People knew when they saw Stingy Jack because he carried a carved up turnip with him that glowed with coal from hell that had been thrown at him by the devil. As a consequence, when he died he could not enter heaven or hell and was forced instead to roam the Earth until Judgment Day. While there are many origin stories of the jack-o-lantern, a popular retelling focuses on a clever, drunkard by the name Stingy Jack who sold his soul to the devil, then tricked the devil out of the pact. They also held jack-o-lanterns-hollowed out turnips, potatoes, and beets (or skulls, if you believe some claims)-lit by candles to illuminate the night and scare away those seeking to cause them harm.Īn Irish Seán Na Gealaí turnip lantern from the early 20th century at the Museum of Country Life, Ireland. People were said to disguise themselves as spirits to fool real ones, which apparently sometimes involved dressing up in animal skins and, in Scotland, wearing white and veiling or blackening one’s face.ĭuring Samhain, people were also said to carry treats in their pockets to give away as bribes, should they be caught unawares by wrathful spooks. Some of the traditional stories of Samhain will sound familiar to Halloween revelers of today. Among their ranks were witches, who didn’t just fly on their broomsticks, but also prowled the Earth on the backs of enormous cats (at least according to one account). The deceased came in search of food and comfort, but evil spirits, faeries and gods also came in search of mischief. Rather, they were also said to welcome the spirits that could travel to Earth during this special time. Around the bonfires, dancing and feasts took place as people celebrated the season of darkness.īut the bonfires of Samhain weren’t just a way to light up the chilly autumn night. The light called on people across Ireland to gather and build bonfires of their own. There, the Druids, who served as Celtic priests, would start a ritual bonfire. In medieval Ireland, the royal court at Tara would kick off celebrations by heading to the Hill of Tlachtga. Though the people loved Bael, they also had affection for Samhain and honored the pagan god accordingly. Every spring, Bael would win, marking a return to lightness, celebrated by Beltane or May Day. Every winter, he became locked in a six-month struggle with Bael, the sun god. The holiday honors its namesake, Samhain, the lord of the dead or winter. What historians do know is that the tradition of Samhain dates back centuries, and the first historical record of the holiday was engraved on a bronze calendar found in Coligny, France, in the 1st century B.C.E. Seeing as there’s no historical evidence about what actually went on during early celebrations, the holiday is one of many legends. The holiday marked the beginning of the darkness and the time when the door between the living and the dead is at its weakest, says Brenda Malone, who works with the Irish Folklife division of the National Museum of Ireland. They believed that there were two parts of the year: the light half and dark half. The Celts were an ancient group of people who lived more than 2,000 years ago in what is now Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Britain and much of Europe. It served as the original Halloween before the church and the candy companies got their hands on it. Samhain, pronounced sow-in, is the Celtic New Year’s Eve, which marks the end of the harvest. The summer sun is becoming a distant memory, the days are growing shorter and cooler, the land is ripe for harvest-and the veil between the spirit world and the corporeal world has loosened, allowing the dead to mingle with the living.
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