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Celtic seasonal festivals - Part 4: Samhain

Part 1 ; Part 2 ; Part 3

[The following article contains references to human and child sacrifice; reader discretion is advised]

Hello, my dear readers! With today being the 1st of November, it's once again time for the next - and last - issue of our series about Celtic seasonal festivals. In this article, we will take a look at the origins and customs of Samhain, the most well-known and most influential of the Celtic seasonal festivals that the modern traditions of Halloween originated from.

As I mentioned in the first issue of this series, I already did an analysis on Samhain and how it morphed into Halloween previously, back when I was still active on Twitter. However, after finally making the decision to leave Twitter for good in the light of all recent developments, I thought it would be a shame if the content of these posts was lost to the public forever. Also, I was thinking about doing a revised version of my previous Samhain thread anyway, as I've been able to significantly expand my knowledge about Celtic culture and religion ever since starting this series, and I would like to put this new, broader perspective to use. There's no need to worry about anything being lost - I wrote this article based on my old scripts which I still have available, but rearranged and expanded it so it fits in with the basic structure of the other issues. So please, take your time to enjoy "From Samhain to Halloween - Enhanced Edition"! :-)

General/Etymology

Samhain, pronounced as SAH-wen (also known as Sauin in Manx Gaelic), is one of the Celtic threshold/"fire" festivals held on the night of October 31st to November 1st. It took place when the harvest was done and nature was dying, heralding the beginning of winter, the "dark season" of the year. Furthermore, while it was believed that the gateways to the Otherworld stood open during all threshold festivals, the veil separating the dwelling of supernatural beings from the world of men was supposed to be especially thin at Samhain, allowing spirits, fairies, and the ghosts of the deceased to cross over into the world of mortals.

It is said that out of the four Celtic seasonal festivals, Samhain was the most important one, with some scholars arguing that it was akin to the Celtic New Year. While this thesis can't be decisively proven, it does hold some relevance given that there are accounts of the Celts not counting their time by days, but by nights - since Samhain was considered the advent of the "dark half" of the year (=night), it might be possible that it indeed marked the beginning of the year cycle. Even the Calendar of Coligny, one of the few documents preserved from antiquity which was written by the Celts themselves, starts out with the month Samonios, which may be related to Samhain.

The lunisolar Coligny Calendar (depicted above) stands as proof of the Celts' ample knowledge of astronomy, enabling them to precisely define the dates of the festivals marking the change of seasons; despite being fragmented, it still remains the most important piece of evidence in reconstructing the Celtic year (Source)

Same as the other seasonal festivals, it's quite certain that Samhain has its origin as an agricultural festival: The date of November 1st exactly coincides with the time when herdsmen practicing transhumance (the movement of cattle herds in accordance with the year cycle) would bring their livestock down from the upland summer pastures into the valleys. This highlights the exceptional importance of livestock in Celtic agriculture, which is supported by both historical and mythological evidence (judging by the kitchen scraps from the Celtic oppidum Manching in Bavaria, 99.8% of the consumed meat stemmed from domestic animals; additionally, cows, bulls, and pigs feature prominently in many Celtic myths). Around the time of Samhain, farmers also had to decide which animals to slaughter, as not all of them could be fed through the winter. From this, the custom of holding a great feast on the butchered animals' flesh most likely developed, as a last opportunity for community before the harsh days of winter. Furthermore, the festivities probably served the purpose of people thanking the gods for bringing their cattle herds through the past year, as well as praying for their survival in the coming one.

The etymology of the term Samhain itself has been subject of much debate - some suggest that Samain/Samuin, the Old and Middle Irish term for the festival, might be composed of semo/sam ("summer") and fuin ("end"), but this never has been linguistically proven. Instead, a derivation from the Proto-Celtic samoni, meaning "assembly", seems to be a likely alternative, referring both to the gathering of people as well as their reunion with their ancestors - an assembly of the living and the dead, so to speak.

Ancient Customs and Rites

References to Samhain and its customs can be found in even the earliest Irish literature, the date being a popular setting for many legends and myths. In some tales, one can even find what might be a remnant of ancient sacrificial rites: For example, in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (known as "The Book of Invasions" in English), it's said the Nemedians had to give up two-thirds of their corn, milk, and their children to the demonic Formorians each Samhain (the latter in particular has been interpreted as an allusion to child sacrifice). In this context, the Formorians themselves - which are usually identified as the chaotic, destructive powers of nature - might act as substitutes for ancient gods. It's highly likely that the deities these sacrifices were dedicated to were chthonic in nature, as chthonic gods were not only associated with death and the underworld, but also believed to have control over growth and fertility. With the harvesting period having to an end, the Ancient Celts probably felt obligated to thank the gods of the earth for their bounty, offering them the "best fruits" of the year to invoke their blessing in the next one.

We don't know exactly which gods these sacrifices were meant for, but we do have some possible candidates: In his De bello Gallico, Julius Caesar reports that the Gauls worship a "night god" as their progenitor, comparing his role to the Roman Dis Pater, the lord of the underworld. Some scholars have chosen to interpret this god as Cernunnos, the Celtic god bearing deer antlers on his head and whose name means "the Horned One" (derived from karnon, Gaulish for "horn"/"antler"). Due to frequently being depicted as a "Lord of Animals" surrounded by stags, dogs, bulls, and a horned serpent, he is assumed to be a deity of nature and wilderness. On the other hand, his attributes also include a bag of coins (sometimes grain) and a cornucopia, as well as a torque in one hand, a very popular accessory in Celtic culture which was usually worn around the neck and symbolized power. This suggests that Cernunnos was also responsible for agriculture, being the master over every person's wealth in the form of crop yields. An association of chthonic deities with the growing of crops was very common in ancient times, so there is indeed a possibility that the "night god" mentioned by Caesar and Cernunnos are one and the same entity.

This depiction on the Gundestrup cauldron, a marvelous piece of silver workmanship presumably of Celtic and Thracian origin, shows Cernunnos surrounded by animals such as a stag, a bull, a wolf, and a dog, as well as leaves and buds; the antlered god is sitting cross-legged in the middle of the scene, holding a horned snake in his left hand and a torque in the right, in addition to the one he wears around his neck (Source)

Aside from this, there is also a Celtic god named Sucellus who appears to have possessed similar properties. A very popular deity in Gallo-Roman culture, he is usually portrayed as a bearded, middle-aged man with a wolf-skin as a cape, holding a long-handled hammer or a mallet in one hand (sometimes interpreted as a beer barrel on a pole), and an olla, a type of ancient ceramic pot used for cooking, in the other (it's interesting to note that in Ancient Rome, ollae were also used as funerary urns and for the purpose of animal sacrifices). Occasionally, he is depicted alongside the goddess Nantosuelta, who is believed to be his consort and a deity of fertility, the domestic sphere as well as the dead, her attributes including a miniature house on a pole (variously interpreted as a dovecote/temple model) and ravens. There is a Latin inscription which directly links Sucellus to Silvanus, the Roman god who acted as the lord over woods and plantations, as well as the protector of cattle herds and field boundaries. Some scholars suggested that his role as the guardian of borders might have been a little more ambiguous, identifying him as a chthonic deity who was also tasked with maintaining the border between the underworld and the world of the living. If this is true, Sucellus simply might have been a local variant of Cernunnos, or perhaps an epithet or aspect of one and the same deity. Either way, with our knowledge of ancient Celtic religion being so fragmented, it's difficult to reconstruct.

Still, it appears as though remnants of this god of death and fertility have survived in other Celtic countries: From Irish mythology, we know of Dagda, a major god said to possess power over life and death, the weather, crops, as well as the seasons. Also called "The Dagda", he is usually described as a bearded, large man wielding a magic staff (in some versions a club/mace) with two ends, one of which bestows life while the other kills everything it touches. Furthermore, he possesses a magic cauldron which never runs empty is able to sate every person, in addition to an enchanted harp which can control emotions and bring about the change of seasons. His wife is said to be Morrígan, the fierce goddess of fate, death, and war who turns into a raven on the battlefield. Several Irish tribes traced back their ancestry to Dagda, which is a characteristic that also applies to Donn, who is believed to originally have been an aspect of Dagda. Assumed to be a god of the dead, Donn's last request to his descendants was that they should come to his abode after they die, and to the Irish, "to go to the House of Donn" was synonymous with dying. Donn's dwelling was known as Tech Duinn (translating to "house of Donn"), said to be the place where the souls of the death gather and commonly identified with Bull Rock, a small island off the coast of the Beara Peninsula in the far southwest of Ireland. This would align with the traditional Irish belief that the souls of the death departed westwards over the sea with the setting sun, and the unique shape of Bull Rock resembling a dolmen or a passage tomb might have contributed to people thinking of it as a gateway to the Otherworld, the destination of the final journey of the deceased before they were reincarnated.

However, there is yet another Irish god who was specifically associated with rituals at Samhain: Crom Cruach. The etymology of the name has been debated, with Crom (Irish cromm) usually being translated as "bent/crooked", and Cruach (Irish crúach) meaning "heap", "mound", or "stack", denoting a pile of things like crops, gathered goods, booty, etc., but also the bodies of slaughtered warriors (possibly referring to a mound of sacrificial offerings). According to the Book of Leinster from the 12th century, the god's golden idol stood on the plain Magh Slécht (translated as "plain of prostrations" or "plain of the monument"), surrounded by a circle of twelve smaller bronze figures. The latter might hint at his function as solar deity, which would make him similar to Aed, the Irish god of the underworld who is also suspected to have been a sun god (although it may seem confusing why a chthonic deity should have a connection to the sun, it should be kept in mind that the sun in this context is tantamount to the wheel of the year, and thus, the natural cycle). In times past, the people of Ireland supposedly sacrificed a third of their firstborn children to Crom Cruach in exchange for a bountiful harvest in the next year, a ritual which always took place at Samhain. The Irish High King Tigernmas himself was known to kill a firstborn child in honor of Crom Cruach every Samhain eve, by smashing the child's head against the stone idol. However, one Samhain night, Tigernmas found his own demise on Magh Slécht alongside three fourths of the men of Ireland, all of them dying mysteriously while worshiping Crom Cruach. Apparently, word of these horrific rites even reached Ancient Greece, with Greek authors identifying Crom Cruach as the child-eating titan Cronus, and Ireland as the far-away island close to Britain where Zeus had banished him to. It was said by Plutarch that Cronus is the "sovereign lord of these islands (...) [who] sleeps within a deep cave resting on a rock which looks like gold." He also noted that "there are many deities about [Cronus] as satellites and attendants." Aside from the obvious resemblances to Crom Cruach's idol, a commonality between Crom and Cronus is that both of them are associated with the harvest - however, it can't be decisively said if one influenced the other, and whether Crom Cruach was a native god or Greek adaptation.

One might wonder why worshiping nature deities required such gruesome rituals, and why there seems to be such an inseparable connection between fertility and death in Celtic culture. In the end, we have to remember that the Celts lived in a time when survival was largely dependent on nature's whims, and a single period of foul weather could destroy an entire harvest. Cultivating a harsh region like Central Europe undoubtedly taught the Celts that nature is just as brutal as it is bountiful, and that reaping yields from the earth always came with a price to pay - thus, appeasing nature deities and winning their favor was most likely seen as particularly important. In addition, we shouldn't forget that the Celtic people probably viewed death quite differently than we do: It seems that to them, death was merely a transition from one existence to another, and much like nature and the year with its twelve months, life was seen as a continuous, never-ending cycle. The Celtic belief in reincarnation has been cited by ancient authors such as Caesar, but transformation and rebirth as animals or other objects is also documented in various myths from Celtic countries, such as the Irish tale Tochmarc Étaíne. And just like every new life begins in the darkness of the womb, Samhain may have been viewed as the time of winter and the advent of darkness, when the seeds from which new life would sprout were already lying in the ground.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to piece together the exact rituals and procedure of the ancient festival, due to all sources referring to it having been written long after antiquity by Christian monks. However, it's evident remnants of these ancient customs lasted until medieval times: In several texts, there are accounts of gatherings during the time of Samhain which would last multiple days, where nobles and ollams (masters of a specific trade who held influential positions, particularly bards and poets) would come together in peace. For example, in the Irish tale Serglige Con Culainn, the feast the clan of the Ulaid held at Samhain is said to have lasted a week, beginning three days before Samhain and ending three days afterwards. Another story known Echtra Cormaic mentions the so-called "Feast of Tara" hosted every seven years by the Irish High King, during which the lords of Ireland would meet, pass new laws, and make political decisions. All nobles were obliged to adhere to the laws enacted during this period - not doing so would result in banishment. In addition, these gatherings also had a more jovial side, involving feasting, drinking, and contests. The main course of these feasts was most likely the meat of the cattle butchered on Samhain, part of which the guests would sacrifice to the gods while consuming the rest themselves. Aside from conveying their gratitude, this "shared meal" was also meant to win the gods' favor, ensuring that both the people and their livestock made it through the winter.

