Kamil Perry
Cheese has been linked to magic and witchcraft for centuries, with the second-century diviner Artemidorus mentioning tyromancy or cheese divination in his treatise Oneirocritica. The practice of tyromancy involves looking at the shape and number of holes, the pattern of mold, and other features to predict the future. In the medieval and early modern periods, cheese was also used in magic to identify thieves and murderers. The magical properties of cheese are also mentioned in Kathryn Paulsen's 1971 book, The Complete Book of Magic and Witchcraft, where it is said that offering a woman a piece of cheese can fascinate her. Additionally, in 14th-century Germany, biting into bread and cheese and throwing it over one's shoulder was believed to ensure fertility in a relationship. With such a rich history of cheese magic, it is no wonder that wizards might be particularly fond of this dairy product.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use in magic | Used in love magic, divination, and healing |
| History | Mentioned in the 2nd century by Artemidorus Daldianus, and in the 12th century by Hildegard von Bingen |
| Powers | Can be used to fascinate a woman, ensure fertility, and identify thieves and murderers |
| Use in combat | Hard, elemental cheeses can be used to damage foes, while soft, soothing cheeses can be used to heal |
| Use in cooking | Kitchen witches use cheese in cooking with intention |
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What You'll Learn
Cheese has magical properties
Cheese has been associated with magic and witchcraft for centuries. The practice of tyromancy or cheese divination dates back to the 2nd century when Artemidorus Daldianus, a professional dream interpreter, mentioned it in his treatise Oneirocritica. Tyromancy involves predicting the future by interpreting the shapes, holes, and patterns of mould on cheese.
Cheese has also been linked to love magic and seduction. In 1971, Kathryn Paulsen's book, "The Complete Book of Magic and Witchcraft," included a spell claiming that offering a woman a piece of cheese could fascinate her. Similarly, in 14th-century Germany, biting into bread and cheese and throwing it over one's shoulder was believed to ensure fertility in a relationship. Cheese was also considered a cure for male impotence in medieval Italy; a man cursed by a witch could be healed by his wife boring a hole in cheese and feeding him the pieces.
The magical properties of cheese may be attributed to its connection with milk, a life-giving and strengthening substance. The 12th-century mystic Hildegard von Bingen even compared cheese-making to the miracle of life, as it forms solid matter from something insubstantial.
In modern times, practitioners of kitchen witchcraft, like Dawn Aurora Hunt, use cheese in their culinary craft, adding intention and magic to their dishes. Hunt visualises protective energy when sautéing garlic, for example, or surrounds a grilled cheese sandwich with bread, symbolising friendship and kinship.
Cheese also makes an appearance in fantasy games and literature, with characters like the Cheese Wizard, who uses hard cheeses as weapons and soft cheeses to heal, and the Quesomancer, a powerful cheese wizard from a book.
With such a long history and a variety of magical uses, it's no wonder that wizards and witches alike find cheese so fascinating and delicious!
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Tyromancy (cheese divination)
Tyromancy, or cheese divination, is a method of fortune-telling that uses cheese. The practice dates back to the 2nd century AD, with the first recorded mention believed to be in Artemidorus of Daldis' treatise on dream interpretation, Oneirocritica. In it, Artemidorus claims that tyromancy is one of the most unreliable forms of divination. However, this didn't stop later generations from interpreting cheese dreams and using tyromancy for fortune-telling.
In the Middle Ages and early modern period, tyromancy reached the height of its popularity, especially in agrarian England. This was because most families had some form of milk-producing livestock, and cheese was more convenient than other methods of divination, such as molybdomancy, which uses molten metal. During this time, tyromancy was used to determine everything from future spouses to career paths, and even to identify thieves and murderers.
Practitioners of tyromancy, or tyromancers, use various methods to divine the future. One common method involves looking for shapes and symbols in the cheese, including observing ridges, holes, crystallization, and mottling on the rind. For example, a heart shape signifies love, an arrow means a journey, a dog represents companionship, and a baby indicates impending change. Another method involves carving the names of potential suitors into pieces of cheese and waiting to see which one molds first—a technique used to predict one's future spouse. Additionally, the number and size of holes in a block of cheese, as well as the patterns of mold and veins, are also analyzed.
In modern times, tyromancy has seen a resurgence, with practitioners like Jennifer Billock and Dawn Aurora Hunt keeping the tradition alive. Billock, a 21st-century tyromancer, combines her practice with dream interpretation and antique spell manuals. She notes that any type of cheese can be used for divination, but the best types are those with visible surface variations, such as blue cheese. Hunt, a kitchen witch, focuses on the culinary uses of natural ingredients and identifies the different energies of food. For example, she associates garlic with protective energy and visualizes protecting her family while cooking with it.
