Decorative handmade Relief carved ceramic dragon tile

earthsongtiles.com

Relief carved 14" x 7" Demi lune dragon tile #2

Available at earthsongtiles.com

The dragon has been a creature of myth and ledgend throughout the world for centuries, chiefly representing the creation of the earth and life as a result of the combination of the elements.

Ancient Celts believed that dragons were creatures of the parallel world and their power and presence had a profound affect on the 'ley of the land' historically meaning how the flow of cosmic forces influenced an area and the affect the area had on those forces. The path of the dragons was critical to the flow of energy, spots where dragons crossed or rested were places of heighened power, Stonehenge is thought to be one of these places. This tradition is also observed in the Orient within the Ancient practice of Feng Shui.

Handmade, relief carved ceramic dragonfly tile

7 1/2" round relief carved dragonfly tile

Available at earthsongtiles.com

A creature of wind & water, dragonflies have inhabited this planet for almost 300 millon years, so It's not surprising that in most cultures throughout the world they have been the object of many associations & superstitions both good and bad. They are a much admired & respected symbol of good luck in Japan as well as in China where they are associated with prosperity & harmony. To the Native Americans dragonflies were a sign of happiness, purity and speed, able to travel at 45 mph. In Swedish folklore they were known for sewing the mouths closed of children who told a lie. The Welsh called them snakes servants believing they followed snakes around to stitch up any wounds they might incure. They were also reported to measure human souls for good & evil. Dragonflies have a strong connection to Freya, a Norse goddess of love, fertility and warfare.

It is speculated that the source of our modern symbol of love may be the paired bodies of mating dragonflies which form the shape of a heart.

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Relief carved Art deco Rose fairy ceramic tile

Relief carved 4 x 8 nude Rose fairy tile shown here in a taupe underglaze with a clear gloss finish.

Available at earthsongtiles.com

Flowers are the universal symbols of youth and vitality most commonly linked with the paradisal state & feminine beauty.

The Chinese had a saying that for each woman living in this world a flower boomed in the next 

Relief carved ceramic green man tile

Happy May Day!

This is our 6x6 relief carved green man tile, shown here in a dark green underglaze with a clear gloss glaze finish. Available at earthsongtiles.com

Durring the 16th & 17th centuries in the UK May Day was celebrated with garlands of flowers and leaves. These garlands became increasingly elaborate to the extent that they would cover an entire man. This became known as Jack in the green, associated with the green man, one of the most powerful fertility symbols throughout western culture. By the turn of the 19th century, the Victorian disapproval of bawdy, anarchic behaviour replaced the somewhat lewd lord & lady of the May and their practical jokes with a pretty, demure May queen. The noisy, drunken Jack in the green vanished altogether from the May day parades.

The Jack in the green custom finally enjoyed a revival in the 1970's and continues in some places today.

Relief carved ceramic thistle tile

4x4 Relief carved and handpainted thistle tile

Available at earthsongtiles.com

The thistle, a favorite food of many song birds, especially finches, is an ancient Celtic symbol for nobility of both character & birth. It has been the national emblem of Scotland for well over 500 years.

This is an excerpt from a Robert Burns poem, writen in reply to        

' The Guid Wife of Wauchope House'  a poem writen to Burns by Elizabeth Scott 1787.

The rough burr-thistle,

spreading wide among the bearded bear

I turn'd the weeder-clips aside

A'n spare'd the symbol dear

No nation, no station

my envy e'er could raise:

A Scot still, but blot still,

I knew know higher praise.

Decorative Handmade Moon & Sun ceramic tiles

Relief carved 8 x 8 Sun man and Moon woman tiles

Available at earthsongtiles.com

The skies, for ancient peoples, were a screen on which they projected their most profound speculations and spiritual needs. As the prime source of light and heat, the sun combined with rain to bring forth and sustain life. It's active, creative energy was considered to be a male attribute, and because of its high position in the heavens and the clarity of its light, the sun was reguarded as all-seeing, and was worshipped as a ( mainly masculine) god in a number of civilizations.

The moon is generally seen as feminine, partly owing to the correspondence of the lunar month with the menstrual cycle. Constantly changing from phase to phase and varying its position in the sky, the moon is fickle in character, but at the same time symbolizes resurrection, immortality and the cyclical nature of all things. It stands for the power of the dark, mysterious side of nature, and the moon goddess was almost universally perceived as the weaver of fate and controller of destinies, in the same way she controlled the tides, the weather, rainfall and seasons.

While the sun and moon symbolized the principal gods, the stars embodied those of lesser importance, whose influence on human fate was more remote. The moon as queen of the heavens is often shown haloed with stars to symbolize the obeisance paid to her by the other forces of nature.

Relief carved Saraswati ceramic tile

4 x 16 Saraswati tile shown here in honey underglaze with a clear gloss finish

Available at earthsongtiles.com

Saraswati, a river Goddess in early history is better known now as the Goddess of knowledge and art, representing the free flow of wisdom & consciousness. She is also associated with anuraga, the love for and rythym of music, she plays the music of love and life on her vina.

There is a legend that when Shiva opened his third eye, the flame that eminated from it threatened to destroy everything in it's path. Saraswati undaunted, knowing that it would only destroy that which was impure took the shape of a river. She carried the flame deep into the sea  transforming it into a fire breathing mare and declared the creature would stay underground as long as wisdom was sought after on earth.