No history of Halloween would be complete without a history of Samhain. Uncover the archaeological and historical evidence behind Samhain’s ancient Celtic origins.
Tag Archives: Samhain
What Is Samhain? (Definition and Etymology)
What in the Halloween is the definition of Samhain? Where did the word come from? And why did the ancient Celts decide to celebrate Samhain on the 31st night of October?
How Do You Pronounce Samhain?
Learn the authentic Irish pronunciation for “Samhain”, the ancient Celtic feast that inspired Halloween. Hint: it’s not “Sam-hane”.
Who Is the Irish God of Death? A Morbid Introduction to the Morrígan, Donn, and Bilé
Irish mythology is rife with ruthless and ritual death. So is there a god and/or goddess from the Irish pantheon who is in charge of the recently deceased, à la the Grim Reaper or Charon from Greek mythology? Turns out there’s not just one Irish god of death, there are (at least) three.
What Is a Banshee? The Mythic Origins of Ireland’s Most Infamous Shrieking Spirit
A brief biography of Irish folklore’s most frightening fay, the banshee. Learn why this vociferous, vatic vocalist haunts the households of those about to perish.
6 Halloween Rituals Rooted in the Ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain
The origins of Halloween are rooted in the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Samhain. But how, specifically, did Samhain give rise to all those wacky Halloween rituals?
Samhain Reading List: 13 Frightening Works of Fiction for Celebrating Halloween’s Celtic Roots
Get in the Samhain spirit with these spine-tingling Celtic horror novels and short story collections