of Heaven: Objects of Ritual Magic."

 

 

 

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Fabric

Copyright ownership:

Judith Noble

The donor said of this robe:

"I made this robe for ritual magic purposes. It was used both in solo workings and in group rituals. At first this was Goddess-inspired ritual magic practised by an all women group that I was part of, but I did use it on my own a lot. I think I made it around 1980, although I can't remember the precise date. It would certainly have been before 1983...The robe is made of black corduroy and red velvet. It was hand-sewn for magical reasons.

 

The robe is dedicated to the goddesses Ishtar and Isis. The black parts relate to the dark and new moon (Isis Veiled); the red to the menstrual rites of Ishtar, and the silver to the full moon. References for this can be found in the work of Dion Fortune and the Liturgy of the Fellowship of Isis.

 

The design on the back...is a representation of the Babylonian Moon Tree (sometimes called "Moon Pillar") which appears in the rites of Ishtar. A snake winds around the tree which has the crescent moon above it. I copied the design from a drawing of a Babylonian carving in a publication produced by the Matriarchy Study Group called Goddess Shrew...I think the original carving is in the British Museum....the story of Ishtar and the Moon Tree may well have been the origin of the image of the Tree in the Eden myth. 

 

The robe was used for ritual magic throughout the 1980s and until 1996. By that time I was working the wonderful Goddess-inspired ritual magic system of the Fellowship of Isis; the work of the amazing Olivia Robertson. It is an extremely powerful; and effective system. My group still works with it today. In 1996 the robe's work was done and a new one made to reflect my magical development. It was donated to the Museum after Graham King arrived. Probably its importance lies in the fact that it illustrates the Goddess/ woman's aspect of ritual magic and the Fellowship of Isis; neither of which are sufficiently recognised within the history of ritual magic."

 

This robe appeared in the Museum's 2018 exhibition 'Dew of Heaven: Objects of Ritual Magic' with the following text:

 

"A symbol is, in a certain mystical sense, that which it symbolises."  Kenneth Grant 

 

Many witches today draw inspiration from ancient sources and deities.  This robe was made in the 1980s by Judith Noble who used initially used it in Goddess inspired ritual magic working as part of the Fellowship of Isis.  It is dedicated to the Goddesses Isis and Ishtar. 

The back of it has a representation of the Babylonian Moon Tree. 

“The moon tree is for me one of the all time great sigils.  Study all its variants: draw it, sculpt it, wear it, carve it into your flesh, burn it into your minds, become it.” (excerpt from Devoted, a book in the Museum library published by Scarlet Imprint).

Understanding the meaning of symbols, stories and images on a deep level is key to ritual magic. 

Judith Noble said: “…the story of Ishtar and the Moon Tree may well have been the origin of the image of the Tree in the Eden myth.”

A fundamental re-assessment of the Bible is central to Ritual Magic.  For instance, in traditional Christian interpretations, the snake is the “bad guy” in the garden of Eden but if you think about it, what does the snake really do?  He brings knowledge to humankind enabling us to be more like God, he raises humankind out of its infancy.   As Hermes Trismegistus said, “This is the end, the Supreme Good, for those who have higher knowledge: to become God.” In this alternative interpretation, the snake is really a bringer of light and wisdom and to be thanked. 

The image of the snake in the tree is much older than the Bible and appears in numerous different religions and cultures. 

You might see symbols in this exhibition that you think you understand such as the Cross, the Pentacle or Baphomet but they can all be viewed as glyphs meaning sacred images that need consideration and which belong to all religions and to none. 

The photographs below show this object on display in the Museum's 2018 exhibition, "Dew of Heaven: Objects of Ritual Magic."