domingo, 29 de octubre de 2023

Some Underworld things

We are in a month of changing seasons, from summer to Autumn, when the frontier betweeen life and death is so weak, when the ones who died are closer to us, when Persephone returns to her husband Hades to the underworld, leaving her poor mother Demeter devastated. That's Halloween or Día de los Santos o los Muertos.

That's why I have decided that it could be interesting to see some videos about the underworld, witches etc to clarify some aspects of it. 

I hope you enjoy them and find inspiration for these days.

A Tour of the Ancient Greek Underworld by TED-Ed

The Sybil of Cumas guides Aquilles, recently dead in Troy, all along the Underworld


The myth of Hades and Persephone

Who are the God and Godess of the Underworld?, Why does plants and flowers die in Autumn and Winter ?

 

Witches have always been relevant characters all along this season, nowadays girls dress as witches just for fun in Halloween or fancy dress parties, but  we must remember that this wasn't that way in ancient times, women who were just healers or nurses were prosecuted, accused and killed for that reason. 

Here you can see one of the most famous or better said "infamous" witch trials in history  

Witches Trials in Salem ( Massachussets, USA) 

 

But it didn't only happened in USA, but all around Europe, even in Spain we have the famous Brujas de Zugarramurdi (Navarra) where they held a similar trial for suspected women. 

Witches and Covens from Zugarramurdi (Navarra, Spain)


I wish it gives us some foood for thought as it was only women the ones who mostly were suspected. women were thought to be impure and could be friends with the devil, they were "inferior" or "mentally weak". Those who  were more independent or showed more knowledge were suspected even till recent times.