Bonfires, Fire and the Dark Half of the Year

Fire is everywhere in autumn folklore, but what does it actually tell us about Halloween's past?

Episode 8 of The Depths of Halloween. Elias, Mara and the Archivist debate the history, folklore and modern claims behind Bonfires, Fire and the Dark Half of the Year. The production distinguishes documented history from folklore and later reinterpretation where the evidence is uncertain.

Estimated scripted runtime: about 16.1 minutes before performance pacing.

Topics in this episode

• Fire is practical
• Purification claims
• From bonfire to candle
• Why fire survives

Sources and further reading

• Library of Congress: The Origins of Halloween Traditions
• Library of Congress: Halloween: Topics in Chronicling America
• Smithsonian Magazine: The Celtic Origins of Trick-or-Treating
• Smithsonian Magazine: When Halloween Was All Tricks and No Treats
• HISTORY: How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth