#PhallusThursday – The Penis as Potent Symbol
Many classical sculptures today have lost their penises to time and prudery but the ancient world was awash with explicit
Roses are Red: The Sinister Side of Valentine’s Day Folklore
Sending mean cards? Eating mashed earthworms? Using jack o’lanterns to light medieval love banquets? They’re all surprising yet vaguely sinister
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – a Bewitching Masterpiece of Mediaeval Poetry
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, is a fourteenth century poetic masterpiece. No mere Arthurian romance, it is a work
Tales of Britain: A Long Expected Journey
A year and a half after our call to action to support Unbound Publishing’s 21st century roadmap of British folktales,
Was it Really East of the Sun and West of the Moon?
The Norwegian folktale, “East of the Sun and West of the Moon,” in which a white bear comes to take
British Legends: The Madness of Merlin (Part 2)
The Vita Merlini, written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the twelfth century, tells the story of Merlin after the Battle
We’re Going Monster Spotting… You Want to Come?!
Would you call yourself a thrill-seeker? Are you always looking for that next adrenaline rush? Putting yourself in danger so
British Legends: The Madness of Merlin (Part 1)
The Vita Merlini, written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the twelfth century, tells the story of Merlin after the Battle
Oaxacan Ruin Lore: When the Stones Come For You
Mitla is a Zapotec town in Oaxaca, a state in southern Mexico. Its name is derived from the Aztec place-name,
Iranian Folklore
Iranian folklore has a diverse, rich and historic tradition, with storytelling deeply rooted in Iranian culture.
The King Otter: A Legendary Irish Cryptid
For almost 300 years, the story of the mysterious dobhar-chú, or King Otter, has haunted the shores of Glenade Lake
Piskies, Knockers and Tommyknockers – Cornwall’s Misunderstood Folklore
The Folklore of Cornwall: The Oral Tradition of a Celtic Nation addresses everything from piskies – south west Britain’s fairies
From Cow to Kitchen: The Lore of Milking and Dairy Work
If a cow lost her milk, it could prove disastrous for a hard-up family. Witches and fairies were often blamed
Frolicksome Women: The Folklore of Wife Selling
Wife selling is often claimed to be an ancient practice, carried out by brutish men to free themselves of unwanted
London Folklore: The Legendary Frost Fairs of the River Thames
he legendary frost fairs on the River Thames are depicted in a number of works of art that show just
Bring Back Epiphany!
Christmas is over, New Year has been well and truly celebrated, and most of us are back at work by
Snow Queens and Winter Witches from Around the World
Through myth, fairy tale and legend, powerful women are depicted as dark, cruel and calculating, and they are often naturally
Winter Plants: The Magic of Mistletoe
Mistletoe is known to most people for its Christmas associations, but holds a long folklore of magical associations, where it
The Burning Heart of Scotland’s Yule – Charring the Old Wife
Plant lore is the verdant heart of Scottish folk holidays and traditions. Nature’s gift and sacrifice is found in the
I Have a Little Dreidel: The Customs and Traditions of Hanukkah
anukkah is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Jewish calendar. It’s known by some as the Festival of
Flower Folklore: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
In the Victorian tradition, every Australian native flower has a meaning and, as she settles into her new life, Alice
A Californian Krampus
Relentlessly sunny and known for a love of trend over tradition, Los Angeles is an unlikely home to a new
Conservazione dei racconti popolari locali: turismo teatrale e storie territoriali nel sud Italia
Dee Dee Chainey parla con Concetta Brunetti , attrice e drammaturga, e fondatrice di Artèteca.
British Legends: Morgan le Fay – Magical Healer or Renegade Witch?
In Arthurian tradition the elusive sorceress Morgan le Fay becomes one of King Arthur’s most dangerous foes.
Tower of London Legends: Ravens, Ghosts and Cursed Jewellery
In 1078, William the Conqueror built a white tower on the north bank of the River Thames that would become
The Dragons of Wales: What if Dragons Are Real?
By re-imagining Welsh dragons in a new way, a way which makes them more plausible to an informed and sceptical
Loud and Proud: Battle Jackets as Folk Art
What unites bikers, punks, feminists and sewing? Scott Malthouse explores the social history of battle jackets.
The Above World: Reaching for the Sky in Native American Myths
The Sky World of Native American myth refers to a parallel celestial universe located in the Sky. It is home
Dreaming Bread and Skyrie Stanes: Scottish Folk Magic and Community Traditions
‘Dreaming Bread and Skyrie Stanes: A Celebration of Scottish Folk Magic and Community Traditions’ is a day-long symposium organised by
Albion’s Glorious Ile: William Hole and the Strangest Maps of Britain Ever Made
In the early 17th century, the celebrated London engraver William Hole created some of the strangest maps of Britain ever
Dark and Intriguing: The Challenges of Ashmolean’s Spellbound Exhibition
The exhibition "Spellbound: Magic, Ritual & Witchcraft" at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford examines the history of magic over eight
Fairies in a Flat Landscape: the Fairylore of Suffolk
Suffolk might seem the very last place to look for fairylore; after all, most of us have grown up with
The Dreaded Headless Horseman and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow
he Headless Horseman captures the imagination like nothing else at Halloween. Regional American history and urban legend influences the interpretation
Meet Mexico’s Trinity of Death – Day of the Dead, Santa Muerte, and Catrina Calavera
October the season of death is here and soon comes Halloween with its cavalcade of ghosts and goblins together with
Faces in the Mirror: The Urban Legend of Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary is a scary urban legend that has been told for decades, but what might psychology tell us about
Deadly Ghosts: The Murderer Who Returned from Beyond the Grave
The residents of a Swansea street were shocked to be able to recognise the ghostly spirit haunting their home, but
Graphic Novels & New England Folklore: A Return to Hopeless, Maine
illow Winsham talks to Tom and Nimue Brown, the creators of the Hopeless, Maine graphic novel series, for a dip
British Legends: The Quest for the Holy Grail
In Arthurian romance the mystical, magical quest of the Sangreal is a popular story that has its roots in medieval
Fact or Fiction? The Fate of the Witchfinder General
here is no name from the period of England's witch trials more infamous than that of Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled
Speaking to the Dead: Necromancy in Magic and Folklore
So, what is necromancy and what does it have to do with folklore? Come with me, and let’s enter the