On Halloween Eve, October 31st, 2014, this “Mandragora” poster appeared in Sting Alley. We haven’t been able to trace the origins of this particular poster, but it depicts an androgynous fortune teller, complete with crystal ball, in a Belle Epoque-esque art style. On the fortune teller’s shoulders sit two large ravens, over whose heads are scrollwork emblazoned with the ancient language of Elder Futhark. The translations of these words are “HUGINN” and “MUNINN,” or “THOUGHT” and “MIND” in Old Norse, which identifies these birds as Huginn and Muninn, a pair of mythical birds that bring information to the Norse god, Odin. The base of the poster features the word “MANDRAGORA,” a phrase which could refer to a number of plant species, or, more interestingly, to the folkloric tale of mandragora demons.
The crystal ball itself bears a series of dots and dashes, which should be recognizable to most as a series of Morse code messages. These messages have been transcribed below:
| LINE: | CIPHER: | DECODED: | LOCATION: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -.- .– — -. –. … | KWONGS | Kwong Fong Chinese Laundry Delancey Street, New York |
| 2 | .-.. – / …. –.- / —– —.. | LT HQ 08 | Garden of Allah Villas |
| 3 | -… — — .–. | BOOP | Betty Boop/I Love Lucy tribute Rodeo Drive |
| 4 | .–. .- -. – .- –. . … | PANTAGES | Pantages Theater Hollywood Blvd |
| 5 | .–. .-. .. — . | PRIME | “Transformers” attraction entrance |
| 6 | – .-. .. -… ..- -. . | TRIBUNE | Metropolis Tribune facade New York |
Photo by Chris Bishop.