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Coins on the eyes of the dead aren’t just for the boatman. In some traditions, it was believed that if the eyes remained open, the dead would seek another soul to take with them. Closing them with coins ensured they stayed shut—for good. #BookWormSat

submitted 7 hours ago • 0 comments

A mortsafe wasn’t just a heavy cage of iron and stone—it was a desperate act of defiance. In 19th-century Britain, grave robbers preyed on the dead, supplying medical schools with stolen corpses. Families fought back with locked tombs, armed night watchers, and iron-clad burial vaults. #BookWormSat

submitted 9 hours ago • 0 comments

They say never take anything from a graveyard—not a stone, a flower, or a twig. The spirits will notice, and what follows won’t be worth the souvenir. #BookWormSat Art: Vasily Perov

submitted 11 hours ago • 0 comments

The graveyard wasn’t always just a resting place—it was a battlefield. “Sin-eaters” were hired to consume food placed on a corpse, absorbing its sins before burial. But woe to the sin-eater, forever stained by the burden of the dead. #BookWormSat

submitted 13 hours ago • 1 comment

Grave bells weren’t just a precaution against premature burial—they were a lifeline. In the 18th and 19th centuries, some coffins were outfitted with bells and air tubes, just in case the "dead" woke up underground. #BookWormSat Art: Atlas Obscura

submitted 15 hours ago • 0 comments

In 19th-century New England, families exhumed suspected vampires and burned their hearts to stop them from preying on the living. The most infamous case? Mercy Brown of Rhode Island, whose heart was burned in 1892. #BookWormSat

submitted 17 hours ago • 0 comments

They say if you hear three knocks in the night with no one there, death is coming. A similar belief holds that if a coffin knocks before burial—whether from settling wood or something else—it’s an omen that more will follow. #BookWormSat Art: Russell Dickerson

submitted 19 hours ago • 1 comment

In European folklore, bodies that shift, bleed, or appear fresh after burial are signs of a restless dead—vampires, revenants, or spirits unwilling to let go. The solution? A stake through the heart or a brick in the mouth. #BookWormSat Art: Rachel Wyman

submitted 21 hours ago • 0 comments

Mint symbolized hospitality and health. It was planted near doorways to greet visitors with its refreshing scent and carried in pockets to lift spirits. Ancient texts claimed that mint could sharpen the mind, making it popular among scholars and healers alike. #FolkyFriday

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Rue, known as the "herb of grace," was sprinkled on church floors to ward off evil. Judges once carried sprigs of rue to protect themselves from malicious intentions. Its bitter leaves were associated with regret and repentance, but also with wisdom gained through hardship. #FolkyFriday

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Angelica was said to be heaven-sent. Its name came from the story of an angel who revealed the herb’s healing powers during a plague. Angelica roots were brewed into protective tonics, while its stems were candied and eaten during festivals to guard against illness and misfortune #FolkyFriday

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Mugwort was the wanderer’s herb. Travelers placed its leaves in their shoes to stave off exhaustion on long journeys. On midsummer’s eve, it was burned to protect homes from evil and invite vivid dreams. It was also used as a charm against malevolent forces. #FolkyFriday Art: Tetyana Erhart

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

The humble violet appears in fairy tales as a flower of modesty and grace. In 19th-century New England, children gathered violets for May baskets, carrying on a tradition that stretched back to old-world customs of honoring spring’s gentle return #FolkyFriday Art: Marie Cameron

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Peonies were said to glow with protective energy, warding off storms and spirits alike. In Greek myth, peonies sprang from the tears of the nymph Paeonia, and their full blooms became symbols of prosperity and good fortune #FolkyFriday

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Chamomile, with its apple-scented flowers, was said to thrive when walked upon—like courage, folklore said, it grows stronger under pressure. It's a fragrant reminder that resilience often comes in the gentlest forms. #FolkyFriday Art: Viktoria Sukhanova

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Lavender, long associated with peace and protection, was hung above doorways to ward off evil spirits. Ancient Romans carried lavender oil into battle for its antiseptic powers, while herbalists believed its scent could calm tempers and mend broken hearts #FolkyFriday Art: Diana Pigny