However, it appears Samhain may not have been a time of rejoicing for every ruler: According to legend, the two Irish kings Diarmait mac Cerbaill and Muirchertach mac Ercae both die a threefold death on Samhain by wounding, burning, and drowning. Interestingly, this description almost exactly mirrors the three kinds of sacrifices the Gallic gods Esus, Taranis, and Teutates allegedly required: Humans that were to be sacrificed to Esus would be hung from a tree and flogged to death, victims dedicated to Taranis would be burned, and sacrifices to Teutates were to be drowned in a tub of water. Presuming that these accounts are a remnant of ritual killings, they most likely took place when a king was deemed unworthy due to his reign being unfruitful, which was considered a sign of offense by the gods (it's been hypothesized that the inauguration of an Irish king involved a symbolic marriage to the goddess of the land, meaning that any bad harvest or other misfortunes would be directly blamed onto him). While there is no decisive proof to confirm this thesis, some bodies found in Irish bogs seem to belong to nobles who have been ritually killed in a similar manner, a few of them even around the time of Samhain.

In general, Samhain was seen as a time when all debts would have to be settled, and everyone who owed something to another person would make sure to repay them before this date. Also, there are accounts that Samhain marked the official end of the harvesting period, and any crops that had not been gathered until then would be left in the field. In fact, it was even considered dangerous to consume anything harvested after Samhain, be it crops or wild fruits, as it was believed that a spirit known as the Púca had claimed it as its own by spitting on it (or, according to some versions, urinating on it), thus making the yields inedible for humans.

Much like on Beltane, bonfire customs were an important part of Samhain. As a sign that the light half of the year was over, all people would extinguish the hearth fires of their homes and come to gather around large common fires. These bonfires would be ignited by Celtic druids on hilltops, such as the Hill of Tlachtga, today known as the "Hill of Ward". Traditionally, only certain types of wood like oak would be used for the bonfire (according to Pliny the Elder, oaks were sacred trees among ancient Celtic druids), and it was custom to light it by the means of friction, creating sparks and thus kindling a need-fire. The dousing of household fires and subsequent ignition of common fires might represent the dying of light and its rebirth, and one can surmise that the bonfires were meant to invoke the powers of growth that would bring back life to the world in the coming spring. In addition, the fires as well as their ashes and smoke were believed to possess cleansing properties, and there were a lot of rituals meant to ensure that people purified themselves of harmful influences during this time of transition. In some places, two bonfires would be erected side by side, and in a custom very similar to Beltane, people would run between them as a purification ritual, sometimes with their cattle in tow. Meanwhile, in the Scottish region of Moray, young boys would go out to collect firewood from every house in the community, and once the bonfire was lit, they would lie down as close to it as possible to let the smoke blow over them. When the flames died down, the boys would scatter the ashes, vying among themselves for who was allowed to scatter the most. Sometimes, people would even use the ashes to blacken their faces, which was meant to grant them protection from harmful magic. It was also custom to cast the bones of slaughtered cattle into the fire, which was probably meant as a sacrifice to the gods. Once the celebrations were over, everyone would take an ember of the sacred fire home with them, and walking sunwise around houses and fields while carrying burning torches of fir or turf was a common ritual of protection. Following this, every family would solemnly rekindle their own hearth with the sacred flame - yet another ritual symbolizing the end of the old and beginning of the new.

Since Samhain was a liminal time, bonfires were lit which were believed to have cleansing and renewing properties, facilitating a smooth transition into the new half of the year; the Hill of Tlachtga in the Irish County Meath supposedly was the site of a Samhain bonfire and great gathering (Source)

Reigniting the household's fire was not the only duty for every family, however: Since the souls of the dead returned from the Otherworld on Samhain, they would visit their kin's homes, seeking warmth and hospitality. As such, people were obliged to set an additional chair at their dinner table, preparing a special dish of porridge for the deceased. Sometimes, a bowl of fresh water would also be placed near the hearth to welcome them. Additionally, the windows would be left open or the doors unbolted, so the spirits of the dead could come in and partake of the meal. Thus, the whole family, living and dead, would be reunited and dine together - a custom which feels very reminiscent of the Mexican Día de los Muertos.

Alongside the spirits of the deceased, the Aos Sí - spirits and fairies from Irish folklore - were said to emerge from the gates of the Otherworld and roam the land at Samhain night. Judging by the offerings the Ancient Celts left in natural caves and near peculiar rock formations in Central Europe, it appears these places were believed to be portals leading to the Otherworld. In addition, it seems the same was true for the entrance of graves: Legend has it that the Cave of Cruachan, an ancient Irish burial mound belonging to the archaeological complex of Rathcroghan in the County Roscommon, was a gateway to the Otherworld from which hordes of monstrous beings would emerge at Samhain. There are accounts of a flock of red birds causing every plant to wither with their breath, a herd of pigs possessing similar powers of decay, and finally, the Morrígan herself, who would appear riding a chariot draw by a one-legged chestnut horse.

Although these descriptions sound terrifying, it should be mentioned that in ancient times, there might not have been such a clear distinction between good and evil spirits. Just like nature has its live-giving and destructive sides, spirits were believed to be able to bestow both luck and misfortune, and people would take care to appease them so as not to incite their ire. As such, many measures were taken to propitiate the Aos Sí, like placing offerings of food and drink outside for them, leaving a portion of the crops in the ground for them, and pouring libations into the sea. (Considering some scholars theorize that the Aos Sí are remnants of pagan deities, these customs may have originated from ancient sacrificial rites.)

Nevertheless, people were generally advised to stay home during Samhain night, as fairies were notorious for playing tricks and restless souls might be out to take vengeance on those who wronged them. Dusk and midnight in particular were very precarious times, and people would stay away from waterways and the west side of houses since they believed fairies frequented these routes. Whoever still dared to venture out into the darkness would take special care to protect themselves from any mischievous spirits by wearing their clothes inside-out, or carrying salt or a piece of iron with them. However, if one of your relatives or friends did happen to have been taken by fairies the previous year, there was a way to free them: If you came across some fairies on Samhain night - which usually announced themselves by playing music while wandering from one fairy hill to another - you would have to throw dust from under your feet at them, and they would be compelled to release any person they had taken captive a year and a day ago. When tossing any kind of water out of the window at Samhain, it was also advised you should shout "beware!" (seachain) or "water towards you!" (chughaibh an t-uisce) - after all, you never knew when any spirits might be potentially passing by your house, and unintentionally upsetting them would mean great misfortune.

In addition, people would take precautions to keep any malevolent spirits away from their home: A dead ember from the hearth fire or a piece of iron would be placed under every child's bed, to protect them from being abducted by the fairies. Alternatively, a mixture of salt and oatmeal would be daubed onto their foreheads. In southern Ireland, a so-called "parshell", a woven cross made from sticks and straw similar to the Brigid's cross, was a popular Samhain talisman. If hung over the inside of the doorway or in the barn, it was believed to ward off bad luck, illness, and sorcery, as well as grant protection to the livestock. Its effect would last until the next Samhain, when it had to be replaced by a new one.

Still, it might have been possible that you found a procession of eerie figures knocking at your door - not any fairies or spirits, but people dressed in costumes imitating them. It's believed that the tradition of mumming and guising originates from Celtic priests/druids impersonating the souls of the dead or the Aos Sí, going from house reciting verses and songs in exchange for food offerings, fuel for the bonfires, or other supplies for a Samhain feast. Since they acted as representatives of the spirits, everyone was obliged to make a small donation - otherwise, who knew what misfortunes might befall you. While the disguise was clearly meant to show their status as deputies of the Aos Sí, it also served the function of protecting the wearer from any spirits intending to cause them harm. Disguising oneself was one of the only safe ways to go out at Samhain night, as the spirits would be unable to recognize you - maybe even mistake you for one of their own - and thus leave you alone.

At Samhain, people took great care not to offend any spirits or Aos Sí, putting out offerings to appease them; people would prepare an extra seat and meal at the dinner table for their dead relatives, leaving the door or windows open to let them in, while porridge plates dedicated to the Aos Sí would be placed into a small pit in the ground (Source)

Interestingly, this was not the only almsgiving custom on Samhain: With lots of solemnity, every family would bake an oatmeal cake, which would then be offered to a complete stranger. It's assumed that this generosity was meant to ensure the donors themselves would have plenty of food in the future, being reminiscent of some Imbolc customs where the scraps of a feast were given to the poor.

Since the borders between the magical and the mortal world were thinned, Samhain was also believed to be a particularly good time for divination. As during all seasonal festivals, the weather was of particular interest to the diviners, with the wind at midnight hinting at the weather of the coming winter. If visible, the moon was also used as an indicator: If the skies were clear and the moon wasn't obscured by any clouds, it meant good weather, while a clouded moon meant rain, the amount depending on how many clouds there were. If there were clouds drifting quickly past the moon, it meant storms were coming in the following season. Some divination customs also involved the bonfires, such as a tradition practiced in the Scottish Ochtertyre, northern Wales, and Brittany where multiple rings of stones would be laid around the fire on top a layer of ash, each of them representing a person. Afterwards, everyone would pick up a torch and run around the circles merrily, and when any stones were found to be displaced in the following morning, it was said the respective person would die the coming year. (It has been suggested that this developed from a more ancient ritual of selecting a human sacrifice which would then be burned.)

During more private gatherings, seasonal fruits like apples and hazelnuts would often be used in divination rituals. These fruits held great significance in Celtic mythology: Apples symbolized fertility, immortality, and the Otherworld, while hazelnuts were associated with divine wisdom. Apple bobbing was a very popular game, where young unmarried people would try to catch an apple floating in the water with just their teeth - the first person to succeed would be the first to marry. Alternatively, a small wooden rod would be hung from the ceiling horizontally, an apple at one end and a candle at the other. The participants would take turns trying to catch the apple hanging at head height with their teeth, all the while the rod was spun around for increased difficulty. Aside from this, people would peel apples in one long strip, toss the peel over their shoulder, and allegedly, the peel's shape formed the first letter of their future spouse. There was also the custom of roasting two hazelnuts next to a fire, with one representing the person roasting them and the other their beloved. When the nuts roasted quietly near the fire, it was the sign of a good match, but the two nuts jumping away from the heat signaled the relationship was not meant to last.

In addition, people would prepare food with hidden items inside it: In pre-modern times, this was usually done with cakes or barmbrack (a type of yeast bread with raisins), but champ (a dish made of mashed potatoes, scallions, butter, and milk), colcannon (a dish of mashed potatoes with cabbage), or various kinds of pudding (such as cranachan or sowans) were also used for this purpose. The dishes were served to the guests at random, and the item they found was supposed to give a hint at their future - for example, a ring stood for marriage and a coin for wealth. Furthermore, baking a salty oatmeal cake, eating three bites of it, and then silently going to bed without drinking anything was said to result in a dream where one's future spouse would offer you a drink to quench your thirst. Even children took part in the divination games, chasing birds like ravens and divining things based on how many there were and which direction they were flying in.

St. Martin's Day, the banishment of Crom Cruach and the history of the jack o'lantern

Although the festival of Samhain may have been widespread in Celtic Europe once, the introduction of Christianity brought an end to this tradition. Nevertheless, it seems like some distant memory of it still remained in the people's minds: In the Stuttgarter Psalter, a richly illuminated medieval manuscript from the 9th century, there is a depiction of a horned figure that looks strikingly similar to Cernunnos, sitting cross-legged with a ram-headed serpent wound around his left arm. This portrayal of Cernunnos is part of the "Descent into the Limbo" scene, thus connecting him to the underworld (in Christian theology, the Limbo is the place where the souls of those go who did not disregard their belief in God, but still were unable to attain salvation by Christ during their lifetime). This might be an echo of Cernunnos' presumed status as a chthonic deity, or the association might be due to him being a horned god - either way, both attributes most likely would've contributed to him being considered a devil figure.

Despite this, some of the old pagan traditions still survived, albeit under a Christian guise: In many regions across Europe, people celebrate the Christian holiday of St. Martin's Day on November 11th, just a few days after the date of Samhain. One of the usual customs was to slaughter an animal, most commonly a goose, rooster, or sheep, and sprinkling its blood on the house's threshold for protection. The meat was then offered to St. Martin and eaten as part of a feast. This carries obvious resemblances to the custom of slaughtering livestock at the beginning of winter that Samhain originated from, and it has been suggested that St. Martin acts as a substitute for one or multiple gods.

