Show notes
One of Halloween's biggest claims goes on trial: was Samhain fundamentally a festival devoted to the dead?
Episode 21 of The Depths of Halloween. Elias, Mara and the Archivist debate the history, folklore and modern claims behind Was Samhain a Festival of the Dead?. 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
- The slogan
- Literary evidence
- All Souls confusion
- Better language
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
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