One of the most popular Samhain stories told during the festival was of “The Second Battle of Mag Tuired,” which portrays the final conflict between the Celtic pantheon known as the Tuatha de Danann and evil oppressors known as the Fomor. Similar are the Sluagh, who would come from the west to enter houses and steal souls. The Lady Gwyn is a headless woman dressed in white who chases night wanderers and was accompanied by a black pig.Ī group of hunters known as the Faery Host might also haunt Samhain and kidnap people. Some specific monsters were associated with the mythology surrounding Samhain, including a shape-shifting creature called a Pukah that receives harvest offerings from the field.
It was expected that ancestors might cross over during this time as well, and Celts would dress as animals and monsters so that fairies were not tempted to kidnap them. READ MORE: Who Were Celts? Samhain Monstersīecause the Celts believed that the barrier between worlds was breachable during Samhain, they prepared offerings that were left outside villages and fields for fairies, or Sidhs. Some documents mention six days of drinking alcohol to excess, typically mead or beer, along with gluttonous feasts. Anyone who committed a crime or used their weapons during the celebration faced a death sentence. There was also a military aspect to Samhain in Ireland, with holiday thrones prepared for commanders of soldiers. During this time of year, hearth fires in family homes were left to burn out while the harvest was gathered. READ MORE: Halloween: Traditions, Rituals, Origins Ancient SamhainĪncient Celts marked Samhain as the most significant of the four quarterly fire festivals, taking place at the midpoint between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. In modern times, Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”) is usually celebrated from October 31 to November 1 to welcome in the harvest and usher in “the dark half of the year.” Celebrants believe that the barriers between the physical world and the spirit world break down during Samhain, allowing more interaction between humans and denizens of the Otherworld. Samhain is a pagan religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition.
0 kommentar(er)