In the Celtic regions of the British Isles, the custom of mumming and guising on the night of October 31st also persisted. However, it was no longer Celtic druids, but youths who would dress themselves up and go around the neighborhood, carrying turnip lanterns to light their way. In Scotland, young man would don masks, veils, paint their faces or blacken them with bonfire ashes, going house-to-house and demanding hospitality under the threat of committing mischief. If any house owner was so stingy as to not donate anything, the youths would have their fun playing pranks on them, much like the mischievous fairies of yore. Meanwhile, in Ireland, farmers would knock on the doors with sticks and ask for food on behalf of St. Colm Cille. In the south of the country, the procession also featured a Láir Bhán ("white mare"), a hobby horse which was impersonated by a man covered by a white sheet and carrying a decorated horse skull. Led by the Láir Bhán, a group of youths would go from farm to farm, announcing their arrival by blowing cow horns. Every farmer was expected to donate some food - if they did, the "Muck Olla" would bestow good fortune onto them, but if they didn't, they would suffer from bad luck.

The latter seems reminiscent of the Welsh folk belief that a white horse is a harbinger of death as well as the Irish legends about the horseman Donn, who is most likely inspired by the eponymous death god. In the County Limerick, a phantom horseman named Donn Fírenne was said to have his dwelling in the sacred hill of Cnoc Fírenne, riding a white horse whenever he roamed the land. On the western coast of the County Clare, people told tales about Donn na Duimhche, also called Donn Dumhach ("Donn of the Dunes"), a horseman whom you would often encounter at night. Later on, "Donn" simply became a title for any kind of Otherworld lord from folklore.

At the same time, we see a clear desire of the Irish people to distance themselves from some of the more gruesome rituals of the pagan Celtic religion: In the 9th century-hagiography Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick, Crom Cruach, the god who allegedly demanded the sacrifice of firstborn children in exchange for fertility, appears as Cenn Cruach (cenn meaning "head" or "chief" in Irish). When St. Patrick approaches his cult image made of gold and silver surrounded by twelve bronze figurines, he raises his crozier high, burning a mark into the central figure and toppling it face down, while the twelve smaller idols sink into the ground. The "demon" inhabiting the image then comes forth, with Patrick cursing him and banishing him to Hell. According to other versions, St. Patrick destroyed Crom's idol with a sledgehammer - either way, the god's bloody cult was put to an end by the Christian saint.

According to legend, it was St. Patrick who defeated Crom Cruach, knocking down his idol on the plain of Magh Slécht (top; Source); interestingly, a broken stone engraved with La Téne motifs has been found near the historic site (bottom; Source)

Interestingly, there is a large, carved stone which was found near the town of Killycluggin in the County Cavan, Ireland. It was discovered in close proximity to a Bronze Age stone circle, suggesting it may have originally stood at the center of it. Upon excavation, the stone was broken into several pieces, but one could still make out the swirls typical of the Celtic La Tène period art covering it. What could be restored of the roughly cone-shaped stone was brought to the Cavan County Museum, though a replica can be seen near the discovery site. According to estimations, the original monument was at least 1.8 meters/6 feet high, and there were four additional, rectangular panels at the base of the stone, each measuring 90cm in width and thus giving it a total circumference of 3.6 meters/12 feet. It's possible that the stone was always in the round shape of a head (the Celts saw the head as the seat of the human soul, leading to the development of their infamous head cult), although there are several hints that it might have been an anthropomorphic statue once. It has been suggested that the engravings at the sides represent the edge of a garment, and the furrows at the top resemble the depiction of hair in other La Tène-period sculptures. Moreover, the stone as a whole leans obliquely from the vertical, and if one imagines it as the head of a bigger statue, it would mean that the figure stood slightly bent over as well - perhaps this is what earned Crom Cruach his title of "crooked one of the hill". The original image may or may not have been gilded, although it wouldn't be unusual if it was: Among Celtic artisans, gold was a very popular metal for jewelry and other precious items, and we do know of a golden cult tree found in the Oppidum of Manching in Bavaria which was probably used for sacred purposes. Adding to the evidence, Killycluggin not only lies near the historic plain Magh Slécht, but the region has also several associations with St. Patrick. There is even a poem from the Book of McGovern written in the 14th century stating that the women of Kilnavert - a town close to Killycluggin - would tremble in fear when passing by the stone of Crom, which was situated at the side of the road. The local tradition identifies the Killycluggin Stone as the Crom stone, though it is unclear whether Crom Cruach or Crom Dubh (a folkloric figure based on Crom Cruach) is meant by this. Still, considering all of this, one might wonder if there is some kernel of truth behind the bone-chilling legends.

Nevertheless, the Christianization of Ireland was a peaceful process, and the pagan traditions slowly assimilated with the new Christian faith. Still, for some reason, the Christian holiday of All Hallow's Day was moved to November 1st during the course of the 8th century, the celebrations beginning one day before with a vigil held on All Hallow's Eve. In the Catholic Church, All Hallow's Day was a day to commemorate all saints and martyrs, usually taking place some time in spring. In 4th century Edessa, it was held on May 13th, the traditional date of Lemuria, an ancient Roman festival dedicated to honoring the dead. After Pope Gregory III had dedicated an oratory to all apostles, saints, and martyrs in the St. Peter's Basilica, however, November 1st gradually became the new accepted date. Theories about the reason for this vary, but it might be possible that the people of Celtic and Germanic regions found it to be more reconcilable with their former pagan beliefs, as the beginning of winter was when they held their festival in honor of the dead.

Whether this is true remains up for debate, but either way, the old pagan customs proved hard to kill, and the Irish people even made up their own folkloric figure associated with the holiday who was anything but a saint: the infamous Jack O'Lantern. Also known as Stingy Jack, he was a good-for-nothing scallywag earning his daily money by swindling and fraud, only to spend most of it on the joys of alcohol.

The most well-known version of his story goes like this: "One evening on All Hallow's Eve, while the drunken Jack was sitting in a pub, the devil suddenly appeared next to him, beckoning him to come with him. Not wanting to go to Hell, Jack quickly devised a trick: In the face of his impending death, he begged the devil to buy him one last drink, which he agreed to. However, after the devil had transformed into a sixpence piece because he had no money on him, Jack quickly stuffed it into his bag, where he kept a small silver cross. Because the devil was unable to get out in turn, he struck a bargain with Jack to leave him alone for ten more years in exchange for his freedom.

After ten years had passed, the devil once again returned on All Hallow's Eve to claim Jack's soul, only for the latter to ask him yet another favor: He begged him to get him an apple as a last meal. The devil agreed and climbed an apple tree to pluck the desired fruit, but Jack was quick to carve a cross into the bark with his knife. Being stuck on the tree, the devil made yet another deal with Jack, this time relenting to leave his soul alone for all eternity.

As Jack died many years later, he went to the gates of Heaven, asking for entry. However, since he had been anything but a good man during his life, he was denied and sent away. But when he arrived at Hell, the devil wouldn't let him in either, as he had given his word to never take Jack's soul. Thus, he directed Jack back where he came from - but since he took pity on him for having to go alone through the dark, cold, and windy night, he gave him a burning piece of coal straight from the fires of Hell, which Jack put into a hollow turnip he had taken along as a provision. Henceforth, barred from both Heaven and Hell, his doomed soul wandered through the night of All Hallow's Eve, and shall do so until the day of the Last Judgement..."

One of the most famous Halloween legends tells of Jack O'Lantern, also known as Stingy Jack or Jack the Smith, a cunning swindler whose evil deeds earn him an existence of eternal restlessness, left with only a turnip lantern to illuminate his way through darkness (Source)

It's remarkable that Jack's Limbo-like existence, banned from Heaven and Hell alike, provides an interesting parallel with Cernunnos' depiction as the lord of the Limbo in the Stuttgart Psalter. Furthermore, this tale pretty much invented the folkloric background behind the tradition of hollowing out and carving ghastly faces into turnips, putting a candlelight into them and placing them on the windowsills as protection. It was said that the lanterns represented spirits or supernatural beings, and they were believed to ward off the devil and any other malevolent spirits.

Still, it's noticeable that the turnip lanterns not only appeared in Ireland, but also the Scottish Highlands, the Isle of Manx, and parts of northern and western England - in short, all Gaelic-speaking and former Celtic regions of the British Isles. Meanwhile, they weren't widespread in England until the 20th century, which might suggest they have a deeper-rooted, pan-Celtic origin. Although it has been noted that the Irish have been carving turnips and other root vegetables for centuries, the cultivated form of the turnip as we know it was only brought to Great Britain in the 18th century. There are, however, accounts of lanterns made out of beets, a vegetable which did exist back in antiquity (beta, the ancient Latin name for the beetroot, is believed to be of Celtic origin as well). From a historic perspective, celery roots would make for another plausible candidate: Celeriac was a plant that was known since ancient times, being mentioned as far back as the Iliad and Odyssey, and was used for a variety of medical and religious purposes. In fact, celery even had associations with chthonic deities and the cult of the dead in Greek religion, with the leaves being used to make garlands for the deceased out of them. As for the Celts, archaeobotanical research conducted near the Heuneburg in Bavaria, a Celtic settlement from the Hallstatt period, proves that celeriac was cultivated and consumed by the Celts. So, perhaps what might have been a celery root lantern in antiquity became a turnip lantern in the 19th century.

However, the jack o'lanterns, as the carved turnips were called, would still undergo one major transformation: During the 19th century, droves of people emigrated from Scotland and Ireland to America, a process which was fueled even further by the Great Famine from 1845 to 1852. Everywhere they went, the Irish and Scottish people brought their traditions with them, and thus, the festival of All Hallow's Eve spread to the American continent. When they came to America, however, the emigrants discovered that the pumpkins growing abundantly there were much easier to carve than turnips, leading to the traditional turnip lanterns being replaced by pumpkin ones. Over time, they would become one of the most recognizable symbols of All Hallow's Eve, which eventually became known as Halloween.

Modern traditions and Halloween

Although the celebration of Halloween as we know it today is largely derived from Irish and Scottish customs, there are many local variants of Samhain across the British Isles. On the Isle of Man, the festival on the night of October 31st is known as Hop-tu-Naa and believed to be one of the oldest Manx traditions, continuing until today. The name stems from one of the various silly rhymes sung by children during the festival, who dress up and go from house to house asking for sweets. To light their way, they carry carved turnip lanterns with them, with the decorative motifs varying depending on the locality. Furthermore, there are various cultural events taking place across the Isle of Man during this occasion, including competitions in artistic turnip carving, the singing of folk songs, and the so-called Hop-tu-Naa dance, a traditional procession dance for pairs. In the past, there were also various divination customs associated with Hop-tu-Naa, primarily centered around death and marriage just like the Irish ones: Before retiring for the night, people would rake the hearth's ashes smooth, and if there were footprints pointing to the inside of the house, it heralded a future birth - if, however, the footprints led out the door, it meant that someone would die. Girls and young women would come together to bake a Soddag Valloo ("Dumb Cake") in silence, preparing the ingredients including flour, eggs, eggshells, soot, and salt and baking the cake over the embers of the hearth. Dividing the pieces between them, they would eat them without a word and walk backwards to bed, expecting to see their future husband offering them a drink of water in a dream. Other means to learn the identity of your future spouse were to steal a salt herring from your neighbor, eat it including the bones and then retire to bed at midnight, or to take a mouthful of water and a pinch of salt into your hands while listening in on your neighbor's conversation - the first name mentioned would be that of your spouse. Finally, any leftovers from the evening meal - usually consisting of mrastyr, a dish made of potatoes, parsnips, and fish mashed up with butter - would be put out for the fairies, in addition to jugs of fresh water.

The characteristic turnip lanterns can also be found in the West Country of England: In a local tradition known as Punkie Night, the children of Somerset will go around with a jack o'lantern on the last Thursday of October, singing ryhmes like "Give me a candle, give me a light/If you don't, you'll get a fright" or "Give me a candle, give me a light/If you don't, a penny's all right". The lyrics originates from the tradition of children begging for candles and money, possibly to help their families through the winter. In times past, farmers would also put a "Punkie", as the lanterns are called by the locals, on their gates to ward off evil spirits.

Meanwhile, in Cornwall, Kalan Gwav ("the first day of winter"), also known as Allantide or Saint Allan's Day, is a festival held on the eve of November 1st in honor of St. Allan, who was the bishop of the Briton city Quimper in the 6th century. Although dedicated to Christian souls in an intermediate state, the most recognizable symbol of the holiday were the large, red, glossy Allan's apples which people would buy from markets to gift them to friends and relatives as tokens of good luck. Girls put the apples under their pillows in the hopes of dreaming of the person they would one day marry, and similar to the Irish variant of snap apple, there was a local game where four apples would be fixed to a cross with candles on it which was hung from the ceiling - if you failed catching the apples with your mouth, you would be hit by the hot wax. In addition, the custom of throwing two walnuts into the fire to divine the fidelity of a partner also existed in Cornwall, as well as pouring molten lead into water to see what shape it took, which was supposed to indicate the occupation of your future husband.

