BOSNIAN RITUAL WITH THE LEAD - SALIJEVANJE STRAHE
The magical ritual of melting lead (fear pouring) is an ancient form of shamanistic practice of exorcism known in a large geographical area - literally from Palestine, Lebanon, Syria (sakbeh or rakwi), Algeria, Morocco (khfif), Turkey (kurşun dökme), the Balkans to Germany, Great Britain (melting lead, lead casting) and Scandinavian countries.
In our region, as it is usually presumed, this ritual appears by the arrival of the Ottoman Empire, with a whole set of other magic beliefs, practices and myths. But however, there are indications which tells that this ritual was originally Illyrian and that our ancestors as Roman Empire soldiers expanded it throughout the Middle East, and through Celts it also reached northern Europe.
Following this path from Palestine to Great Britain, we can notice this: in Arab countries, a ritual with lead is practiced in order to get someone free from the effects of malevolent eyes. In beliefs of Turkish people, it is intended for the treatment of fear and spells. In Bosnia the ritual is used for previously mentioned, but also for the attack of the demons, the black magic, and the blockade of human happiness. In the north of the Europe, this situation is quite different; the rite doesn’t have a healing, but exclusively divine aspect. In fact, in the countries of northern Europe, it’s practice for the New Year’s Eve (molybdomancy), which, for example, in Finland is called "uudenvuodentin", people gather, especially girls, and salvage melted lead in water to find out about the future ahead of themselves. Shortly, between this and the "salivanja strahe" there is a certain similarity, but also there is a significant difference. Both ways are aimed to detecting unknown events; through "molybdomancy" girls want to find out their love destiny in the next year. However, in the Bosnian ritual, people who practice rituals through different forms detect the physical and mental disorders of the patient. And that's the point where any similarity ends.
anzotika.bosnianforum.com/t2528-bosnian-ritual-with-the-lead-salijevanje-strahe
In our region, as it is usually presumed, this ritual appears by the arrival of the Ottoman Empire, with a whole set of other magic beliefs, practices and myths. But however, there are indications which tells that this ritual was originally Illyrian and that our ancestors as Roman Empire soldiers expanded it throughout the Middle East, and through Celts it also reached northern Europe.
Following this path from Palestine to Great Britain, we can notice this: in Arab countries, a ritual with lead is practiced in order to get someone free from the effects of malevolent eyes. In beliefs of Turkish people, it is intended for the treatment of fear and spells. In Bosnia the ritual is used for previously mentioned, but also for the attack of the demons, the black magic, and the blockade of human happiness. In the north of the Europe, this situation is quite different; the rite doesn’t have a healing, but exclusively divine aspect. In fact, in the countries of northern Europe, it’s practice for the New Year’s Eve (molybdomancy), which, for example, in Finland is called "uudenvuodentin", people gather, especially girls, and salvage melted lead in water to find out about the future ahead of themselves. Shortly, between this and the "salivanja strahe" there is a certain similarity, but also there is a significant difference. Both ways are aimed to detecting unknown events; through "molybdomancy" girls want to find out their love destiny in the next year. However, in the Bosnian ritual, people who practice rituals through different forms detect the physical and mental disorders of the patient. And that's the point where any similarity ends.
anzotika.bosnianforum.com/t2528-bosnian-ritual-with-the-lead-salijevanje-strahe
