Why silver?

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Why silver?

Post by NarnianWolfen »

Something I've never researched before...why is it silver that supposedly harms a werewolf? I know that it's a toxin in their system, and I've also heard of it burning the flesh. Does anyone have any idea where this idea originates? How does the story go?
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Post by Apokryltaros »

From what I've read, silver was considered to be a "holy" metal, hence its use for the goblets, bowls and other ceremonial regalia of the Christian Church(es).
And given as how werewolves were (according to the Christian Church) were unholy servants of Satan, silver or blessed weapons were the weapons of choice when dealing with them.
I think the Beast of Geudevan (spelling?) was killed by blessed bullets.
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Post by Tovam »

Isn't silver a moon-metal?
The moon is supposed to affect a werewolf's change, so maybe a moon-metal affects it (in a negative way?) as well

I don't know where they got it from, but I prefer Underworld's hampering-the-change myself
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Post by Set »

Reilune wrote:I have a book called Monsters by John Michael Greer. He discusses alot of things in it besides werewolves, but there is a section in there about how silver relates to the etheric plane. I'd reccomend you take a look at it. It's a facinating book. I'll quote some of it for you.
Magical teachings about the etheric body also make sense out of the lore surrounding methods of wounding or killing werewolves. Dense etheric patterns are more or less invulnerable to most ordinary physical objects, but can be damaged by metals, especially highly conductive ones like silver. Since a shapeshifter's own etheric body provides at least some of the substance of the body of transformation, and since the etheric body forms the framework on which the dense matter of the physical body is arranged, any damage to the animal form will be mirrored in the shapeshifter's human body as well. This is known as reprocussion among magicians, and forms one of the potential hazards of any sort of out-of-body experience.

More drastic results are caused by a conductive metal object that passes through the core of the body of transformation. If the shapeshifter is projecting the animal body at some distance from his or her physical body, the result is usually sudden death. The body of transformation implodes, and the shapeshifter-with no way to reconnect to the physical body-passes though the Second Death instantly.

If the shapeshifter is physically present within the body of transformation, on the other hand, the results are less immediately fatal, but the shapeshifter is likely to be pretty dazed from the etheric rebound, and may slip into a life-threatening state of shock. Either way, the werewolf's traditional dread of silver makes a great deal of sense in magical terms.
From this topic: http://calypso-blue.com/werewolf/viewtopic.php?t=1010
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Post by Scott Gardener »

Someone I know read a book in which werewolves were cursed demons; the silver in that interpretation came from the silver that Judas got for betraying Christ. He seemed quite obsessed with that concept and with lycanthropy as diabolical in general. I didn't have the heart to tell him that on some level, one could say a werewolf was sitting there, looking at him. (Well, the main reason I didn't tell him was that he holds an important position in management.)
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Post by Arania »

From most of my readings into Folklore, silver is a recent addition to the werewolf myth - namely with hollywood and the wolfman.

The only connotation I can find to silver in the myths is actually with Windigo myths of the Algonkian indians, not werewolves, but there appears to be a LOT of crossover between the general themes (people go crazy, eat other people, believed to be monsters). The windigo myths had the affliction spread by a bite from another windigo, as well as a vulnerability to silver, and I have suspicions that it's these myths that were conglomerated onto werewolf myths when it became more pop-culture.
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Post by Celestialwolf »

Silver is there so werewolves aren't completely invincible. If someone in a story has no weakness, that story isn't nearly as intersting.

Also, we might as well give humans a small chance at defending themselves :D
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Post by Fenrir »

Isn't there something the Celts believed Silver was holy and that weres were evil so touch silver and you get burned
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Post by Apokryltaros »

Lazywolf wrote:Silver is there so werewolves aren't completely invincible. If someone in a story has no weakness, that story isn't nearly as intersting.
Except for Lord Krishna.
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Post by Fenrir »

Who?
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Post by Apokryltaros »

Fenrir wrote:Who?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna
Avatar of Vishnu.
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Post by vrikasatma »

In my Pashunara story, silver is lethal to the Shaivite Pashunara as a result of a curse that the Moon God, Chandra, put on the Pashunara for their role in His war with Shiva.

Mechanically, the silver represents alchemical water which cancels out their Fire, which fuels their shifting and heals their bodies. It's like "Bingo! You're mundane again — a 175-year-old mundane. With a knife in ya. Have a nice day, sucker!"

What interests me is that these methods of offing supernatural critters — silver bullets, stake through the heart, decapitation — would work on pretty much anything. You have a pointy object impaling your heart; doesn't matter if it's wood, glass, metal or otherwise, you're gonna die. Bullets wound and kill, doesn't matter if they're silver, bismuth, gold, iron or copper. And only a cockroach wouldn't notice if their head went missing.

"We killed it with silver bullets! That proves he was a werewolf!"

