The Witches of Benevento: From Pagan Rites to Witchcraft
The Witch Trials of Benevento: the Mysterious World of the Janare and Their Magic The city of Benevento, located in Italy, has a reputation in … Read more
folklore
The Most Important Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Rome
A comprehensive list of more than 300 Roman gods, deities, and supernatural beings (2026). Ancient Roman deities are the gods and goddesses worshipped in the … Read more
Di Indigetes, the Indigenous Gods of ancient Rome
Native Roman Gods: Complete List of Di Indigetes (2025) Di indigetes (“indigenous gods”) are a group of early Roman gods and spirits that were not … Read more
The Etymology of the word Terra: Tellus, Terra Mater
Terra Mater was an ancient Roman Goddess Tellus Mater or Terra Mater (“Mother Earth”) is a goddess of the Earth in ancient Roman religion and … Read more
Demons, Monsters, and Ghosts of the Italian Folklore
Legends and Nightmares: The Roots of Italian Folklore (2025) Creatures of Italian folklore. The history of Italian folklore has its roots in different cultural traditions … Read more
The Benandanti: Witchcraft and Agrarian Cults between 16th and 17th centuries in Italy
Benandanti, The Good Walkers: The Secret Shamanic Cult of Italy A trial for heresy of two peasants reveals a pagan-shamanic peasant cult based on the … Read more
The Cosmogony of a Sixteenth-Century Italian Miller
The Miller Who Challenged God: Menocchio’s Story A heresy trial held in Friuli, Italy in the sixteenth century brings to light the complex cosmogony and … Read more
The Enigma of the Sator Square: Meaning, Mystery & Origins
The Sator Square: SATOR, AREPO, TENET, OPERA, ROTAS (2025) The Sator Square has been the subject of frequent archaeological discoveries, both in stone epigraphs and … Read more
What does Ferragosto mean? Why is Ferragosto celebrated in Italy?
The History of Ferragosto: Italy’s Best Summer Tradition (2025) Discovering the origins of Ferragosto, the most important Italian summer festival, which has its origins in … Read more
Venetian Carnival: Its History and its Enigmatic Masks
The Carnival and the Masks of Venice 2026: Mistery, Illusion & Seduction Masks have always been used in the ancient tradition of Greek theatre, in … Read more
The Festival of the Snake-Catchers in Italy
The Living Cloak of St. Dominic: Cocullo’s Snake Festival The Festival of the Snake-Catchers (Festa dei Serpari) is a unique annual event held in Cocullo, … Read more
Sa Femina Accabadora, The Lady of the Good Death
Sa Femmina Accabadora: Sardinia’s Ritual Death Legend (2025) Sa Femmina Accabadora was a woman who was in charge of bringing death to people of any … Read more
The gruesome procession of Verbicaro Flagellants
Verbicaro’s Annual Flagellant Procession: Tradition and Sacrifice Every year, Verbicaro, a town in Calabria, Italy, hosts a gruesome and deeply traditional procession known for its … Read more