ARAWN - Eau de Toilette
Description
A delightfully refreshing magical citrus fragrance reminiscent of classic colognes with elements of bergamot, lemon and mandarin zest combined with a herbal whisper. The heart is full blooming neroli blossoms, lavender sprigs and jasmine petals resting upon a sensual musk and amber base.
Arawn’s defining trait is that he is Lord of Annwn, the Welsh Otherworld. Annwn is listed in different legends as an island off the coast of Wales, a cauldron or kingdom beneath the sea, or simply underground. Described as a blessed paradise, it is connected by some writers to the Arthurian Avalon, the Isle of the Blessed. Arawn is a just ruler, beloved by his court and his Queen, though he has competition for his rule.
Arawn appears as a skilled magician, able to switch his appearance for an entire year with the hero Pwyll. The magic is so effective that not even Arawn’s own wife knows of their switch. In “Cad Goddeu,” Arawn summons a great host of Annwn to battle and magically enhances them, but despite this is defeated by Gwydion.
In addition to being a great ruler and skilled magician, Arawn appears as an adept hunter who loves sport, enough that every day his court goes hunting with his supernatural white-eared red-eyed dogs.
Autumn is Arawn’s time, connected to the baying of great hounds and the cries of geese headed south for the winter. The traditional Celtic year typically ended in fall on Samhain, which we know today as Halloween. Samhain is a day when the spirits of the dead walk freely on the Earth, highlighting Arawn’s role as Lord of the Underworld.
With the rise of Christianity in the British Isles, Arawn’s association with death led to his demonization. Annwn, as the Welsh Otherworld, becomes a place for the souls of the damned, and Arawn as its lord became lord of the damned. Similarly, the hounds of Arawn became associated with hellhounds hunting the spirits of the damned.
Little is known of Arawn’s family beyond his unnamed wife, the Queen of Annwn, who loved her husband dearly.
UKCP-87720041