Turnip lanterns were not only common in Ireland, but also Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Manx, Somerset, and Cornwall; above is an example from the latter region (Source)

In Wales, the same festival is known as Calan Gaeaf, with Nos Calan Gaeaf - the night preceding November 1st - being one of the three Ysbrydnos, the "spirit nights" of the year. Around this time, people avoid going near churchyards, stiles, and crossroads, as spirits are believed to gather in these places. According to old tradition, a bonfire would be lit on the night of October 31st, while women and children would mark rocks with their names or other signs and place them in and around the fire. All of them would dance around the fire it died down, and once it did, everyone would rush to their homes, believing that two fearsome apparitions known as Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta (a tailess black sow accompanied by a headless woman) and Y Ladi Wen ("the white lady", another headless ghost) would chase them and devour the soul of the last one to remain behind. On the following morning, all stones of the villagers would be checked, and if they were burned clean, it considered a sign of good luck - if any were missing, however, that meant the person who marked it would die within a year. Apple bobbing, known as Twco Fala in Wales, was also a popular game at Calan Gaeaf, and there were various customs which allegedly allowed you to see into the future. For the boys, it was cutting ten leaves of Ivy, throwing one away and placing the rest under their pillow before going to sleep, while the girls would have to take their time to grow a rose in the form of a hoop, pass through the ring three times, and then cut the rose to place it under their pillow. If unmarried women darkened their rooms and looked into the window at Nos Calan Gaeaf, it was said they would see the face of their future groom - if not, they should peel an apple and throw the peel over their shoulder, which would form the initial letter of their husband's name. However, if the woman saw a skull in the mirror, it meant she would die during the next year.

Still, there were some Welsh traditions that slightly differed from the usual Samhain ones: The custom of the caseg fedi, also known as "harvest mare", was once very common in Wales. When the harvest was almost done, the last sheaf of corn on the field would be left standing, with the men of the reaping party trying to cut it down by throwing their hooks. The most unskilled worker would begin, and it was a great honor for whoever managed to cut the caseg fedi, which would be braided into the shape of a small horse or a woman afterwards. Female grain figures were colloquially called "Cailleach", after the old, sorcerous hag from Gaelic myth who acted as a personification of winter (alternatively, the word cailleach could also mean "witch"). Still, the ritual was not complete yet: The one who cut the caseg fedi also had the duty of bringing the sheaf into the house without it getting wet, which was made difficult by servant maids who were waiting next to the house with buckets of water to douse the reaper. If he managed to keep it dry regardless, the house's owner would give the reaper money for as much beer as he desired; if not, he would have to endure sitting at the foot of the table in shame. Once the harvest was brought in and the livestock to be slaughtered had been chosen, a large feast would be prepared, with all the women of the village lending a hand in cooking the food. As thanks for the harvest, people would eat a dish known as stwmp naw rhyw cooked over a large fire, usually containing various kinds of vegetables, milk, and butter. Although many of these customs have died out nowadays, it's evident the Welsh folk beliefs have strongly influenced some later All Hallow's Eve traditions observed in the country: People would light candles in the church, believing to be able to predict the future from the way they burned, as well as preparing the hearth at home for the arrival of their dead relatives, put some food outside, and leave the doors unlocked. The Allhallowtide tradition of "souling" - gathering soul cakes in exchange for reciting songs - was known as "collecting food for the messenger of the dead", and people would pray to God to "bless the next crop of wheat" upon receiving soul cakes.

Meanwhile, the Christian customs of All Hallow's Eve are largely discontinued in Great Britain itself, but still practiced in areas like Sheffield and Cheshire. Formerly, every family would bake soul cakes filled with treats like raisins, currants, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, or ginger, marked with a cross to signify they were alms. Afterwards, some would be placed together with wine outside the door - an offering for the dead in early Christianity - while the rest was given out to soulers, children and beggars who would go from house to house during the days of Allhallowtide from October 31st to November 2nd. While going "souling", they would carry a turnip lantern and sometimes wear a disguise - either a long black cloak, or a costume of a saint or imitated spirit. Bonfires were also lit at Allhallowtide, being associated with purgatory from Christian tradition. Alternatively, the fire might be replaced by candles, such as in Lancashire where there was a custom of carrying candles up a hill an hour before midnight to ward off witches. Ironically, although Christianity deemed any kind of pagan magic ineffective, the divination games also survived the change of faith, with Halloween being colloquially called "nut-crack night" or "snap-apple night" in some regions. In Cheshire, the souling party occasionally even featured an "Old Hob", a horse head on a pole which was carried by a man hidden beneath a sheet - sometimes, the soulers even performed a death-and-resurrection play, with one of the participants being required to wear a horse skull. Although souling is not wide-spread in Great Britain any more nowadays, it has equivalents in Portugal and the Philippines, where the tradition is still very much alive. Furthermore, the evening before Halloween has become known as "Mischief Night" in northern England (being locally called "Mizzy Night" or "Chievous Night"), a time when teens throw around eggs, stick chewing gum into car door locks, and wrap their neighbors' trees in toilet paper as a kind of coming of age ritual - something which certainly doesn't seem a far cry away from Halloween pranks.

In continental Europe, people more commonly celebrate St. Martin's Day on November 11th, which is occasionally called "Old Halloween" or "Old Hallowmas Eve". In many countries, it's celebrated as the time when the first wine is ready for tasting, but in some regions, specifically Germany and the Netherlands, there are various traditions quite similar to Samhain: For example, it was very common to light bonfires in the Rhineland up until the 19th century, with young people dancing around them, leaping through the flames, and strewing the ashes across the fields for fertility. A meal of Martinmas goose is a widespread custom, as is a procession of children going around the town with paper or turnip lanterns, singing songs for candy in return. Sometimes, these processions are led by a horseman representing St. Martin, handing out gifts like apples, nuts, cakes or other sweets to the children. In the Czech Republic, there is a proverb saying "St. Martin is coming on a white horse". Interestingly, this belief seems to have taken on an entirely different note in the Irish County Wexford: It is said that no one should go to sea on St. Martin's Day, as St. Martin is riding on a white horse across Wexford Bay, bringing death to any seafarers by drowning - a folktale which seems quite reminiscent of Donn the horseman.

However, the most widespread celebration still has to be Halloween as we know it today, which developed in America and subsequently spread to all of the western hemisphere, albeit with some local variations. On October 31st, millions of people all around the world don costumes of vampires, witches, skeletons, werewolves, and other scary creatures, going to parties and parades to celebrate the occasion - not so much to drive off evil spirits, but to simply enjoy the creepy atmosphere. Just like centuries ago, trick-or-treating is a very popular custom among today's children, who love to dress up for Halloween and go from door to door asking for sweets - and whoever is stingy enough not to donate anything might just find themselves at the butt of a mischievous prank. Although today's jack o'lanterns are made from pumpkins instead of turnips, they have become a true icon of the holiday, with pumpkins being a popular choice for Halloween decorations, merchandise, and food.

Today's Halloween is a time for spooky parties and parades (bottom right; Source), and an opportunity for people to adorn their homes with jack o'lanterns and scary decorations (top left; Source); some of the old Celtic gods even made their way into pop culture, such as Crom Cruach who is depicted as an underground snake in "The Secret of Kells" (bottom left; Source); in addition, the Horned King from Disney's "The Black Cauldron" (top right; Source) bears a striking resemblance to Cernunnos

Even the ancient Celtic gods have found their way into modern media: In the 2009 movie "The Secret of Kells", Crom Cruach is depicted as a giant, ravenous snake living underground. Arawn, the king of the Otherworld from Welsh mythology, was adapted into the ruler of the land of death in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy novel series "The Chronicles of Prydain". The power-hungry, cunning Arawn not only seeks to rule all of Prydain, but also possesses a magic cauldron enabling him to revive the dead, who serve him as his merciless warriors. In "The Black Cauldron", Disney's loose adaptation of Alexander's novels from 1985, Arawn's role is passed to the Horned King, whose appearance is quite reminiscent of Cernunnos.

With all of this being said, we can conclude that while Halloween has certainly come a long way from its roots, it has lost none of its essence as a night of spirits and the supernatural. So, as a piece of good advice: Honor your ancestors, don't upset any spirits, and take care!

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Alright, that's it for Samhain! To everyone who joined me during this series, I want to express my heartfelt thanks for accompanying me on this exploration of the celebrations of our pagan ancestors and the modern holidays that developed from then. It's been one hell of a ride, and I hope it was just as insightful for you as it was for me.

Thank you all for your overwhelmingly positive feedback, and may we meet again in the future! :-)

#samhain #halloween #paganism #celtic paganism #cernunnos #sucellus #nantosuelta #dagda #the morrígan #crom cruach #jack o'lantern #stingy jack #all hallows eve #allhallowtide

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nantosueltas · 10 months ago

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Finally, she is here ✨🐈‍⬛

Meet my reinterpretation of Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat. It's been a while I am thinking about how to approach my own way to draw Felicia and I now finally have something more concrete!

She was redesigned specially to be part of my OT3 with Spiderverse Miguel and my OC Aradia. It was such a remarkable experience for me that a new OC was born as well and she will be introduced anytime in the future 🔮✨

I also have plans for the biblically accurate Felicia, but in another dynamics & ships.

There will be more parts for this post, where I'll post each of these poses individually, so stay tuned 🫡

•••

support me on: ko-fi ||

follow me on: instagram || tiktok

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xartus · 1 month ago

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Something that drives me insane is the whole consort business within polytheism

Like, I'm of a mind to think that's a convenient, post-Roman contact addition to Gaulish polytheism. There's too much about divine couples this divine couples that

I'm quiet about it but I'm close to Nantosuelta, who is never mentioned without Sucellos. They're 2 different gods who are sometimes depicted together in post Roman contact iconography and inscriptions. The Romans really couldn't operate without the concept 🙄

Anyways, she is a powerful and lovely goddess who stands on her own right and has her own mysteries and gnosis. As is Sucellos. It does both a disservice to see prosperity and domestic symbols and lump them together

#i know i dont have to defend mom but like #she kicks ass #and she kicks ass without roman patriarchy #funny enough ive never worshipped sucellos #im sure he's a great guy its just never happened #i associate maponos and karnonos with nantosuelta but thats solid upg mind you

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feleshero · 9 months ago

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¥ Felicia stealing Khonshu's tomb and he gets her in the act 🗣️

She'd been told, time and time again, that picking a fight with divinity was not a very good idea. 'Mercurial', that's how the Gods were described. Mercurial beings that would lay a blessing at your feet in the morning, but curse your entire lineage before dinner. Ancient entities with too much power and far too little time spent learning manners. Attracting their attention, for good or for bad, was a fast path to suffering because they held grudges like no one else.

The row of cloth-wrapped, pitch soaked torches was a very good touch. Pulling one from its sconce and setting it ablaze over her head gave her just the Lara Croft feel she was going for! On the far end of an ancient temple (or was that... a tomb?), armed with only her wits, her mitts (two sets of very sharp claws), and a very reliable tip given to her by one heavily inebriated soul at the Midnight Mission, Felicia was making the loudest decision of her week: Picking a fight with a God.

And what a dirty fighter God was.

Crescent-curved blades were launched at her from hidden slats in ornately decorated, crimson-splashed walls that she had to pounce and prance around.

Storms of arrows flit through cobweb-coated rivets looking to perforate her.

Gouts of flame rose through hair-trigger pressure grates at her feet needing to immolate her.

Even the walls of the temple were closing in around her, compelled by an absentee landlord to turn HER into a lovely crimson splash adorning the walls! She hadn't had a workout this intensive since robbing Fury* all those moons ago.

[*Read Issue #7 - Sifr. ]

❝ You'd think they didn't want people to get down here, or something... Were you this anti-social back in your day? ❞

Can you blame her for taking a few seconds to catch her breath between traps? She may be the greatest thief alive, but even legends needed some moments in-between moments... and if the golden statue of a man with an owl-skeleton for a head minded her taking this moment, then he sure wasn't speaking up about it.

❝ Tell you what, bud. ❞ A groan of effort as Felicia lifted off of the floor, stretched and swayed to loosen up some. ❝ I can tell I'm crowding your space... so I'm just gonna get my things and go. ❞ Social grace didn't abandon her, even in a golden treasure horde of a hidden chamber. Oh, and what a horde it was.

Surrounded by gold idols, figureheads, weapons, trinkets, talismans... canopic jars? (who's organs were THOSE?), she'd danced her way all the way into God's secret little hidey-hole! She could've started hauling this stuff topside by the barrel load, but that wasn't her goal. Course it wasn't. If she wanted just riches, she could've saved herself a flight from New York to Cairo.

She wanted something very specific, something that even old Owl-Head himself wasn't supposed to have. Bast's Diadem. A funky little crown, marked with the sigils of life & death, and hidden away from the feline goddess for centuries, maybe millennia! What the Owl's beef with the Panther was, Felicia was sure she didn't care.

