Samhain (pronounced “SOW-in” or “SAH-win”), was a festival celebrated by the ancient Celts halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It began at dusk around October 31st and likely lasted three days. Samhain marked the transition between the year's lighter and darker halves and was celebrated throughout the ancient Celtic communities of Europe, including Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. Believed by the ancient Celts to be a liminal time when the veil between the human and spirit realms is lifted, Samhain is considered by many to be the precursor to contemporary Halloween celebrations. Samhain is also the modern Irish word for the month of November. In Ireland, the Hill of Ward in County Meath was the sacred site of the Samhain fire festival, and in recent years, people have gathered there on Halloween to participate in a modern-day Samhain revival.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original definition at https://www.worldhistory.org/Samhain/.
Join the Conversation
- Is there anything you'd change or add?
- What did you think about this definition?
- What questions has this left you with?
Is there anything you'd like to ask about this definition? Ask away — and if you spot something that should be covered, that's useful to know too.