Today was the day for making the clay image I decided was needed for the Heathen blot to Nerthus that I am hosting in February. I don't follow a primarily Nordic path, for though I likely have Norse blood, I find myself ever at the edges of hard and fast sorts of traditions, with one pantheon only. The Labyrinth seems to necessitate me staying on the margins of almost every pantheon's "call" list, so to speak. But likewise, I welcome all who want to come worship here.
My son does follow a primarily Nordic path and the group he has been worshiping with needed a hosting house for the February blot dedicated to the Germanic goddess Nerthus. I knew little of her...a procession in wheeled carriage of her veiled image was what Tacitus recorded. So while I have no wheeled carriage, we will construct a carrying platform. And today, I made the image out of fireable clay, I was obsessing over where to find a kiln and wondering if the super hot 'clean' cycle of my oven might suffice. The clay I used needed only 1100 degrees...and my oven hits 800!
But then I thought about it and a new concept entered my head. What about this Nerthus...this Earth Goddess, who I made a literal earthen goddess for? Better she go back to her essential nature, perhaps? So, she will NOT be fired. She will be carried in procession, toasted and gifted with offerings. She will then take her place on the small tumulus resulting from the burying of her gifts and be left to the winter/spring rains.
But here is her picture, before she is dry and veiled for the journey on the 7th of February. I am not much of an artist, but I hope my offering of this image facilitates the worship for my guests. She is 15 or 16 inches tall and weighs about 6 pounds wet.
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