All she cared about, in this moment, was carefully being lifted from the dusty bust she'd found it on. It felt warm in her hands, like a gem that'd been sitting in the sun, smooth to the touch and heavy. A lot heavier than she'd expected... as i- as if someone were pressing down on it - !

"HAS CURIOSITY CEASED ITS RELENTLESS CAMPAIGN AGAINST CATS IN THIS ERA, GIRL?"

OHWHA-! Felicia pivoted on her heels so quickly, the dust she kicked up didn't move until she had already settled again. Staring, with an only lightly masked concern, as the large, owl-esque statue of a deity canted its head down toward her... and spoke again.

"THAT. DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU. RETURN IT, AND YOUR DEATH WILL BE WITHOUT SUFFERING."

... ... ...

To say that the thief was - a bit - caught off guard? Well, it wouldn't be too inaccurate. She really only allows herself a moment to gawk, wide-eyed. A single moment to catch her breath...

❝ It doesn't belong to you either, sir! In fact, I think Mother Bast would be VERY interested to hear just why it is one of her favorites is riding the Duat instead of getting her tiara out of here. ❞

If - If that play worked, she can't tell. Owl skulls are notorious for not having readable expressions. The statue sits there for a spell. Silent, immobile, watching without watching. Felicia stands her ground. Diadem in hand, heart padam padaming something vibrant against her ribcage, but confidence on her features.

She's not going to die here. In a tomb? Killed by Moon Knight's patron? It would absolutely not be the end of her sto - !

"LYING TO A GOD HAS CONSEQUENCES, FELICIA HARDY. CONSEQUENCES YOU HAVE ELECTED TO SUFFER."

I - ugh. Tremors at her feet, the very room around her had been warbling steadily since old owl-head wke up, but now? Now it was rattling. Shaking itself loose, as if it were about to... crumble. Fuck.

❝ Okay, well... I can see that there's no talking to you about this. ❞ Time to go. Time to go! Stuffing that diadem in her go-bag, scooping up a gold coin, as a memento, the thief was RACING toward the exit - Or... well, she was about to be.

❝ Hey! ❞ Atop a large set of stairs, she paused. Turning back toward the statue, she crouched a bit so she could make eye-contact with the thing actively trying to murder her.

❝ Hey! Tell Marc & Stephen & Jake, that I said 'Thanks for the tip!' before you send them! ❞ And she laughed as she fell backwards down a rapidly crumbing hallway, narrowly avoiding a crescent-shaped blade of energy hurled at her head.

Sure, she'd been told, time and time again, that picking a fight with divinity was not a good idea. They held grudges like nobody's business and they always came to collect.

Luckily! She had a philosophy of her own she so enjoyed whipping out:

Don't miss heaven by two inches. If you're gonna piss a God off, give it your all and make them remember you!

Send me a ¥ and a command and my muse has to obey. ft. @nantosueltas

#nantosueltas #ᴛᴀʟᴋ ᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴡɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ; ANSWERS.#yara I won't hold you: i've been writing this on and off since you sent it in #am I super satisfied? no. do i think there's some good groundwork here? sure!#bless you two times for sending this in though!! i thought this was a cool ass prompt to play with #i love... a girl who IS the problem and is unafraid of BEING the problem

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blackwattlenemeton · 2 years ago

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Absolutely inundated by feathers on my life recently. In the past, this has been a message from Heimdall, but I got in touch and the feathers are still appearing.

Any Gaulish gods associated with birds?

#nantosuelta and cathubodua come to mind #gaulpol #Gaulish

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queersrus · 6 months ago

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Mermaid Theme

[mermaid theme]

includes sirens, selkies and other fishfolk as well as general water dieties.

if you see duplicates let me know

(Nick)Names:

loralei/lorelei/loralei/loelai/lorelay/loralay/loreley/loraley/lorelie/loralie, lake, loch, limniad, lara, leucothea, lamia, leucosia, ligia, ligeia, laume, llyr, lir, limnade, leiminide sire, siren/syren, shiren/shyren, sel, selk, selki/selkie/selky, sea, seara, searsia, sirena/syrena, sjokona/siokona, sireno, styx, stheno, scylla, segeta, sequana, souconna, sirona, sinnan, saga, sjora, shoopiltee mer, merma, marmay/mermei/mermai/mermey, mermaid/mermaide/mermade, mermi/mermie/mermy, mermist, mermista, merman, mermen, mermaiden, mermix, melusine, melyzin, melusna, mel, merwif, meremenn, meer, merrow, marina, meermin/meerminne, min, meri. minne, merimin, meremin. maree, medusa, melusina, morgan/morgen, marimorgen, moryana, moryanki, moriany ocea, ocean/oceane, oceana, oceania, oceanix, oceanic, oceanice/oceanis, oceanus, oceanid, oceanide, ondine ran, rain/raine/rayn/rayne, river, revine/ravine, rainy/rainie/raini, rusalka, rhine, rura, rusalki pearl/perle, pearla/perla, pearly, poseidon, pisces, proteus, palaemon, phorcys, pontus, potamoi, psamathe, parthenope, pisinoe, peisinoe, pegaeae nymph, nymphie, nympha, naiad, neried, neriede, nereid, nereida, nereide, nix, nixie, neptune, nessie, nereus, nerites, nantosuelta, nodens, nehalennia, nerthus, njoror, nuggle, njogel kelpie, kymopoleia water, wodnik undine/undyne, uiara haffru, hiara, hippocampi, hippocampus, hi, hip/hipp, hippo, hippoca, hafgufa, hydra thala, thalasso, thalassa, thalia, tethys, thaumas, thetis, triton, triteia, tritone, thelxinoe, thames, telchine, tangie ceasg, calypso, ceto, coralia, carcinus, cancer, cymopoleia, coventina, condatis, charibdis, crinaeae, camenae atargatis, amphitrite, achelous, aegaeon, alpheus, anapos, asopus, asterion, aino, asrai, aglaope, aglaopheme, aglaophonos, acionna, aegir, aspidochelone, ahti, Aughisky, adara, adaro derketo, doris, dynamene, damona, danu, dana, duberdicus, durius, davy yara galene, glaucus, gorgon, graeae, glashtin brizo, belisama, brigid, boann, bandua, berehynia eidothea, electra, enipeus, eurybia, euryale jones ichthyocentaur vedenemo, vallemo, vodyanoy, vodník, vodnik, vodenjak, vodyanitsa

1stp prns: i/me/my/mine

mi/me/mers/mermine si/sire/sirens/sirine si/se/selkies/selkine sci/sce/scy/scaline fi/fe/fish/fine(fishine) ti/taile/tailes/tailine ny/nymphe/nymphs/nymphine nai/naie/nais/naiadine(naine) wai/wate/waters/watine

2ndp prns: you/your/yours/yourself

mo/mer/mers/merself so/sir/sirens(sirs)/sirself(sirenself) so/selker/selkirs/selkirself sco/scaler/scalers/scaleself(scalerself) fo/fisher/fishers/fisherself to/tailer/tailers/tailerself(tailself) no/nympher/nymphrs/nymphself no/nair/naiars/naiadself wo/water/waters/waterself

3rdp prns: they/them/theirs/themselves

mer/maid, mer/folk, mer/man, mer/mers, mer/mermaid, mer/merfolk, mer/merman, mermaid/mermaids, merfolk/merfolks, merman/mermans si/ren, siren/sirens, si/siren, sel/kie, sel/selkie, selkie/selkies, sca/ale, scale/scales, sca/le, sca/scale fi/sh, fi/fish, fish/fishy, fish/fishes ny/nymph, ny/mph, nymph/nymphs, nai/ad, nai/naiad, naiad/naiads wa/ter, wat/er, wat/water, water/waters, water/nymph

Titles

the mermaid, the merman, the oceanic, the sea/ocean dweller, the swimmer, the devine river, the fish folk, the one of fish-like descent, the descendant of oceanus, the descendant of poseidon/neptune, the nymph, the naiad, the water nymph, the god/goddess of merfolk, the deity of the sea/ocean, the dweller of the deep

*one who dwells in the dark waters, one who has scales, one who lives in a tail and gills, one who breaths with gills, one who rules the deep, one who lives among the creatures of the deep, one who is half fish, one who controls the waves, one who's voice enchants, one who sings of the hearts desires

(*) you can replace "one" with any pronouns

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theoraclereader · 1 month ago

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Working with the Elements: Water

God(desse)s and Water Spirits

Greek: Aphrodite, Electra,Triteia,Triton, Poseidon

Roman: Fontus,Juturna, Neptune

Egyptian: Anubis, Anuket, Bairthy,Hapi, Nephthys, Nu, Osiris,Satet, Satest,Sobek,Tefnut

African: Mami Wata, Olokun, Bunzi, Chicamassichinuinji,Mamba Muntu, Nyami Nyami

Funza, goddess of waters, twin phenomenon and malformations in children. Wife of Mbumba.

Hindu: Varuna,Ap, Apam Napat, Danu,Ganga,Yami, Sarasvati,Kaveri,Tapti

Hebrew: Leviathan

Mesopotamian: Abzu, Enbilulu, Enki, Marduk, Nanshe, Tiamat, Sirsir

Celtic: Belisama,Grannus, Nantosuelta, Nodens, Selkie

Irish: Boann, Danu (Dana), Manannán mac Lir, Lí Ban, Lir, Sinann

Greek: Norse-Germanic: Ægir,Freyr,Nehalennia,Nix, Njord,Rán,Rura,Sága

Korean: Imoogi or Imugi

Aztec: Atlaua,Chalchiuhtlicue,Opochtli, Tlāloc

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violetmoondaughter · 2 years ago

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Fire, the spark, the radiation, the energy that animates the world. Fire moves underneath the surface of the earth; the sun fire warms the earth, and we depend on it for life. Humans have always revered the fire. Fire was originally stolen from the sky, lightning struck trees were the main source before mankind learnt to create flames. With fire humans were capable of defend themselves from wild animals, to cook raw meat, to have a light in the darkness and a warm place in the cold weather. Fire is a creative and destructive element; it helps and harms, and it is generally assumed that humans began to move towards progress when they discovered fire.

Some of the most common fire spiritual correspondences are:

Orientation: South

Qualities: Passion, Creativity, Energy, Destruction, Power, Action, Movement, Achievement, Desire, Willpower

Magical Weapon: Athame, Sword, Sickle, Candles, Brazier, Torches, Labrys, Dagger

Rituals: Protection, Purification, Banishing, Courage, Strength, Sexuality, Love

Places: Volcanoes, stars, sun, desert, fireplaces, ovens

Natural elements: lightnings, flames, lava, snakes, crickets, lizards, scorpions, felines,

Tarot: Swords

Rune: Kenaz

Zodiac Signs: Leo, Aries, Sagittarius

Spirits: Dragons, Salamander, Wyvern, Phoenix, Djinn, Chimera.

Deities: Vulcano, Ra, Sekhmet, Wadjet, Brigit, Aed, Grannus, Nantosuelta, Sethlans, Hephaestus, Hestia, Prometheus, Adranus, Fornax, Vesta, Agni, Lugh, Apollo, Horus, Bast, Helios, Sulis, Usil, Phoebus

#witchcraft #witchblr #Strega #witches of tumblr #italianwitch #fire #four elements #fire element #magic basics #babywitch #fire deities #fire spirits #flames #sacred flame #fire energy #elemental magic

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moonlit-archeress · 2 years ago

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I choose Nantosueltas as the name of this blog and I did it after I listened to a song of the same name by a band named Eluveitie. And all I knew it was the name of a Gallo Roman goddess.

Then I decided to Google the meaning of the name and apparently nantosuelta means "winding river" or "sun drenched valley"

While my name means "water lady" xD

#i am speaking

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my-random-ocs · 8 days ago

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Teen Wolf OCs

A-E | F-M | N-Z

Name: Nantosuelta ‘Ella’ Deaton

Story: Battle Scars

Faceclaim: Sarah Jeffery

Species: Druid

Love Interest: Stiles Stilinski

Summary: Ella was happy with her life. She lived with her parents in Connecticut, she had friends, did well in school, and was starring in a play in her theater camp. Then it all fell apart when she was eight-years-old. After losing her parents, and gaining vivid scars, to what the local police ruled a ‘bear attack’, Ella is moving across the country to live with her uncle in California. But she adapted. She made friends with her neighbor Lydia Martin, became class president in middle school, and made head cheerleader in high school. But when her uncle’s assistant gets bitten by a werewolf – something he sucks at keeping a secret, BTW – Ella’s life is about to change again.

