Boline

The boline (also spelled bolline, pron.: boh-leen) is a white-handled ritual knife, one of several magical tools used in Wicca, mainly for the cutting of herbs and inscribing candles.

Description

Unlike the athame, which in most traditions is never used for actual physical cutting, the boline is used for cutting cords and herbs, carving candles, etc. It has a small, straight or crescent-shaped blade with, traditionally, a white handle.^[1]

Purpose

The boline has been adopted by several other modern forms of witchcraft including

Eclectic Wicca. Among these later traditions^[specify] opinions vary as to whether the boline is truly a magical tool or is merely of utilitarian purpose. Similarly, sometimes a white-hilted knife called a kirfane (various spellings) is used, for roughly the same purposes as the boline.^[2]^[3]

According to the

Robert Cochrane, also prescribe the use of a single knife for both ritual and practical purposes.^[4]

Key of Solomon

Many of the bolines advertised in on-line "magick shops" have a characteristic crescent shape, and are described as being for harvesting herbs. This crescent shape is reminiscent of the sickle described in the Key of Solomon, a medieval grimoire and one of the sources for modern Wicca.^[5]

Confusingly, an Italian version of the Key of Solomon has a hook-shaped knife called an artauo (a possible root for athame) and a straight, needle-shaped blade called a bolino. When the name "boline" was first used to describe the crescent-shaped blade is not clear. In The Book of Ceremonial Magic published by

poniard, a white-handled knife and another knife, with a black handle, used to describe the circle. The most important to make is that called the bolline..."^[6]

References

^ Farrar, J. & Farrar, S. (1984). The Witches' Way. Custer, Washington:Phoenix Press. p.262
^ geocities.com Rik Johnson. Vocabulary of Wiccan Terms. Desert Henge Website. Accessed 25 April 2007
^ llewellyn.com
^ Jones, E.J. and Valiente, D. (1990) Witchcraft: A tradition renewed. London: Robert Hale. pp.96-97
^ MacGregor Mathers, S. Liddell (ed.) The Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis) Revised by Peterson, Joseph H. (1999, 2004, 2005). Available at esotericarchives.com
^ Waite, Arthur Edward, (1911). The Book of Ceremonial Magic. London:William Rider. p.154

[1] Farrar, J. & Farrar, S. (1984). The Witches' Way. Custer, Washington:Phoenix Press. p.262

[2] ties.com Rik Johnson. Vocabulary of Wiccan Terms. Desert Henge Website. Accessed 25 April 2007

[3] wellyn.com

[4] Jones, E.J. and Valiente, D. (1990) Witchcraft: A tradition renewed. London: Robert Hale. pp.96-97

[5] MacGregor Mathers, S. Liddell (ed.) The Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis) Revised by Peterson, Joseph H. (1999, 2004, 2005). Available at esotericarchives.com

[6] Waite, Arthur Edward, (1911). The Book of Ceremonial Magic. London:William Rider. p.154

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Neopagan witchcraft
History	History of Wicca Etymology of Wicca Wicca and LGBT people Dettmer v. Landon	British Traditional	Alexandrian Wicca Algard Wicca Blue Star Wicca Central Valley Wicca Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca Gardnerian Wicca
Other	1734 Tradition Celtic Wicca Church and School of Wicca Cochrane's Craft Coven of Atho Dianic Wicca Faery Wicca Feri Georgian Wicca Odyssean Wicca Reclaiming Seax-Wica Stregheria Universal Eclectic Wicca