Witches and Halloween: The Real History of Witch Belief and How the Broomstick Got Into the Picture
The witch is the defining visual symbol of Halloween. She appears on every seasonal decoration, every costume rack, every piece […]
The History of Trick or Treat: Where It Actually Came From and Why Almost Everything You Think You Know Is Wrong
Trick or treat is the most universally recognised Halloween custom in the English-speaking world, practised by hundreds of millions of
Día de los Muertos: The Mexican Festival of the Dead, Its Pre-Columbian Roots, and Why It Is Nothing Like Halloween
Día de los Muertos is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November across Mexico and in Mexican communities worldwide,
Jack o’Lantern: The Irish Folk Legend of Stingy Jack, the Turnip That Became a Pumpkin, and the Light That Never Goes Out
The Jack o’Lantern is one of the most recognisable symbols in the world for approximately six weeks every autumn, a
The Origins of Samhain: The Celtic Festival That Became Halloween and What the Sources Actually Say
Samhain is the oldest ancestor of Halloween, and almost everything that most people believe about it is either oversimplified, invented,
Delphi in Greek Folk Tradition: The Oracle Site That Never Lost Its Supernatural Reputation
Delphi was the most important religious site in ancient Greece, home to the Oracle of Apollo whose pronouncements shaped the
The Mani: The Isolated Peninsula Where Ancient Greece Never Quite Ended and Blood Feuds Lasted Centuries
The Mani is the middle finger of the three peninsulas that extend from the southern Peloponnese into the Mediterranean, a
Mount Olympus in Greek Folk Tradition: The Mountain the Gods Left and the Spirits That Stayed
Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece at 2,917 metres, a massif of extraordinary dramatic character rising from the
The Dönme: The Secret Jews of Thessaloniki Who Converted to Islam and Kept Their Faith Hidden for Three Centuries
The Dönme are one of the most extraordinary communities in the history of religion, a group of Sephardic Jews in
The Klephts: The Mountain Outlaws of Ottoman Greece Who Became the Heroes of a Nation
The Klephts were armed Greek brigands who lived in the mountains of Greece during the period of Ottoman rule, from