Smiths have always been associated with paganism. Smith guilds during the Middle Ages were often hotbeds of alchemists, and were usually looked at with suspicion by the Catholic Church. This was added to by the fact that there have always been traditions in every culture of sacred smith-gods, pounding away on their works of power. The Rune of Fire, in its Saxon form, is Ken - the sound made by the hammer ringing on the anvil as it beats the fiery metal. Say it. Can you hear it - ken, ken, ken, ken.? Smith-guilds were constantly being purged and broken up by the Church, to the point where in Germany, the last name of Schmidt was disreputable for many years. Spiritual smithing can be a way to connect with the Old Gods, and also to make Works of Power. No matter what the metal - iron of Mars for warrior's blade, gold of the Sun for a king's crown, silver of the Moon for a priestess's circlet, copper of Venus for an amulet of love, tin of Jupiter for a lantern to light the way of wisdom - all shines and gleams for our Art.....wrought by Fire from the treasure of the Earth.

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Forge And Anvil: The Spirit Of Smithing Excerpt from “EarthBound: Pagan Homesteading” by Raven Kaldera