Name: Nicolette ‘Nico’ Grosvenor

Story: Blood in the Water

Faceclaim: Madelaine Petsch

Species: Hunter

Love Interest: Isaac Lahey

Summary: Her whole life, Nico wanted to know her father’s family. She heard stories about him growing up with his sister, Victoria. Nico longed for that kind of connection. She didn’t know if her father knew this, but sometimes she looked the Argents up on Facebook, just to see what they were up to. Her aunt and uncle didn’t have much on their pages, but her cousin posted events at each school she went to, how she decorated her bedroom at each new house. It wasn’t much, but it was all Nico had to go on. But when her father gives her a choice between staying in Maine or going to Beacon Hills to find her uncle and cousin, Nico chooses the latter. She thought that… well, not that it was going to be all rainbows and unicorns, but that it would be good. Her and Allison would finally get to know each other, her family would get over its weird feud, and Nico would graduate high school with actual friends. And then crows attack her first period English class, and those expectations wash slowly down the drain.

Name: Marguerite Ninette ‘Nina’ Argent

Story: Hurricane Child

Faceclaim: Katherine McNamara

Species: Hunter-REDACTED hybrid

Love Interest: Isaac Lahey

Summary:

Name: Parker Flanagan

Story: By Any Other Name

Faceclaim: Emma Dumont

Species: Hunter turned werewolf

Love Interest: Allison Argent, Malia Tate

Summary:

Name: Penelope Eastman

Story: Full of Life

Faceclaim: Kaya Scodelario

Species: Born werewolf

Love Interest: Scott McCall

Summary: When a group of hunters raided her house when she was twelve, killing most of her family, Penelope became the alpha and the last surviving member of the Eastman pack. She was taken in by her human aunt in Beacon Hills, and tried to live a normal life. Until her surrogate older brother breaks into her house and says he needs her help fighting the new alpha. She meets Scott, the new beta who really has no idea what he’s doing and Stiles, Scott’s human best friend who is trying his best to help, but most of his sources are from the Vampire Diaries websites. That’s when Penelope gives up on ever having a normal life.

Name: Persephone ‘Percy’ Reynolds West

Story: A Million Choices

Faceclaim: Sofia Wylie

Species: Human, eventual chimera

Love Interest: Liam Dunbar

Summary: Percy wasn’t like her foster siblings, she had no relations to the supernatural. Her sister Josie was a werewolf, her brother Kaleb, though a human, was born into a family of werewolves. Percy, however, was not. And so she couldn’t understand why, when he died, her birth father sent her to live with Grace Reynolds, Josie’s human aunt. There was no reason to. Her father barely knew Grace. But when she starts high school, Percy starts to understand that reason.

Name: Phoebe Finstock Mori

Story: Seeds to Forests

Faceclaim: Kaylee Bryant

Species: Seer

Love Interest: Ben Greenberg

Summary: Being raised by Bobby Finstock was probably the best thing Phoebe could have asked for. Her mom had been best friends with Bobby growing up, and after Lisa lost custody when Phoebe was ten, there was no question about what would happen to her. Bobby had never really thought of himself as a father, but he loved that little girl like his own, and he was determined to do right by her. And he did. He made sure she did well in school, had friends, and yes, played lacrosse. Phoebe was happy in the quaint, almost boring, town of Beacon Hills. And so, of course she was surprised when a dead body showed up in the woods – way out of character for the monotonous town. But what Phoebe didn’t expect was for that body to lead to a million other things – werewolves, hunters, and whatever the hell Phoebe was.

Name: Piper Marinos

Story: Wild, Water, Home

Faceclaim: Auli’i Cravalho

Species: Siren

Summary:

Name: Martyna Polly Stilinski

Story: To Be Human

Faceclaim: Lily James

Species: Human

Love Interest: Derek Hale

Summary: Stiles knew that he had the coolest big sister in the world. Polly was a talented singer/songwriter, a mythology nut, she never minded helping him and Scott train for lacrosse – even if they weren’t very good –, and she would do anything for her brothers. And Stiles knew that most siblings lose touch when the older one goes to college, but Polly made it a point to make it like she had never left Beacon Hills. So, when Scott gets bitten by a werewolf, Stiles knows just who to call.

Name: Riley Bettcher

Story: Golden Moon

Faceclaim: Meg Donnelly

Species: REDACTED

Love Interest: Liam Dunbar

Summary: Learning that her family was dead was probably the worst moment of Riley’s life. Before that was normal. She lived with her dad and sister in Beacon Hills, went to Beacon Hills High School, just joined the cheer squad. Her life was perfect. But it all came crumbling down—literally—when she barely escaped a fire that killed her dad and sister. And somehow, during her stay at the hospital, she caught the eye of junior lacrosse player Scott McCall and his friends. And then suddenly, she was moving in with Scott and his mother, and learned that the supernatural was real. Next thing she knew, her very human name showed up on a supernatural hit list, and she was unraveling secrets about her family she couldn’t imagine. And then there was Liam Dunbar, the other newbie to the McCall pack, who somehow made her life a little brighter.

Name: Rosaline ‘Rose’ Argent-Gaumond

Story: Something New

Faceclaim: Sabrina Carpenter

Species: Hunter-protector hybrid

Love Interest: Liam Dunbar

Summary: When Claire Argent married Nathaniel Gaumond, she was disowned by her family. The Gaumonds protected the supernatural, instead of hunted it, like the Argents. Despite the estrangement of her family, Claire lived happily with Nathaniel, and they had their own family. However, this is not Claire’s story.

Rose Gaumond always described her parents as Romeo and Juliet; a love story that no one planned. She thought that the happily ever after her parents got, however, would set them apart from the star crossed lovers. Then her dad dies, and she, her mom, and her sister moved across the country to live in Beacon Hills. Two years later, her sister’s friend gets bitten by a werewolf, and Ronnie would love to help out- if only her whole family would stop being so protective.

Name: Rosaline ‘Rose’ Argent-Gaumond

Series: Treacherous

Story: Silver and Gold

Faceclaim: Sabrina Carpenter

Summary:

*my Arrowverse crossover AU

Name: Rosaline ‘Rose’ Argent-Gaumond

Series: Treacherous

Story: Peace

Fandom: Arrow, the Flash

Faceclaim: Candice King

Love Interest: Barry Allen

Summary: The war was over. After almost five long years, Rose couldn’t believe it. Craving a fresh start, Rose and her friends moved to Central City. They got jobs, attended university. Slowly but surely, they settled into their new lives. Until Edward Jacobson comes to the surface, starting his reign of terror by killing one of their own. Struggling with finding Jacobson, Rose turns to the Streak and her new friend Barry Allen, not realizing they are one in the same. Soon, Central City fills with people with powers Rose has never seen, people Barry calls metahumans. Rose was born a protector, spent years protecting Beacon Hills and the people in it. It was habit, almost, for her to protect Central City, too. But she has her own pack to protect, and fighting metahumans, and Barry Allen, cannot distract her from the beginnings of a new war.

*my Arrowverse crossover AU

Name: Sabrina Seymour

Series: A Hero’s Journey

Story: Tragedy

Faceclaim: Joey King

Species: Elf

Summary:

Name: Sabrina Seymour

Series: A Hero’s Journey

Story: The Hard Way

Fandom: The Flash

Faceclaim: Sophia Bush

Species: Elf

Love Interest: Barry Allen

Summary:

Name: Sara McCall

Story: Sky Comes Falling Down

Faceclaim: Emeraude Toubia

Species: REDACTED

Love Interest: Stiles Stilinski

Summary: Sara and Scott McCall grew up as best friends. They loved each other more than anything in the world. They were survivors. They survived their father’s alcoholism. They survived their parents divorce. They survived being less than popular in high school. But now Scott is pulling away from Sara for the first time, keeping secrets. But they’ll survive that, too, Sara knows it. The McCall twins have been able to survive everything else in life so far, and even with werewolves, hunters, and family secrets thrown into the mix, Sara figures if the McCall twins can get through this, they can get through anything.

Name: Serafina ‘Sera’ Stilinski Baro

Story: To Be Alive

Faceclaim: Sofia Carson

Species: REDACTED

Love Interest: Scott McCall

Summary: Sera didn’t remember much about the fire that burned down her family home. She only remembered the heat, and the smoke around her, and somehow finding her way outside, where she passed out and eventually awoke in the hospital. She remembered the doctors saying it was a miracle Sera didn’t suffer any burns, or even have smoke inhalation. She remembered learning her parents were dead, and moving in with her godmother, Claudia Stilinski. That was it. Or so everyone thought. There was one more thing Sera remembered: a woman, maybe in her twenties, standing in the shadows of the trees. No one else saw her, but Sera did. She never told the police about her, afraid she would come after Sera and finish the job. And she wasn’t totally sure there even was a woman there. After all, like was said, no one saw her in the woods behind Sera’s house. And she could have gone her whole life thinking that woman was a figment of her imagination if she didn’t see her standing in her new best friend’s house.

Name: Sophie Morris Theron

Story: Legacy

Faceclaim: Sadie Sink

Species: Hunter

Love Interest: Liam Dunbar

Summary:

Name: Estera Star Stilinski

Story: Nebulas

Faceclaim: Ariel Winter

Species: Human turned werewolf

Love Interest: Liam Dunbar

Summary:

Name: Stella Hall

Story: Constellations

Faceclaim: Virginia Gardner

Species: REDACTED

Love Interest: Stiles Stilinski

Summary: Stella loved her family, she really did, she just didn’t advertise her family tree to everyone. Instead, she pretended to be the perfect orphaned church girl her classmates thought she was, raised by her grandparents in small town Beacon Hills. Yes, maybe it was lonely not having many friends, not being able to actually talk about her feelings, but she kept up the image. And Stella could have kept the image up for longer if she hadn’t forgotten her history notes in her locker while a supposed serial killer had her and her classmates trapped in the school.

Name: Theresa ‘Tess’ Lowell

Story: Anchors

Faceclaim: Danielle Rose Russell

Species: Born werewolf

Love Interest: Scott McCall

Summary: Tess knew that werewolf packs adopting orphaned werewolf children wasn’t uncommon, she just never thought it would happen to her. But there she was, seven-years-old, hiding in the woods, and scared out of her mind. Peter Hale found her hiding in a cave, brought her home, and Tess was adopted by Talia Hale. She had a normal life, and it was almost happy, until a fire set by hunters killed most of her new family. She and one of her sisters ran, and landed in South America. Six years later, Tess and Cora hear about one of the great Hales, building a pack. They travel back to Beacon Hills, and end up getting kidnapped by a pack of alpha werewolves. This is bad enough. It was made even worse when Tess finds that one of the alphas was the wolf who killed her family.

Name: Vivian Byrne

Story: Blackbird Fly

Faceclaim: Jenny Boyd

Species: Banshee

Love Interest: Stiles Stilinski

Summary: Vivian Byrne didn’t have a lot in life. After the accident, her brother moved them both to Beacon Hills, to be closer to Griffin and Vivian’s godfather, Noah Stilinksi. Despite what had happened, Vivian is happy. She is reunited with her best friend Stiles, she is going to a school where no one knows her – or her family –, and she even discovers werewolves are real. Oh, yeah, Vivian’s eight-year-old self is definitely fangirling about that. But knowing the truth about the weirder side of the world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And now Vivian is experiencing things like werewolves, hunters, and almost dying every time she leaves the house. But hey, that’s just Beacon Hills.

Name: William Grosvenor

Story: Blood in the Water

Faceclaim: Ryan Reynolds

Species: Hunter

Love Interest: Melissa McCall

Summary: Victoria and William Grosvenor had grown up wonderful siblings. They were twins, and knew each other like the back of their hand. Until Victoria met Christopher Argent, and actually married him. To say their father was angry was an understatement, and he forced his daughter to choose: love or blood? When Victoria became an Argent, she gave up being a Grosvenor, which meant giving up her twin brother, and eventually, giving up her niece. But even after twenty years, William was still heartbroken when he received word his sister was dead, that she was bitten by a werewolf and killed herself. He decided enough was enough, and decided that he wanted to know what little family he had left. What he didn’t expect was a werewolf/druid war, or for an old friend’s son to be caught in the middle of it all.

Name: Ximena Calavera

Story: Wolves and Fire

Faceclaim: Camila Mendes

Species: Hunter turned werewolf

Love Interest: Scott McCall

Summary: When Ximena was a little girl, her favorite place to be was at her abuelita’s club. Not on the dance floor – Araya never would have allowed the elementary schooler to dance with the clubbers – but in her office, where the real fun took place. Ximena grew up hearing stories from Araya. Not fairytales; no, Ximena thought fairytales to be a silly thing compared to the stories of her family’s history. The young girl was in awe of her family, and vowed to one day follow their code and hunt werewolves just like them. Until one day she went out on a mission with her father and grandmother and was bitten by a werewolf. Thirteen, alone, and scared, Ximena refused to stay in the Calavera’s so-called ‘custody’. So she ran, all the way to Beacon Hills. Three years later, Derek Hale comes knocking on her door. There’s an alpha pack in town, and one of the members? The alpha who bit Ximena.

