Lock 'Lore in Scandinavia
Who would have thought that the humble locksmith would hold
a significant place in Norse mythology? Yet until a few centuries ago, the
Scandinavian locksmith reigned supreme!
To the Nordics, locks (and the iron of which they were made),
acted as an effective buffer against the forces of evil that worked to do them
harm.
For instance, in Finland, a woman about to give birth would
traditionally place 3 of her finest locks in between her bed sheets to assure a
safe labour. Meanwhile, if a patient was blighted by a boil, patients were
encouraged to gently press the growth with the edge of a key head, believing
the healing property of the key would bring about a full recovery.
The kudos given to locks may ultimately derive from the superstition
that all manner or ghosts, demons and ghastly ghouls could pass through the entry
points of people’s homes and terrorise those inside! The locks that therefore
fastened these doors and windows naturally merited a lot of attention.
Indeed, the devil was certainly in the detail…evidence from the time
even suggests that elaborately carved locks incorporated protective markings to
fend off ghosts and spirits.
...while our locksmiths’ latest stock of TS007 super-locks will protect against most
things, even Lockforce can’t guarantee they’ll keep out malevolent spirits!
Rest assured Lockforce's head office is now looking to our Nordic cousins for inspiration!
