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. Ancient Roman deities are the gods and goddesses worshipped in the ancient … Read more
Di Indigetes, the Indigenous Gods of ancient Rome
Di indigetes (“indigenous gods”) are a group of early Roman gods and spirits that were not incorporated into other faiths. Related articles: The full list … 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
Italian folklore: monsters, ghosts, and demons of the traditional Italian culture Creatures of Italian folklore. The history of Italian folklore has its roots in different … Read more
The Benandanti: Witchcraft and Agrarian Cults between 16th and 17th centuries in Italy
History & Facts of the Benandanti, The Good Walkers A trial for heresy of two peasants reveals a pagan-shamanic peasant cult based on the fertility … Read more
The Cosmogony of a Sixteenth-Century Italian Miller
A heresy trial held in Friuli, Italy in the sixteenth century brings to light the complex cosmogony and worldview of a miller who stunned the … Read more
The Enigma of the Sator Square
The Sator Square: SATOR, AREPO, TENET, OPERA, ROTAS The Sator Square has been the subject of frequent archaeological discoveries, both in stone epigraphs and in … Read more
What does Ferragosto mean? Why is Ferragosto celebrated in Italy?
History of Ferragosto Discovering the origins of Ferragosto, the most important Italian summer festival, which has its origins in Ancient Rome. Ferragosto is celebrated on … Read more
Facts, Images & History of the Carnival and the Masks of Venice
The Carnival and the Masks of Venice: Mistery, Illusion & Seduction Masks have always been used in the ancient tradition of Greek theatre, in the … Read more
The Festival of the Snake-Catchers in Italy
The Festival of the Snake-Catchers is an annual festival in Cocullo in honor of St. Dominic, patron saint protecting against snakebite and toothache The festival … Read more
Sa Femina Accabadora, The Lady of the Good Death
Sa Femmina Accabadora was a woman who was in charge of bringing death to people of any age, in the event that they were in … Read more
The gruesome procession of Verbicaro Flagellants
Italian flagellants Every year Verbicaro, Calabria, hosts a gruesome procession. During the night between Thursday and Good Friday, some penitents, completely dressed in red, with … Read more