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Love magic and seduction
The idea that cheese is connected to seduction and love magic has a long history. In the 13th century, the moralist and theologian Odo of Cheriton used the enticing smell of grilled cheese to explain adultery. He wrote:
> Cheese is toasted and placed in a trap; when the rat smells it, it enters the trap, seizes the cheese, and is caught. So it is with all sin. Cheese is toasted when a woman is dressed up and adorned so that she entices and catches the foolish rats: take a woman in adultery and the Devil will catch you.
In 14th-century Germany, biting into a piece of bread and cheese and throwing it over your shoulder was believed to ensure fertility in a relationship. Cheese was also thought to cure male impotence. A medieval Italian cure for a man cursed by a witch involved his wife boring a hole in a piece of cheese and feeding it to him.
Cheese has also been used in magic to identify thieves and murderers. In the medieval and early modern periods, a method of catching criminals involved blessing a piece of cheese with a prayer and feeding it to suspects. The culprit would be unable to swallow their piece of cheese, thus admitting their guilt.
The practice of cheese divination or "tyromancy" is mentioned in a 2nd-century treatise by the diviner Artemidorus. He describes it as a method of discovering the future but claims that it is unreliable. Despite this, later generations continued to interpret cheese dreams. A 17th-century English manual advised that dreaming of cakes without cheese signified "good", while cakes with cheese meant "deceit and treason".
In popular culture, a viral tweet featured an image from a book of spells by Kathryn Paulsen, titled "The Complete Book of Magic and Witchcraft". The spell claims that "You may fascinate a woman by giving her a piece of cheese." While offering cheese may seem like an unusual way of attracting a mate, Paulsen's book draws on a long history of magic.
The magical properties of cheese may be attributed to the fact that it is made from milk, a substance with the ability to give life and strength. The process of cheese-making may also contribute to its mystical appeal, as it transforms something insubstantial into solid matter.
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Kitchen witchcraft
Kitchen witches can also uncover the spirituality in ordinary tasks. Washing dishes becomes a meditative act, a communion with the spirits, as they cleanse not only plates but also their very souls. They might also honour their kitchen space and tools by cleaning with a nurturing intention and thanking each part for contributing to the meal.
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Cheesemancy spells
Cheesemancy, or tyromancy, is a magical practice with a long history. The earliest known mention of it is in the 2nd century by Artemidorus Daldianus, a professional dream interpreter, who complained that cheese diviners were a threat to his work. In the 12th century, Hildegard von Bingen, a mystic, compared the process of making cheese to the miracle of life, noting how it forms solid matter from something insubstantial.
Cheese has been used in various spells and rituals over the centuries, from seduction and love magic to curing male impotence and ensuring fertility. One of the most well-known cheesemancy spells is the "Aspect of Swiss", which involves blood pouring from new orifices. Another spell, mentioned in Kathryn Paulsen's 1971 book, "The Complete Book of Magic and Witchcraft", suggests that offering a woman a piece of cheese can fascinate her. In the medieval and early modern periods, cheese was also used to identify thieves and murderers.
Some practitioners of cheesemancy, or tyromancers, use cheese in divination practices, similar to reading tea leaves or other forms of food divination. They interpret the shape, number of holes, pattern of mould, and other features of the cheese to predict the future or gain spiritual insights.
In more advanced cheesemancy, practitioners can transmute other objects into cheese or create cheesy illusions. For example, a cheesemancer might turn an object into a block of cheese to immobilize an enemy or create a pungent Gorgonzola to inflict poison damage on a target. Additionally, pairing cheesemancy with chronomancy allows for the consumption of large quantities of cheese in an instant, which can be useful for healing during battles against formidable foes like dragons.
Cheesemancy also has practical everyday applications. Kitchen witches like Dawn Aurora Hunt use cheese in their culinary craft to nurture themselves and others. Hunt visualizes intentions and adds specific energies to her dishes by incorporating cheese. For instance, she might add cheese, representing joy, nurturing, and comfort, to a grilled cheese sandwich to create a circle of friendship and kinship.
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Frequently asked questions
It is not entirely clear why wizards are so fond of cheese, but it might be because cheese is made from milk, a powerful substance with the ability to give life and strength to the young.
A Cheese Wizard is a character class in the game Shadows Over Loathing. They use intellect and mysticality to accomplish their goals. In combat, they use hard, elemental cheeses to damage their foes and soft, soothing cheeses to heal themselves and their allies.
Cheesemancy is a type of magic that involves turning things into cheese or creating cheesy illusions.
Tyromancy, or cheese divination, is a method of discovering the future by interpreting the shape and number of holes, the pattern of mold, and other features of cheese. It dates back to the 2nd century when it was mentioned by the diviner Artemidorus in his treatise Oneirocritica.
In 14th-century Germany, biting a piece of bread and cheese and throwing it over your shoulder was believed to ensure fertility in a relationship. Cheese was also thought to cure male impotence.
