The Altar

The term altar is derived from the Latin term “altare” or “altus” meaning “a high place for burning offerings” and refers to an elevated place or structure where religious rites were performed or where sacrifices were offered to the Gods. In the Olden Days, altars were normally an elevated structures such as mounds or platforms in which animal sacrifices or crops were offered to the Gods for a successful hunt or a bountiful harvest. However, the Wica and most followers of Witchcraft no longer offer animal sacrifices to the Gods and in Traditional British Witchcraft sacrifices are made to the Gods in the forms of harvest, flowers, and incense.

In Traditional British Wica, the altar is an elevated structure made from natural materials such as wood and stone and is placed in the centre of the Circle during rituals. The altar is the structure where the Working Tools are placed during the rites, according the gender and elemental association, and were offerings are placed or made when not in use for the rites associated with Tradition. In Traditional British Wica, the only items that are placed on the altar are those that have been properly consecrated to the Gods and offering that have been dedicated to the Gods for a specific occasion. The altar is always placed facing the North because this is the direction of the Gods realm and domain.

In Traditional British Witchcraft, the altar should be covered with a black cloth to represent procreation; the only exemption to this rule is at the Esbats and some Sabbats in which other colors are used. The altar candles upon the altar should always be white except for Beltane, Samhain, and Yule and are placed in the upper right and left hand corners of the altar to symbolize the presence of the Gods when lit. When not in use for rituals, the only items upon the altar are the altar candles, statues of the Gods, the Censer, offerings (in the form of flowers or harvest), and the perpetual or eternal flame. All Initiates of Traditional British Wica keep a perpetual or eternal flame on their altars to symbolize life eternal and the union between the brothers and sisters of the Art and the union of the masculine and feminine forces or energies.

The altar is either circular or square. The round altar represents life eternal and a square altar represents balance and the Netherlands or the Underworld. The ideal altar is three feet around or square and three feet tall. This is a comfortable height for an altar because the Witch can stand at the altar without having to lean over to reach the Working Tools during ritual.

The altar is divided into two parts and represents the masculine and the feminine. The masculine side of the altar is the right side and the left side of the altar is feminine. Therefore, the statue of the Goddess should be placed on the left side of the altar and the statue of the God should be placed on the right side of the altar. The offerings should be placed between the statue of the Gods and the perpetual or eternal flame should be placed in the center of the altar. The Censer should be placed to the East of the altar.

In Traditional British Wica, the altar is the physical foundation of their life as a Witch. It represents their connection with the Gods and is the place where offerings are made and devotion takes place. The altar is a reflection of the Witch and should always be kept clean and free of clutter.

In the olden days, the woman was the altar with her womb placed within the centre of the Circle. In Traditional British Witchcraft, this is still held true during the Great Rite.