Ancient to Modern - the Lucet

Hello all - Jenny here. Wanted to take a sec and introduce Cooky Schock. She is a fibers/mixed media artist from San Diego. Former owner of The Shepherdess Bead store - that's how I met her during my tenure there. She is joining the team here at AJE, and you will get a full introduction soon, promise. These "Lucet" things really intrigue me - stop by at Beadfest for demos and more info. Cooky will be next to me at #462 in Artisan's Alley!   

Here's what she had to say: 

While researching different thread-made chains to use with my micro macrame work, I cam across and article about the lucent. Coincidentally, at the same time I saw a PBS special about the Vikings. In one scene in the background some men were making ropes using antlers as the tool. 

More research, more discoveries. Now fast forward to Medieval times where many objects of everyday use were hung by the waist with cords. Cords were used for drawing up bags to keeping up undies, etc. You name it and cords were involved! All these cords were handmade, usually on a simple but very essential implement known as the LUCET. This simple tool has been through many eras but the basic shape has remained constant.

The fork design is the most common, but a lucent made of more precious material such as ivory. .tortoise shell or mother of pearl usually did not have a handle. 

My first lucent was created using a pickle fork and sawing off the center tines!

The lucet I now sell are made from a variety of recycled exotic hardwoods made by a woodworker from Crickhowell, a small rural village in southern Wales. 

Any weight fiber can be used with any lucet and beads can be added as well. The braid itself is square and very strong. 

Besides using the cord for chain, you can create I-cord much easier and faster than knitting or crocheting.  It’s such an easy tool to use that even children have fun working with it. If you’re at BeadFest, please come by my booth #462 in Artisan Alley and try out this fun little tool know as the lucet. 

Folklore Follow up - Foxes

Folklore Friday Sunday...

I have been thinking about foxes lately. How they may be the next owls... So I took a chance to do a second, brief folklore post. Hope you dont mind! Let me start off with a diverse treasury - beads, jewelry, prints, fibers... 

The term "foxy" in English is defined as meaning - as the obvious "having the qualities of a fox" - also "attractive" and "sexy", as well as "red-haired" . And "to outfox" means "to beat in a competition of wits", the synonym of "outguess", "outsmart" or "outwit"

The first fox folklore? from Aesop's Fables, dated 4 BC:  A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree. "That's for me, as I am a Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree. "Good-day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are looking to-day: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds." The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox. "That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future ."Do not trust flatterers."

Renart the fox, drawn by E.Griset, from a children's book; pub. 1869.

• Reynard the fox has been a character appearing in literature and popular culture since the late 1100's. He is an anthropomorphized peasant/hero. The association with foxes and wily behavior, sly character, and trickiness seems to date this far into out cultural history. The Medieval Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard was nicknamed "Robert the Fox" as well as the Resourceful, the Cunning, the Wily - underlining the identification of such qualities with foxes. 

Moche fox effigy vessel  AD 450-550

• The Moche people of ancient Peru worshiped animals and often depicted the fox in their art.The Moche people believed the fox to be a warrior that would use his mind to fight. The fox would not ever use physical attack, only mental.

 

• The cunning Fox is commonly found in Native American mythology, where it is portrayed as a Trickster, and common companion to coyote. Fox, however, is a deceitful companion who often steals Coyote's food. In the Achomawi creation myth, Fox and Coyote are the co-creators of the world, who leave just before the arrival of humans.  An Inuit story tells of how Fox, portrayed as a beautiful woman, tricks a hunter into marrying her, only to resume her true form and leave after he offends her.

"The Fox Maiden" by Susan Seddon Boulet (1941-1997).

• In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean folklores, foxes (huli jing in China, kitsune in Japan, and kumiho in Korea) are powerful spirits that are known for their highly mischievous and cunning nature, and they often take on the form of female humans to seduce men. In contemporary Chinese, the word "huli jing" is often used to describe a mistress negatively in an extramarital affair.

• Kitsune are closely associated with Inari, the Shinto deity of rice, agriculture and industry. Often depicted with multiple tales - the number of tales is an indicator of their increased wisdom, power, and age. They are spirit foxes, and can take on human form, usually that of a beautiful woman. Many tales tell of their human disguise slipping as a glimpse of their tale is seen. Other tales tell of their marriages to mortal men, bearing children that have supernatural powers. When the mortal discovers the kitsune's true nature, she must leave him. ( Very similar to selkie tales of the British Isles. ) 

Resources: 

The Kitsune page -a compilation of fox lore from across world cultures. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox - need I say more? 

The Fox Project - a UK group rehabilitating and releasing injured and orphaned foxes. 

Hope you enjoyed that quick world tour of fox lore. Its a sampling of the stories, only scratching the surface. Until later... 

Jenny
www.jdaviesreazor.com