IV - The Anvil (The Emperor): An anvil reflects branches bearing the tiny leaves of a desert oak, and sinks roots towards the center of the earth. The anvil is the blacksmith's tool, sacred symbol, workbench, altar, and deity. It radiates authority and demands respect, for it is the ultimate source of order, the world axis and the center of the universe. It holds the deep energy of the earth's core and the solid strength of a growing tree. Its face reflects sun and starlight. Symbol of the limits and laws of physics, it grounds the smith in the working reality of the Middle World, poised between the Upper World of space and the Lower World of stone and ancestors. Traditionally this card is the sacred king who renews the land or the tyrant who destroys it. The anvil imposes structure on metal heated in the chaotic birth-chamber of the forge. A smith cannot shape the hot metal to her will without the stability of the anvil to anchor the work and move the iron under her hammer. The anvil's ring is the song of her life force, and is proof against malevolent spirits. The sound can indicate how the anvil was made, whether it was cast from molten metal or forged into shape. If it rings too loudly, magnets are stuck on it to dull the sound. The horned anvil is used in the Americas and Europe. Most weigh between 50 and 150 pounds, though they range from 25 lb. jeweler's anvils to 600 lb. industrial shop giants. The horn is used for shaping curves and the tip can be used to flare a piece of pipe. The smith works while standing, and the anvil is placed on a stand at a convenient height. Dozens of hammers, tongs, chisels, and other tools are often hung on the stand, ready for use. They declare the smith's ownership of the anvil. Asian and African anvils (and Iron Age European ones) are flat-topped stakes, simple blocks of steel, or even large flat rocks. The smith works while sitting on the ground, using a few tools that are kept in a small box.