Description
Carving jack-o’-lanterns, bobbing for apples, dressing up in costumes, decorating with black and orange, giving out candy, trick-or-treating…what do all of these hallmarks of Halloween have in common? They all originated with the ancient Celts. They all originated with Samhain.
You’ve heard of it. Not directly, you’ve probably already celebrated it. And for those who’re not from Ireland or Scotland, you’ve indisputably mispronounced it: Samhain
Perhaps crucial holiday at the ancient Celtic calendar, Samhain marks the end of summer and the end of the pastoral year. This can be a liminal time—a time when the forces of light and darkness, warmth and cold, growth and blight, are in conflict.
A time when the barrier between the land of the living and the land of the dead is at its thinnest.
A time when all manner of spirits and demons are wont to cross over from the Celtic Otherworld.
Or no less than that’s in step with Irish mythology and folklore.
And that’s exactly what you’ll find inside Samhain in Your Pocket: summaries and analyses of the Irish myths and folktales (in addition to historical and archaeological evidence) upon which our current knowledge of Samhain is built.
What’s more, we’ll trace the origins of Samhain back to its (potentially) Gaulish roots, and explore how up to date Halloween traditions evolved from ancient Celtic customs and rituals.
