Samhain...
...and symbols of the Old Religion - blessed be!
Samhain is an ancient pagan festival held each year from October 31st to November 1st, the word Samhain roughly translating as "summer's end", marking the end of the harvest, the lighter half of the year and the beginning of the darker half. A festival with ancient roots in Celtic polytheism, it was linked to festivals held around the same time of year in other Celtic cultures and continued to be widely celebrated until late medieval times. Due to its date, it became associated with the Christian festival of All Saints' Day and greatly influenced the modern celebrations of Halloween & Bonfire Night with its connotations of fire, light and darkness.
This lovely carving can be seen in Boscastle, Cornwall, UK and the detail is best viewed in Original Size
This is my entry for the #66 - Religion category in the 112 in 2012 Group.
Samhain...
...and symbols of the Old Religion - blessed be!
Samhain is an ancient pagan festival held each year from October 31st to November 1st, the word Samhain roughly translating as "summer's end", marking the end of the harvest, the lighter half of the year and the beginning of the darker half. A festival with ancient roots in Celtic polytheism, it was linked to festivals held around the same time of year in other Celtic cultures and continued to be widely celebrated until late medieval times. Due to its date, it became associated with the Christian festival of All Saints' Day and greatly influenced the modern celebrations of Halloween & Bonfire Night with its connotations of fire, light and darkness.
This lovely carving can be seen in Boscastle, Cornwall, UK and the detail is best viewed in Original Size
This is my entry for the #66 - Religion category in the 112 in 2012 Group.