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In Italian folklore, the rosemary plant grows best where women weep. It was said that if rosemary thrived near your door, someone in the house carried a secret sorrow. #WyrdWednesday Art: Carol Robinson

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

In Irish folklore, lava-like basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway were said to have been built by Finn McCool. Some claimed the stones still radiated warmth from the giant's forge beneath the earth. #LegendaryWednesday Art: Susanna Drury

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

The white rose became a symbol of rebellion during World War II. The White Rose resistance group used the flower’s innocence as a stark contrast to the violence they opposed. #WyrdWednesday

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In Icelandic tales, trolls once roamed the lava fields near Hekla. When caught by daylight, they turned to stone, forming jagged lava pillars that resemble giant, petrified figures. #LegendaryWednesday

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The Victorian language of flowers assigned the snapdragon the meaning of deception. Some wore snapdragons as talismans, believing the blooms would help them lie undetected. #WyrdWednesday Art: Cynthia Coffield

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

The Philippines' Mount Mayon is said to be the resting place of the beautiful Daragang Magayon. Legends say she died in her lover's arms, and the volcano formed over her grave. When Mayon erupts, locals believe it's Magayon weeping for lost love. #LegendaryWednesday Image: Chrizluminario

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Tulip mania gripped 17th-century Holland, with single bulbs costing more than a house. Some believed tulips were bewitched, their vivid colors hypnotizing merchants into ruin. #WyrdWednesday Art: Johannes Hinderikus Egenberger

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

The Romans believed Mount Vesuvius was linked to Vulcan, their god of fire. After its eruption in 79 CE, survivors described seeing monstrous figures in the smoke—interpreted as Vulcan's forge releasing his destructive creations. #LegendaryWednesday Art: Andrea Mantegna

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

The Victorians adored pressed flowers, but some believed that pressing a forget-me-not into a diary could trap a ghost’s memory between the pages. #WyrdWednesday

submitted 3 days ago • 2 comments

Mount Mazama in Oregon collapsed to form Crater Lake. The Klamath people tell of a battle between Llao, spirit of the underworld, and Skell, spirit of the sky. Llao’s fiery wrath shattered the mountain, creating the lake to imprison him. #LegendaryWednesday Image: Mike Doukas

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Victorian floriography assigned meanings to flowers, but some were more ominous than romantic. The marigold signified grief and despair. In funeral wreaths, it whispered of the sun setting on life’s final chapter. #WyrdWednesday Art: James Johnson

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

In Icelandic folklore, the volcano Hekla was thought to be a gateway to Hell. Locals claimed to hear screams rising from the crater during eruptions, and legends said witches rode their brooms into the fiery depths during Easter. #LegendaryWednesday Art: Abraham Ortelius

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

In Japanese folklore, the red spider lily blooms along paths to the afterlife. Legend says the flowers guide souls but also mark places of tragic separation. Plant them in your garden, and you might never reunite with lost loved ones. #WyrdWednesday Art: Pam Tuggle

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

The ancient Greeks believed Hephaestus, God of fire and forge, worked beneath Mount Etna. His anvils roared with molten metal as he forged lightning bolts for Zeus. Etna's eruptions were said to be sparks from his unending labor. #LegendaryWednesday

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

In Welsh folklore, picking a red poppy at dusk could summon spirits of war. The petals were thought to hold the blood of fallen warriors, and the rustle of the poppy field was said to echo with their sighs. #WyrdWednesday Art: Jacqueline Hurley

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Caligula, the Roman emperor, ruled with cruelty and unpredictability. His erratic behavior—like declaring war on the sea and appointing his horse to office—blended historical fact with legend, making him an archetype of tyranny. #FairyTaleTuesday #FairyTaleFlash Art: Sergey Sosnovskiy