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Post by Fenrir »

Apokryltaros wrote:
Fenrir wrote:Who?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna
Avatar of Vishnu.
thanks :)
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Post by Apokryltaros »

vrikasatma wrote:...And only a cockroach wouldn't notice if their head went missing.

"We killed it with silver bullets! That proves he was a werewolf!"

"I see a human body with bullet wounds. You shot a man to death. Tell it to the judge."
Well, a cockroach would notice that it's head was missing...
As it will, provided it didn't die of shock from decapitation, eventually die of starvation or dehydration within a week of its injury.

But, for the most part, I'm thinking that various monsters, werewolf, vampire, rakshasa, etc, need a bane of some sort to counteract their immunity/invulnerability/powers, whether it's a particular bane-substance, death in a particular ritual, or a peculiar circumstance.
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Post by Searif »

Apokryltaros wrote:From what I've read, silver was considered to be a "holy" metal, hence its use for the goblets, bowls and other ceremonial regalia of the Christian Church(es).
And given as how werewolves were (according to the Christian Church) were unholy servants of Satan, silver or blessed weapons were the weapons of choice when dealing with them.
I think the Beast of Geudevan (spelling?) was killed by blessed bullets.
its true that silver is considered holy, thats why vampires are supposedly weakend by it also
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Post by Apokryltaros »

Searif Bogard wrote:
Apokryltaros wrote:From what I've read, silver was considered to be a "holy" metal, hence its use for the goblets, bowls and other ceremonial regalia of the Christian Church(es).
And given as how werewolves were (according to the Christian Church) were unholy servants of Satan, silver or blessed weapons were the weapons of choice when dealing with them.
I think the Beast of Geudevan (spelling?) was killed by blessed bullets.
its true that silver is considered holy, thats why vampires are supposedly weakend by it also
Depends on which legends/folklore you're looking at.
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Post by vrikasatma »

Apokryltaros wrote:Well, a cockroach would notice that it's head was missing...As it will, provided it didn't die of shock from decapitation, eventually die of starvation or dehydration within a week of its injury.
Should have clarified that...I knew cockroaches can live for up to a week without their heads...that's why I used them as a cite...

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Post by Shadow Wulf »

I like the idea that a werewolf would only be alergic to silver as in it stings or irritates. My character the only way he dies is by being shot in the center of the head(by any bullet) or heart.
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Post by IblisPendragon »

In GS they use silver in a vain attempt to fight the virus, since silver supposedly has a cleansing effect. Like, if you have gotten an inflammation from a piercing or something, just use a pure silver piercing and it will heal...
.? That is the problem with you mortals, you die too easily. You hardly fight back. A couple of pitiful screams and a little squirming and you are done. I can hardly call it satisfactory."

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Post by Wolfhanyou »

I think it's because silver was considered 'holy' (as mentioned above) and pure in a way. Since werewovles are widely considered to be tainted in someway. But my werewolves (the ones in my stories anyway) can touch metal without getting hurt. It's only when the silver manages to penetrate into the bloodstream that it becomes trouble (like poison).
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Post by vrikasatma »

Interesting that silver, which is supposed to be so pure, tarnishes...gold never does and that's why you can always tell when an antique has real gold leafing: it stays bright indefinitely and never oxidizes.

Silver is anti-bacterial, though. This is why the rich always used to eat with silver utensils, because they'd be proof against food poisoning. Hence, silverware.
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Post by Apokryltaros »

vrikasatma wrote:Interesting that silver, which is supposed to be so pure, tarnishes...gold never does and that's why you can always tell when an antique has real gold leafing: it stays bright indefinitely and never oxidizes.

Silver is anti-bacterial, though. This is why the rich always used to eat with silver utensils, because they'd be proof against food poisoning. Hence, silverware.
Gold, silver and copper are "bacteriostatic."
That is, through an as of yet unknown method, when bacteria come in contact with these metals, their metabolisms shut down, and ultimately, they die.
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Post by Jamie »

Arania wrote:From most of my readings into Folklore, silver is a recent addition to the werewolf myth - namely with hollywood and the wolfman.

The only connotation I can find to silver in the myths is actually with Windigo myths of the Algonkian indians, not werewolves, but there appears to be a LOT of crossover between the general themes (people go crazy, eat other people, believed to be monsters). The windigo myths had the affliction spread by a bite from another windigo, as well as a vulnerability to silver, and I have suspicions that it's these myths that were conglomerated onto werewolf myths when it became more pop-culture.
Yes, I've found a lot of evidence that Hollywoodesque werewolves were inspired heavily by windigo lore. It makes it difficult for people to make windigo movies, because it sounds too much like standard movie werewolves, and viewers get baffled. A few movies semi-successfully manage to combine werewolves and windigoes, such as the third "Ginger Snaps" movie.
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Post by Silverclaw »

Yeah silver is considered a 'pure' metel. And werewolves are generaly considered 'impure' beasts.
Like already stated :)
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