Name: Zella Hale

Story: Girls and Monsters

Faceclaim: Katie Douglas

Species: Human

Summary:

#teen wolf #teen wolf masterlist #teen wolf ocs

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nantosueltas · 10 months ago

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This was the first of my drawings of my Felicia redesign. I don't have a very complex or emotional history with her character, actually, I just found some pictures of her on Pinterest and I liked her immediately 😆

I started to feel an urge to recreate her in a way that was more personal, I really wanted to give her my personal touch. The first change I made was on her nose, then my imagination just went off wandering on its own, until I reached this result. In my rewriting, she is originally born with dark hair, her platinum locks are achieved later, after a particular event with one of my OCs... No spoilers 🫣

Her full name is Felicia Hernandez Hardy (Hadi), she is ethnically Latina (she is born in a mixed Brazilian, Argentinian and Uruguayan environment) from her mother's side and Arab (Lebanese) from her father's side. I just have a draft of the story and her background for now and some things might change, but I wanted to share my thought process behind her OCfied version ✌🏼

I hope you like her! ✨🐈‍⬛

•••

support me on: ko-fi || commissions

follow me on: instagram || tiktok

#felicia hardy #felicia hardy fanart #oc felicia #oc felicia hardy #felicia hernandez hardy #felicia hardy black cat #felicia hardy marvel #black cat fanart #black cat #black cat marvel #marvel fandom #marvel comics #ocfied canon characters #oc tag #nantosueltas ocs #nantosueltas

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xartus · 1 year ago

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I should elaborate that the gender of the Horned One/Carnonos and the Earth Mother/Nantosuelta are grammatical and iconographical.

They are not consorts but siblings. They do not exist to fertilize or be fertilized. They are both forces of creation and destruction in their own right. They don't need each other but are complementary in their aspects and functions. And their offspring are generated through themselves, because I don't believe primal cosmic powers have genitalia and can literally have sex, or figuratively have sex.

The Mycelium transcends all known categories and boundaries created by man or even by nature.

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taunuswolf · 1 year ago

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Hessens Heilige Berge – Es muss nicht immer Lourdes sein

Prolog:

Zunächst einmal muss klargestellt werden, dass das Land „Hessen“ kein gewachsenes historisches Territorium ist, sondern ähnlich wie das benachbarte Rheinland-Pfalz und NRW von den Alliierten Siegermächten 1946/47 zusammengestellt wurde. Es werden daher bei der Aufzählung der Heiligen Berge auch solche genannt, die in benachbarten Bundesländern liegen, aber geschichtlich eng miteinander verbunden sind, weil sie zum Beispiel einen keltischen Tempel beherbergten und bei der Christianisierung der Umgebung eine entscheidende Rolle spielten. Als nächstes steht die Frage im Raum: Was ist ein heiliger Berg? Dies sind in erster Linie Berge, die für die Menschen ihrer Umgebung eine religiöse Bedeutung hatten. Bei einigen lässt sich eine kontinuierliche Kultstätte nachweisen, die schließlich zum Bau einer Kirche oder eines Klosters führte. Andere Stätten wurden nie „christianisiert“. Nachfolgendes Feature erhebt keinen Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit.

Der Altkönig ein altes Wallfahrtsziel?

Dieser noch weit in Südhessen sichtbare fast 800 Meter hohe Taunusberg beherbergt eine gewaltige doppelte Ringwallanlage und bildet zusammen mit dem Feldberg ein markantes Ensemble. Es wird angenommen, dass der Altkönig um 400 v. Chr. Sitz eines keltischen Kleinfürsten war und gleichzeitig der umliegenden Bevölkerung in Notzeiten Schutz bot. Da bei Ausgrabungen eine Kult-Maske sowie Regenbogenschüsselchen entdeckt wurden, ist von einem Tempel auszugehen. Ein Menhir im nicht weit entfernten Kelkheim scheint auf den Altkönig ausgerichtet zu sein. Die Sonne geht von diesem Standpunkt aus etwa am 21. Juni über dem Altkönig auf.

Des Weiteren ist der Altkönig umgeben von markanten Felsformationen auf umliegenden Vorbergen, die ebenfalls als Kultstätten in Frage kommen, zum Beispiel der gewaltige Hühnerfelsen am Fuße des Hühnerberges, bei dem sogar eine aus dem Stein herausgearbeitete Opferschale zu erkennen ist. Ebenfalls markant: Der Bürgel, eine Art natürlicher Steinallee, ihm benachbart die Ruine „Antonius Kapelle“, die vielleicht eine romanische Vorgängerkirche hatte. Näher und höher wagte man sich nicht an den Altkönig heran. Waren es abergläubische Vorstellungen, die Mär vom heidnischen Göttersitz? Wurde vielleicht gar in der Frühzeit eine hölzerne Kapelle vom Blitz vernichtet? Darüber schweigen die Analen.

Weitere Einzelfelsen mit räumlicher Zuordnung, Blickachse usw. zum Altköniggipfel sind allen voran der Kocherfels – ein regelrechtes Felsenlabyrinth mit kleinen Nischen und Höhlen - der Fuchsstein, der Romberg (mit Kreuzweg) der Elisabethenstein, der Rossert, der Goldgrubenfelsen beim benachbarten spätkeltischen Oppidum Goldgrube, der Lindenkopf, die Felsen des Bleibeskopfes, (Funde aus der Bronzezeit) der Marmorstein, der Hohle Stein bei Niedernhausen, der Altenstein bei Wiesbaden und eine namenlose lange Felsformation unweit des Hallerkopfes auf dem Taunus Hauptkamm. Nicht zu vergessen, der Brunhildenstein am benachbarten großen Feldberg.

Sie aller ergeben zusammen eine regelrechte Straße aus natürlichen Menhiren. Gab es zur Keltenzeit zu bestimmten Zeiten – zum Beispiel an der Tag-Nachtgleiche im Mai oder den Sonnenwenden - Prozessionen, die von Felsen zu Felsen führend am Altkönig endeten? Besonders beeindruckend für die Menschen der Bronze und Eisenzeit muss das Naturschauspiel der untergehenden Sommersonne gewesen sein. Sie versinkt vom Altkönig aus gesehen zwischen den Gipfeln des kleinen und großen Feldberges. Es bedarf nicht großer Fantasie, um sich den Altkönig als Sitz des keltischen Hauptgottes Taranis oder Secullus vorzustellen. Letzt genannter war auch der Gott der Schmiede und Metallherstellung. Spuren von Eisenverhüttung findet man noch heute auf dem viel besuchten Berg. Ihm zur Seite stand die Fruchtbarkeitsgöttin Nantosuelta, die „Bachgebärerin“. Ihr könnte der im Volksmund überlieferte „Brunhildenstein“ auf dem benachbarten Feldberg geweiht gewesen sein. Dass an den Hängen des Feldberges die Weil, ein bedeutender kleiner Fluss entspringt, erhärtet diese These.

Der Kapellenberg bei Hofheim und der Staufen

Nicht weit vom Altkönig entfernt erstreckt sich in exakter Nordsüdrichtung ein vorgelagerter Gebirgszug, der auch „Nassauische Schweiz“ genannt wird. Auch dieses Gebiet ist gespickt mit Felsen und Zeugnissen keltischer Besiedlung. Ausgehend vom fast 300 Meter hohe Kapellenberg bei Hofheim, der wie ein Balkon in die Rhein-Main-Ebene hineinragt. Die Grundsteine für den 46 Hektar großen Ringwall legten die Bewohner der Michelsberg Kultur bereits vor ca. 6000 Jahren. Damit beherbergt der Berg eine der größten und ältesten Stadtähnlichen Siedlungen aus dieser Zeit in Mitteleuropa. Die kontinuierliche vorgeschichtliche Siedlungsgeschichte von Hofheim reicht bis in die Latènezeit und wurde im frühen Mittelalter wieder aufgegriffen. Seine zweite Besonderheit: Er beherbergt einen der wenigen erhaltenen Rundschanzen, die nach dem Prinzip von Stonehenge, der astronomischen Beobachtungen und eines Sonnenkultes dienten. Eine ähnliche Anlage – der Goloring – befindet sich bei Koblenz, im Bereich eines Treverer Gaues.

Der Sonnenkreis, von dem leider nur noch die Hälfte erhalten ist, liegt an der Spitze des Kapellenberges, neben der 1666 nach einem Pestgelübde errichteten Kirche St. Marien und St. Rochus. (Parallele in Bingen auf dem Rochusberg) Bereits vor dem Kirchenbau wurde die Stätte im Volksmund „Raab-Berg“ heiliger Berg genannt. An der Westseite des Abhanges, also gen Sonnenuntergang, steht der sogenannte „graue Stein“ ein Monolith, der laut Aussage des Archäologen Cohausen vermutlich auf den Berg transportiert worden war. Mehr Kultstätte geht nicht.

Folgt man dem schnurgeraden Weg nach Norden so steht man nach ungefähr sechs Kilometern auf dem 451 Meter hohen Staufen. Auch dieser markante Gipfel verdient die Bezeichnung „Heiliger Berg“ Seine zerklüftete Felsformation „großer Mannstein“ ist von einem Abschnittwall geschützt, in deren Innern antike Scherben gefunden wurden. Da die Fläche für eine Besiedlung viel zu klein ist, könnte es sich bei diesem viel besuchten Kraftort um eine Kultstätte handeln. Die Sonne geht von diesem Punkt aus am 21. Juni über dem Altkönig auf. Am Osthang des Staufens befindet sich eine eingefasste Quelle, die früher ein Quellheiligtum gewesen sein könnte. Ein weiterer mit einem Ringwall abgetrennter Felsen ist der bei Kletterern beliebte Große Walterstein.

Der Holzberg bei Usingen

Der über dem Usatal aufragende Holzberg ist wahrscheinlich schon in der Bronze und Keltenzeit besiedelt gewesen. Der heute noch deutlich zu erkennende Ringwall stammt allerdings aus dem 9. Jahrhundert und gehört zu einer frühmittelalterlichen Wallburg. Die im Zentrum liegende Marienkirche ist spätestens seit 1218 nachgewiesen und war im Besitz des Deutschen Ordens. Rund um die Kirche befand sich ein erst im 30jährigen Krieg untergegangener kleiner Weiler. Ein sich über der Kirche erhebender markanter Hügel mit markanten Felsen, eine Quelle, ein im Tal liegender Menhir artiger Einzelfelsen, sowie auffallend viele Hügelgräber deuten darauf hin, dass der Ort zu allen Zeiten ein spirituelles Zentrum war.

Der Johannesberg bei Bad Nauheim, der Hausberg und der Glauberg

Auf dem Gipfel des Johannisberges, der als Eckpfeiler den Beginn des Taunuskammes markiert, befand sich innerhalb eines keltischen Ringwalles eine Kirche, die bereits um 750 nachweisbar als Keimzelle der Christianisierung der Wetterau und des hinteren Taunus gilt. Im Mittealter kam ein Kloster hinzu. Beides wurde nach der Reformation aufgegeben und verfiel. Dennoch lebt die Tradition, dass dieser Berg ein spiritueller Kraftort ist bis heute fort. Rund um den Berg befinden sich Bildstöcke und Wegkreuze. Ein Menhir in Obermörlen ist auf den Johannesberg ausgerichtet und markiert den Aufgang der Wintersonnenwende. Umgekehrt sieht man vom Johannisberg aus, zur Zeit der Sonnenwende die Sonne hinter dem Hausberg untergehen, der gleichfalls einen Ringwall aus der Keltenzeit besitzt.

Als dritten im Bund der heiligen Berge der Wetterau kann man den Glauberg bezeichnen. Nach dem Fund eines steinernen Keltenfürsten und zahlreicher Schmuckstücke fand er bundesweit großes mediales Interesse. Seine Siedlungsgeschichte reicht von der Jungsteinzeit über die Keltenzeit bis ins Mittelalter. Dass der markante Ausläufer des Vogelsberges auch eine spirituelle Aufgabe wahrgenommen hat, ist unbestritten. Leider wurde diese Tradition in christlicher Zeit nicht mehr aufgenommen. Das gleiche gilt auch für den 485 Meter hohen Hausberg bei Butzbach. In Kärnten hätte man bis heute den drei Kraftorten zu Ehren einen „Dreiberge-Lauf“ veranstaltet. Stattdessen siedelte sich Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts gegenüber des Glauberges auf einem Berg bei Büdingen die neognostische protestantische Sekte der „Herrnhuter“ an.

