Mankey - The witchs athame: the craft, lore & magick of ritual blades

introdu c tion

When I began my journey into Witchcraft, I was initially bothered by the athame. Why would a nature religion feature a knife as one of its primary working tools? The symbol of the pentagram, the chalice (or cup), and the broom all made sense to me, but a knife? I associated the knife with negative things; the act of cutting is as destructive as it is useful, after all. As a result of my uncomfortableness with the athame, it was a few years before one found a place on my altar.

When I look back on my initial reluctance to adopt the athame as a working tool, I find myself rather embarrassed. Like the broom and the cup, the knife is a common household instrument. My kitchen has over twenty knives in it, ranging from butter knives to steak knives. While many Witches own elaborate athames, a simple knife is just as effective as a more decorated one. I have one athame that looks as if it belongs in a box with my camping supplies.

In some ways the athame is the modern tool of the Witch. Wands, cauldrons, and brooms have been associated with Witchcraft for thousands of years, but knives not so much. The word athame is of relatively recent vintage too, first showing up in print in 1949. While the word athame may not be particularly old, knives have a long history of use in both magick and ritual. After researching that history, I think the odd thing would be not having a knife on the Witchs altar.

The athame can often be the source of controversy. There are some who say that it should never be used for physical cutting, and others who treasure it specifically for its practical applications. Like most things tied to Witchcraft, proper use of the athame depends on the practitioner. If it feels right to the Witch doing the doing, then the athame is being used properly. Besides, theres no rule that says a Witch can own only one athame. I keep one in the kitchen and one on the ritual altar.

Along with my sword, my athames are among my most prized magical possessions. I use the athame during ritual, but also for divination. When I cook or bake my cakes for the ceremony of cakes and ale (or wine), I often use my athame as a kitchen utensil. I find that it puts a little extra energy into my goodies. The athame is both a practical tool and a spiritual one; its magick brings me closer to the Lord and the Lady and those who have left this world before me.

For those who are just beginning their journey into Witchcraft, I hope this book answers any questions you might have about the athame. The path of the Witch is one of continual discovery. Heres hoping that my more traveled friends find something new to them in these pages.

Anatomy of an Athame

To put it simply, an athame is a knife dedicated to magical purposes. Certain traditions mandate the size of the blade and a few other factors, but outside of those specific traditions athames are made from all sorts of materials and come in various sizes. Before delving too deeply into the lore of the athame, it might be a good idea to go over the various components that make up the average athame.

Blade : The blade is the knifes cutting surface. The average athame blade is made from steel, but several other materials can be used instead. Some of the more common are crystal, stone, wood, and even bone! If it works for you and has a pointy end, it will make a fine athame.