Magic Staffs

The magicians, wizards, and sorcerers that inhabit the imaginary world of books, graphic novels, and movies are often portrayed as bearers of staffs. These undoubtedly special items vary considerably in both size and appearance – they can be as short as a forearm or resemble long walking sticks. It seems that writers and film makers share a preference for staffs made of wood, sometimes with crooked shapes and additional decorations in the form of stones, ribbons, or animal bones. Iron staffs are witnessed less frequently in literature and on the silver screen, the most representative example probably being the staff of...