Silver is a soft, reflective gray metal popular for use in coinage, jewelry and household utensils. It has the highest electrical conductivity of any known element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal so it is also useful in electronics and various scientific enterprises. Silver also has antibacterial properties and may be used to coat surgical devices. This may be one reason why it has been historically popular for table ware. It also makes the best flutes, due to way the wind moves across its surface.

The chemical symbol for silver, Ag, reflects Greek name árguros and its Latin name argentum, both meaning "grey" or "shining"

Silver marketed today as Sterling Silver is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. The addition of copper makes sterling silver harder than pure silver, and better able to stand up to regular use as jewelry or household utensils. Items made of sterling silver may or may not be plated with a thin coat of fine silver to improve its appearance.

Some History and Folklore of Silver

Silver has long been associated with magic and healing and has a reputation for being able to ward against evil and destroy evil creations. Werewolves and sometimes vampires have been popularly believed to be particularly vulnerable to silver.

Silver in Healing

Silver has long been considered a purifying element and has been used to treat any number of illnesses, particularly contagions and wounds. Traditionally, water that had been stored in a silver container or into which silver coins had been placed would be given to a patient or used to wash his wounds.

Indeed science has demonstrated that it has antibacterial properties and it has been used in wound dressings. Adding silver to a bandage (as in these silver coated band-aids) is believed to reduce the likelihood of infection and inflammation. Ointments such as this one by Curad are also available.

Colloidal Silver, pure silver particles in a liquid suspension, is widely marketed as a panacea today for the treatment of everything from HIV to Cancer to the common cold, though research has not confirmed its effectiveness in any case. Short term use does not appear to do any harm, but colloidal silver may interact with other medications and supplements you are taking. Always be sure to provide your practitioner or physician with a list of all of your prescriptions AND supplements to prevent dangerous interactions.

Wearing silver jewelry is said to help heal and calm the mind, to help clear the lungs and throat, to increase circulation and purify the blood, to balance hormones and to slow the progression of degenerative brain diseases. Just wearing silver is said to help draw negative energy from the body to make way for positive energy.

lodestone set in silver is said to help improve eyesight.

Any stone used for healing will benefit from being set into silver.

Silver in Magic

Silver is a great conductor of energy, including magic. Any stone set in silver will be amplified and its energy more easily directed.

Holy water used for purification purposes is best stored in or distributed from a silver container. The silver will infuse the water with its purifying energy. It will also enhance moon water.

Silver is an excellent material from which to making scrying mirrors and scrying bowls.

Wear a piece of silver jewelry, set with moonstone (or not) to bed to aid in dream work and to encourage prophetic dreams.

Correspondences for Silver

planet: The moon
zodiac sign: Cancer, Aquarius
tarot card: The Moon
gender: feminine
God/Goddess: Any God/dess of the Moon

Silver Toxicity

Silver is generally considered safe for general and regular use, even internally. However, regular ingestion of silver over a long period of time can lead to argyria, a buildup of silver in the tissues leading to a gray or bluish-gray coloration of the tissues, including the skin and eyes. Some people suffer from an allergy to silver.

See Also

Please note: None of the information provided on the Witchipedia is intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or disorder and is provided for the purposes of folkloric interest only. If you are suffering from any sort of malaise, you are encouraged to seek personal advice from a qualified practitioner.

Discuss this section. Questions, comments and additional information about this topic are welcomed and encouraged.