Historium Unearthia

The Civil War didn’t just change the nation. It gave rise to embalming, and America’s funeral industry as we know it. Here's my latest for HISTORY. #history #funeral #Americanlife 👉 history.com/articles/civil-w…

In Iceland's Grettis saga, the undead Glámr terrorizes a farm, killing animals and attacking people. Grettir finally defeats him, but the corpse curses him with lifelong fear of the dark. Some monsters remain dangerous even after their second death. #FolkloreThursday

In Scottish witch-trial records, Isobel Gowdie described transforming into a hare and attending supernatural gatherings. Her 1662 confessions include elaborate charms, though their circumstances make them unreliable evidence of actual witchcraft. #FolkloreThursday

In the ballad The Unquiet Grave, a grieving lover mourns so relentlessly that the dead beloved rises to ask for peace. The tale suggests that excessive sorrow can disturb the dead. Even the grave cannot guarantee rest when the living refuse to release someone. #FolkloreThursday Art: S. Cunningham

In the Scottish ballad Tam Lin, Janet must hold her lover while the Fairy Queen transforms him into terrifying creatures. He becomes a snake, bear, and burning object in different versions. The only way to save him is to refuse to let go. #FolkloreThursday Art: Unknown

The medieval chronicler William of Newburgh recorded stories of corpses rising from their graves in 12th-century England. These revenants supposedly walked, attacked relatives, and spread terror. Medieval ghosts weren't always transparent. Sometimes they still had bodies. #FolkloreThursday

In Irish folklore, the fetch is a supernatural double of a living person. Seeing someone's fetch could foretell their death, particularly if the apparition appeared at night. The most frightening stranger you could encounter might look exactly like someone you love. #FolkloreThursday

In ancient Greek magic, curse tablets, or defixiones, were inscribed with requests to bind rivals, enemies, or lovers. Many were deposited in graves, wells or sanctuaries. A small piece of lead could carry an astonishing amount of resentment. #WyrdWednesday

The Hand of Glory appears in European folklore as a severed hand, often attributed to an executed criminal, supposedly prepared for use by thieves. Legends claim it could immobilize householders or provide magical light. Its reputation belongs to some of folklore's darkest magic. #WyrdWednesday

In the English ballad The Unquiet Grave, a mourner weeps so persistently that the dead beloved rises to ask for peace. The grave cannot offer the reunion the living person desires. Some dark tales suggest that grief itself can disturb the boundary between worlds. #WyrdWednesday

In the Scottish ballad The Wife of Usher's Well, a grieving mother wishes her three dead sons home. They return wearing hats made from birch growing near Paradise, but must leave when the cock crows. The tale turns a mother's wish into a heartbreaking supernatural visitation. #WyrdWednesday

The medieval legend of Herne the Hunter describes a ghostly figure associated with Windsor Forest, sometimes appearing with antlers. Shakespeare mentions Herne in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Later folklore transformed him into one of England's most recognizable spectral hunters. #WyrdWednesday

During renovations of old buildings, people sometimes discover concealed shoes hidden in walls, chimneys or beneath floors. Historians debate their precise meanings, but many are interpreted as protective deposits. An old boot might once have been considered a magical safeguard. #WyrdWednesday

In Icelandic magical folklore, the tilberi was an artificial creature supposedly created by a witch to steal milk from neighboring farms. It could be concealed beneath clothing and fed by its creator. Dairy theft was apparently serious enough to require supernatural intervention. #WyrdWednesday

In Scandinavian folklore, the mara was a supernatural being blamed for nightmares. It supposedly sat upon sleepers' chests, causing terrifying dreams and feelings of suffocation. The English word nightmare preserves the name of this nocturnal tormentor. #WyrdWednesday

In some British folk traditions, hearing footsteps behind you on Halloween could be interpreted as a supernatural omen. The details vary by locality and telling. An ordinary walk home became considerably less comfortable when the unseen might be following. #FairyTaleTuesday

The custom of Halloween postcards flourished in the early 20th century. Many featured witches, pumpkins, black cats, and romantic fortune-telling scenes. Some were charming; others were delightfully bizarre. Halloween once arrived in the mail. #FairyTaleTuesday

In parts of northern England, Mischief Night became associated with pranks, although its date and connection to Halloween varied by region. The tradition could involve harmless tricks or serious nuisance. Seasonal misbehavior had its own complicated calendar. #FairyTaleTuesday

In the 1920s and 1930s, American communities increasingly organized Halloween parties and supervised celebrations to discourage destructive pranks. The modern holiday's public festivities owe something to efforts to turn a troublesome night into organized fun. #FairyTaleTuesday

In Irish folklore, Stingy Jack tricks the Devil and is eventually barred from both Heaven and Hell. Condemned to wander the earth, he carries a burning ember inside a hollowed turnip. The tale became associated with the jack-o'-lantern. #FairyTaleTuesday

In Scottish Halloween divination, two nuts were placed beside a fire, each named for a prospective lover. Their behavior as they burned supposedly predicted the relationship's fate. A nut that jumped away could mean romantic disappointment. #FairyTaleTuesday