Die Kreuzkapelle bei Camberg

Sie gilt laut Wikipedia-Eintrag als „Wahrzeichen der Stadt Bad Camberg und des gesamten Goldenen Grundes“. Die weithin sichtbare 1681 errichtete Kreuzkapelle. Der 320 Meter hohe Berg, auf dem sie liegt, bleibt leider namenlos. Von hier aus hat man nicht nur einen weiten Fernblick über den Goldenen Grund, sondern sieht exakt im Nordwesten, also in der Sonnenuntergangsmarke am 21. Juni als Horizontmarkierung die markante Silhouette des Mahlberges bei Montabaur, der mit seinem Ring aus Einzelfelsen den Extern Steinen um nichts nachsteht. Dies könnte darauf hindeuten, dass der sanfte Hügel, auf den ein imposanter Kreuzweg führt, schon früheren Generationen als heiliger Ort erschienen ist. Nicht weit von der Kapelle ragen große Quarzfelsen – zum Beispiel der „Gluckstein“ - aus dem Boden, die ähnlich wie im Altköniggebiet Kultstätten gewesen sein könnten. Südöstlich der Kapelle Richtung „Totenkopf“ liegen in einer Linie mit dem Gluckstein zahlreiche Hügelgräber.

Der Dünsberg und die Angelburg

Der Dünsberg steht dem Altkönig an Bedeutung um nichts nach. Er ist der Beherrscher der nördlichen Wetterau und des Gießener Beckens. Sein Ringwall ist nicht nur älter als der des Altkönigs, sondern markiert auch einen wesentlichen größeren Besiedlungszeitraum. Er beginnt in der frühen Bronzezeit und reicht bis in die Zeit der Alemannen und Franken. Keltische Regenbogenschüsselchen und Kultgegenstände machen ihn zu einem heiligen Berg. Eine uralte Handelsstraße verbindet den Dünsberg mit den nahe gelegenen Wilhelmsteinen, einer gleichfalls uralten Kultstätte auf der Angelburg im Scheider Wald. Als kleiner Bruder des Dünsberg kann der gleichfalls dominante Rimberg im oberen Lahntal bezeichnet werden. Nicht weit entfernt im Dautphe-Tal erhebt sich das Daubhaus, stolze 551 Meter hoch. Auch dieser einsame Berg besitzt einen Ringwall und strahlt eine spirituelle geheimnisvolle Atmosphäre aus.

Oppidum Dornburg und Blasiuskapelle

Von hier aus ist es nur ein Katzensprung zum benachbarten Westerwald, der ebenfalls eine Menge Ringwälle und Kultberge besitzt. Neben den bereits erwähnten Mahlberg ist vor allem die Dornburg von besonderer Bedeutung. Nicht nur wegen ihres in einem Bergwerksschacht zu bewundernden „ewigen Eises“. Die auf einen Bergsporn errichtete Blasiuskapelle stammt aus dem Jahre 630 und war dem Heiligen Michael geweiht. Sie ist eine der ältesten Kirchen der gesamten Region. Ein versunkener Menhir, sowie ihre Nähe zum keltischen Oppidum deutet daraufhin, dass sich auf dem Bergsporn eine keltische Kultstätte befand.

Amöneburg, Goldberg, Totenberg und Hangelstein,

Nicht weit von Marburg erhebt sich die kleine Bergstadt Amöneburg. Sie ist eine der wenigen durchgängig seit der Steinzeit besiedelten Orte Deutschlands und damit vielleicht sogar noch älter als Trier. In der Keltenzeit befand sich auf dem Berg Amöneburg ein Oppidum. In der Frankenzeit war der Ort unter Bonifatius mit seiner Klosterkirche ein wichtiges Missionszentrum. Da Amöneburg bis 1802 eine Enklave des Mainzer Erzbistums war, konnte der spirituelle Charakter des Ortes mit einigen Abstrichen bis in die Gegenwart erhalten werden. Die Hauptkirche St. Johannes blieb vom calvinistischen Bildersturm verschont, wurde jedoch im Siebenjährigen Krieg so schwer beschädigt, dass sie neu errichtet werden musste. Noch heute ist die Mehrheit der Amöneburger katholisch.

Auf der südlich von Amöneburg gelegenen Mardorfer Kuppe befindet sich ein kaum befestigter Steinkreis, der als „Hunnenburg“ oder „Goldberg“ bezeichnet wird. Hier fand man einen keltischen Schatz von Regenbogenschüsselchen. Da der flache Ringwall kaum als Verteidigung in Frage kommt, ist eine Kultstätte sehr wahrscheinlich. Der Wall endet an einer nach Nordost ausgerichteten Abbruchkante.

Folgt man einer südwestlichen Linie gelangt man zu einem Berg namens „Totenberg“. Auch er besitzt einen Ringwall und sogar kleine Höhlen. Seine Kulturspuren reichen von der Steinzeit, über die Eisenzeit bis ins frühe Mittelalter. In weiterer Südwestlinie – Sonnenuntergangsmarke Winter/Sonnenaufgangsmarke Sommer – trifft man vor den Toren Gießens auf den Hangelstein, gleichfalls ein Zeugenberg erster Ordnung. Seine Kulturgeschichte reicht von der Michelsberg-Kultur, Bronzezeit bis zur Keltenzeit. Fazit: Hangelstein, Totenberg, Goldberg und Amöneburg, sind wie die Perlen einer Schnur miteinander verbunden. Dass sie ähnlich wie in Bretagne bis in die Keltenzeit hinein Teil eines Sonnenprozessions-Weges waren, halte ich für wahrscheinlich.

Christenberg

Ein ähnlicher Kult-Berg mit keltisch-christlicher Kontinuität nicht weit von Marburg ist der Christenberg im Burgwald. Die frühe Besiedlung des Christenberges beginnt in der frühkeltischen Hallstadtzeit (um 800 v. Chr.) setzt sich über die La-Tène-Zeit bis 200 v. Chr. fort. Vielleicht wurde die Siedlung von den zu diesem Zeitpunkt massiv nach Süden dringenden Germanen zerstört. In der Frankenzeit um 700 n. Chr. Wurde der Berg wieder befestigt und trug wohl eine frühmittelalterliche Kirche, die vielleicht als Missionskirche gedient haben könnte. Der heutige Bau – Mittelschiff- stammt immerhin aus dem Jahre 1000, der Chor als dem Jahre 1520.

Milseburg und Kreuzberg

Die 835 Meter hohe Milseburg gehört zu den herausragenden Bergen der Rhön. Ihr ausgeprägter Gipfel ist bei gutem Wetter sogar vom Taunus gut zu erkennen. Auf einem Bergsporn lag zur Keltenzeit ein kleines Oppidum. Der felsige Gipfel selbst dürfte schon in der Frühzeit ein Heiligtum getragen haben. Eine kleine Burganlage aus dem Mittelalter ist nur den Analen zu entnehmen. Erhalten dagegen hat sich die Gangolf-Kapelle sowie eine Kreuzigungsgruppe.

Er gilt als „Heiliger Berg der Franken“ der 927 Meter hohe Kreuzberg, dritthöchster Gipfel der Röhn. Sein alter Name „Aschberg“ deutet auf die Asen – ein germanisches Göttergeschlecht - hin. Eine vorchristliche keltisch-germanische Kultstätte gilt als wahrscheinlich. Christianisiert wurde der an der hessisch-bayrischen Grenze liegende imposante Berg bereits in der frühfränkischen Zeit durch den Iro schottischen Missionar St. Kilian. Auf dem Berg befindet sich ein Franziskanerkloster aus dem 17. Jahrhundert. Sowohl die Milseburg als auch der Kreuzberg gelten als Wallfahrtsorte.

Stallberg und Öchsen

Vom Christentum unberührt blieb dagegen der Stallberg im sogenannten Hessischen Kegelspiel“. Der Berg ist nicht nur von einem imposanten keltischen Ringwall umgeben, sondern besitzt auch im Inneren viele Menhir artige Einzelfelsen, die auf eine religiöse Verehrung und Kultstätte hindeuten. Gleiches gilt auch für den 630 Meter hohe Öchsen (Thüringen), der als nördlicher Eckpfeiler der Kuppen-Röhn steil ins Werratal abfällt.

Heilige Höhen im Vogelsberg

Auch der Vogelsberg ist voller ehemaliger Kultstätten, allen voran der 665 hohe Bilstein. Noch heute wird am Samstag vor Pfingsten auf den Felsen ein Baum aufgestellt und bewacht. Eine der Haupterhebungen des Vogelsberges, der „Taufstein“ besitzt eine Quelle mit umliegenden Basaltblöcken. Hier soll ein Taufplatz von Bonifatius gewesen sein. Da Bonifatius mit Vorliebe für seine Mission „heidnische“ Kultstätten aufgesucht hat, ist eine rituelle Nutzung des Platzes in vorchristlicher Zeit sehr wahrscheinlich. Ein Felsheiligtum könnte auch die Alte Burg bei Kaulstoß gewesen sein sowie die Felsformation auf dem Horst bei Rüdingshain. Alle weiteren steinernen mutmaßlichen Felsheiligtümer des Vogelsberg aufzuzählen – darunter die Bonifatius Kanzel – bedeutet Eulen nach Athen tragen. Obwohl meine Frau und ich schon viele Felsen im Vogelsberg besucht haben, bleibt immer noch sprichwörtlich viel Luft nach oben.

Wüstegarten, Hoher Meißner und Bruchhäuser Steine

Das gleiche gilt auch für die vielen markanten und geschichtsträchtigen Berge Nordhessens rund um den Kellerwald, Edersee und den Großraum Kassel. Neben den Leitbergen Wüstegarten mit seinen imposanten Gipfelfelsen und dem Hohen Meißner, auf dem ein Kultteich vermutet wird, ist vor allem die Altburg bei Römersberg an der Schwalm Pforte sehenswert und dürfte von herausragender politischer und kultureller Bedeutung gewesen sein. Nahe an der hessischen Grenze nicht weit von Villingen im Quellgebiet der Ruhr liegen die „Bruchhäuser Steine“. Diese von einem Ringwall umgebenen gewaltigen Felsen bilden einen natürlichen Steinkreis, der die Externsteine in den Schatten stellt. Sein Hauptfelsen ist 92 Meter hoch. Ähnliche Felsensäulen – die auch Kultstätten waren – findet man nur noch im Elbsandsteingebirge. Zum Beispiel die Barbarine.

Epilog:

Alle die genannten Berge, Kirchen und Kultstätten habe ich im Laufe meines Lebens besucht, um heute fast 70jährig festzustellen, dass ich immer noch neue entdecke. Einige Berge und Felsen, die ich zusammen mit meiner Frau besucht habe, fehlen in der Aufzählung. Sie hier alle aufzuzählen, würde den Rahmen der Abhandlung sprengen. Ebenso fehlen die Heiligen Berge des Odenwaldes, einschließlich des Heiligenberges bei Heidelberg. Der Greinberg bei Miltenberg, der Wannenberg bei Bürgstadt, sowie das auf dem Langenberg gelegene Felsenheiligtum Hunnenstein, nebst Höhenkirche Engelberg. Ganz zu schweigen von den zahlreichen Ringwällen und Felsheiligtümern in Rheinland-Pfalz, angefangen vom Donnersberg, Drachenfels, Maymont, Rahnfels, Ohrensberg, Lemberg/Nahe, Disibodenberg (Visionsort der Hildegart von Bingen) inklusive geschichtsträchtiger Moselberge sogar mit Kulthöhle usw.

Auch im Steigerwald bei Würzburg gibt es einige Heilige Berge, allen voran der Schwanberg bei Iphofen und der Kapellenberg bei Bullenheim. Fast hätte ich den Michelsberg bei Bruchsal vergessen, nach dem eine bedeutende Kultur benannt ist. Und dann gibt es noch das absolute Highlight: Der gewaltige Heilige Berg der benachbarten Vogesen „St. Odilien-Berg“ mit seinem ehrwürdigen Bergkloster, einer heilkräftigen Quelle und mächtigen Zyklopenmauer. Nicht weit entfernt sein immer noch heidnisches Pendant Donon, der Olymp der Nordvogesen, mit einer Druiden-Kulthöhle unter dem steinernen Tempel, in der meine Frau und ich vor mehr als 25 Jahren im Schein mitgebrachter Kerzen am 25. Dezember in einer Winternacht unsere Ringe tauschten. Den Rückweg vom Gipfel zum Landgasthaus wiesen uns die Sterne.

Als ich mit der Aufzählung begann, ahnte ich nicht, dass ich eigentlich ein Teil meines Lebenswerkes beschreibe. Dass es so viele Berge sind – die aus dem Kärnten-Urlaub habe ich gar nicht dazu gezählt – überrascht mich selbst. Gleichzeitig wird mir klar, warum ich nie das Bedürfnis hatte nach Lourdes oder St. Jakob Compostela zu pilgern. Heilige Berge und Kraftorte gibt es auch vor der eigenen Haustüre genug. Der Beweggrund sie aufzusuchen ist wichtig, nicht der Weg und die Entfernung dorthin. Die dient oftmals nur der eigenen Eitelkeit sich selbst und der Welt zu beweisen, wie fit man ist oder „mental stark“. Wer sich selbst etwas beweist, hat Gott noch lange nichts bewiesen.

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