The Lukkustafir Blunder

As found on web search:

There is an image seen multiple times throughout the internet when doing an image search on the word Lukkustafir. I have downloaded it, edited it, and put this here in the hope that anyone else searching will immediately see my corrections.

The symbol shown is that which was published in the book "The Galdrabók" by Stephen Flowers (both the 1st and 2nd edition), under the heading Lukkustafir within the section "Huld Manuscript".

Galdrabok: An Icelandic Grimoire, Page 87 Steven Flowers, Published by S. Weiser, 1989	Edited Image with stave copied from images in the 1903 Essay "Islandische Zauberzeichen und Zauberbucher" [IZZ] by Ólafur Davíðsson

Link to the book:

• Requires Scribed program to open: Galdrabok: An Icelandic Grimoire, 87 - by Steven Flowers, Published by S. Weiser, 1989.

A second revised edition was published by Rúna Raven Press in 2005. The revision did correct many errors, however it did not correct the mistaken Lukkustafir diagram. In the second edition the item is shown on page 63.

I have spoken to Steven, who confirmed he copied this incorrectly from the German essay titled Islandische Zauberzeichen und Zauberbucher by Ólafur Davíðsson published 1903. Steven also confirmed he never actually viewed the original manuscript. And as Ólafur says in his essay, he himself never saw the manuscript either.

This error is repeated in another publication The Truth About Teutonic Magick by Edred Thorsson (the pagan pseudonym used by Steven Flowers) 1989, 1994.

Links to images incorrectly labelled:

• Blog of Astromagie[?] - duplicated image from IZZ with a description in German *, then pinned to Pinterest here.
• Tumblr page of Turkuc PodjadekPage - a rough scan from Flowers’ book, then pinned to Pinterest here.
• Web page of Artisans of Old - art of leather cuff including images, pinned to Pinterest here.
• Blog of Gorgina - another scan from Flowers’ book with description translated into Russian.

*The text here reads "Wer dieses Zeichen trägt, mit ihnen, nicht erfüllen Rückschlag oder auf dem Meer oder an Land." Note the quote is not the same as in IZZ (refer below for the IZZ text).

As found within the Huld Manuscript:

The symbol in the image is actually the second Vegvísir in the original Huld manuscript (ÍB 383 4to), and is neither a protection symbol (Icel. Varnastafur) as supposed by some people nor ancient (at least not as old as implied). It is a guidance symbol so the person carrying it will not get lost (Icel. villist + ekki).

Lukkustafir, Page 55 Geir Vigfússon collection, ÍB 383 4to	Vegvísir, Page 60 Geir Vigfússon collection, ÍB 383 4to

Note that the lukkustafir are not protection symbols as some have written - they are good luck (Old Icel. Lukka) symbols so the person carrying them will not suffer misfortune (Old Icel. ſ l i ſ u m = slys = mishap, mischance). Refer to the translations of Icelandic and Runic text on my main page Galdrastafir: Icelandic Magical Staves

Links to the Huld Manuscript:

• Page 55 - gives title and description for Lukkustafir No. XI. *
• Page 60 - gives title and description for Vegvísir No. XXIX.

As found within Zeitschrift des Vereins für Volkskunde Vol. 13 (1903):

Isländische Zauberzeichen und Zauberbücher, pp. 150-167, 267-279. pls. III-VIII. By Ólafur Davíðsson, Zeitschrift des Vereins für Volkskunde Vol. 13 (1903)

Links to Isländische Zauberzeichen und Zauberbücher:

• Page 277 - gives title and description for item XXV. *
• Page 278 - gives title and description for items XXX and XXXI.
• Plate V - gives diagrams for items XXV and XXXI.
• Page VI - gives diagram for item XXX.

And finally:

All of the above analysis is based on the Huld manuscript version of Vegvísir. In that, the way the text wraps around both items No. XXVII and XXIX gives the reader the impression that the text applies to both of them. However, this is not the only manuscript to give both these symbols. In another it applies the Vegvísir text only to the eight armed wheel Vegvísir and has no text or title on the second, casting doubt on whether the second is a Vegvísir at all. Furthermore, it seperates the second symbol into two distinct parts. Should you wish to have firther information about this please write to me.

1. Huld Manuscript, ÍB 383 4to by Geir Vigfússon, 1860
   
2. The Galdrabók - An Icelandic Grimoire by Stephen Flowers, Samuel Weise Inc., York Beach, Maine, 1989
   
3. Isländische Zauberzeichen und Zauberbücher (an essay) by Ólafur Davíðsson, 1903