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

The hag from Appalachian folklore, often called a witch or boo hag, transforms into animals to spy on neighbors or cause trouble. Her tricks blend cautionary tales with community superstitions. #FairyTaleTuesday #FairyTaleFlash Art: Arthur Rackham

submitted 4 days ago • 2 comments

In Scottish tales, the Redcap is a murderous goblin who haunts ruined castles. His cap stays crimson from the blood of his victims, and he can only be driven away with sacred words. #FairyTaleTuesday #FairyTaleFlash Art: Don Pachi

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

The Headless Horseman, immortalized by Washington Irving, rides through Sleepy Hollow as a terrifying specter. His origins tie to older European myths of ghostly riders haunting the night. #FairyTaleTuesday #FairyTaleFlash

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

The Scandinavian troll is often depicted as monstrous and malicious. Yet some stories portray trolls as misunderstood beings tricked by clever humans, their downfall rooted in innocence more than evil. #FairyTaleTuesday #FairyTaleFlash Art: Theodor Kittelsen

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Vlad the Impaler, the historical figure behind Dracula, defended Wallachia with brutal tactics. His terrifying reputation spread across Europe, blending fact with folklore and transforming him into a monstrous legend. #FairyTaleTuesday #FairyTaleFlash

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, in English folklore is a house spirit turned mischievous trickster. His pranks range from harmless to harmful. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, his magic entangles lovers, blurring the line between chaos and comedy. #FairyTaleTuesday #FairyTaleFlash Art: Joseph Noel Paton

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

In European folklore, Reynard the Fox is clever and ruthless. He tricks nobles, outwits wolves, and even manipulates kings. His cunning reveals the hypocrisy of medieval society, making him both hero and villain. #FairyTaleTuesday #FairyTaleFlash Art: By Ernest Henri Griset

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The eggplant is known as “mad apple” in early European folklore. It was believed to cause insanity if consumed too often, possibly because of its link to the nightshade family. #MythologyMonday Art: Nancy Hoerter

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Wild mushrooms have long been linked to fairy lore in European myths. Fairy rings—circles of mushrooms—were said to appear where fairies danced. Stepping into one could draw a person into the fairy realm. #MythologyMonday

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Beets were associated with love and lust in Roman times. Aphrodite was said to have eaten beets to enhance her beauty, and beetroot juice was used in early love potions. #MythologyMonday Art: Don Whittemore

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In Japanese folklore, the daikon radish has ties to purification and protection. Legends say spirits dislike its pungent scent, and radishes were left at shrines to guard against malevolent forces. #MythologyMonday

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Cabbage was once considered a remedy for drunkenness in ancient Greece. Myth held that it sprang from the tears of the Thracian king Lycurgus after he angered Dionysus, the god of wine. #MythologyMonday

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Beans have long been associated with souls and spirits. In ancient Rome, fava beans were thought to contain the souls of the dead and were used in funeral rites. Pythagoras even warned against eating beans, believing they linked the living to the dead. #MythologyMonday Art: GastroObscura

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Carrots were once purple and yellow before Dutch growers bred the orange variety we know today. In medieval European folklore, carrots were believed to bring good fortune, and their tops were sometimes placed under pillows to ward off nightmares. #MythologyMonday Art: Beth Taylor

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

The humble onion appears in ancient Egyptian mythology as a symbol of eternity. Its layers represented the infinite nature of existence. Onions were placed in tombs and painted on walls to protect the dead in the afterlife. #MythologyMonday

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

The English countryside held a belief that cowslip flowers growing wild in fields meant good luck and prosperity were on the way. Gather them carefully, and they were said to bring riches or protection to your home. 🌼🌾 #FolkloreSunday

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Superstition says that placing a basil plant on your windowsill invites love into your home. Known as the “herb of lovers,” its fragrance was believed to attract passion and strengthen existing bonds, making every window a portal to romance. 🌿❤️ #FolkloreSunday

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Sailors carried charms of dolphins, believing these playful creatures guided lost ships back to safe shores. A symbol of kindness and companionship, dolphins were thought to represent life’s unexpected allies, appearing when most needed. 🐬🌊 #FolkloreSunday Art: Pravin Sen

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments