Bone And Sickle

The 19th-century Spiritualist movement was rife with fraud and misplaced hopes, but what made people so eager to believe in the possibility of talking to the dead?  This episode looks at some early mediumistic pioneers, attractions beyond the metaphysical that drew sitters to take part in seances, and the growing pressure within the movement to … Read More Read More The post Episode 11: The Dead Speak appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

This time round we explore the way in which the death-obsessed Victorians fetishized the equally death-obsessed Egyptians, creating a number of gothic mummy tales, which often veer into storylines that are almost necrophilic. To begin we have a look at how the Victorians interacted with mummies as artifacts.  We hear an 1899 story from Philadelphia’s … Read More Read More The post Episode 10: Victorian Mummies appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

In this episode of Bone and Sickle, we’re looking at the folklore and history of witches associated with caves.  We begin with the Bell Witch, of Adams Tennessee and a quick audio montage saluting the creature, one based around the eccentric country-western song “The Bell Witch” by Merle Kilgore.  Also included are snippets of The … Read More Read More The post Episode 9: Cave Witches appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

On this episode of Bone and Sickle, we look at the folklore of ghost ships, undead sailors, some nautical elements in gothic literature, a song about a ship piloted by the Devil, and other horror stories of the sea. We begin with a little reminiscing about our last show on the Pied Piper and a … Read More Read More The post Episode 8: Dreadful Ships appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

In this episode, we explore the story of the Pied Piper, a folk tale uniquely anchored in grim historical realities. We begin with evidence of an actual historical mystery, including text inscribed on a gable of one of Hamelin’s medieval buildings as well as the initial 1384 entry in the Hamelin town chronicle, announcing, “It … Read More Read More The post Episode Seven: It is One Hundred Years Since Our Children Left appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

As June 24, the feast of St. John the Baptist approaches, the folklore of decapitation suggested itself as an appropriate theme for this episode.  We begin by way of an old English children’s rhyme and game, “Oranges and Lemons” based on melody played by the bells of St. Clemens church in London.  The rhyme ends … Read More Read More The post Episode Six: Lost Heads appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

  We follow our previous episode on the god Pan with a second this week, delving even deeper into the creative and bizarre ways the figure has been embraced after his much publicized “death.” Our first several minutes are devoted to literary explorations of Pan in the decades around World War I. Naturally we examine … Read More Read More The post Episode 5: The Great God Pan appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

  The devilish appearance of the Greek god Pan has fascinated artists, occultists, and others straying from the path for centuries.  This episode begins with some tales of Pan in his natural habitat of Arcadia, how the Greeks, and later Romans, saw him, and some of his central myths — what tragedy resulted in the … Read More Read More The post Episode 4: Crowley in Neverland appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

After two episodes meandering about in the nocturnal folklore of Walpurgisnacht witches sabbaths, we’re inviting our Bone and Sickle friends out in the daylight for a celebrate the arrival of Spring.  Not to worry, there’s still human sacrifice in the air, as we begin the show looking at that pre-emininent example of the folk-horor genre, and … Read More Read More The post Episode 3: Loudly Sing Cuckoo! appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

Become a Patron! In our second episode on the grim folklore of Walpurgisnacht — that is May Eve or April 30, St. Walburga’s day — we meet Walburga, the saint whose name was attached to what was likely a pre-existing pagan holiday. While the saint’s bones for centuries have been said to be the source of a miraculously … Read More Read More The post Episode 2: Walpurgisnacht, Pt 2 appeared first on Bone and Sickle.

Become a Patron! Episode One of BONE & SICKLE is the first half of a two-parter about May Eve, Beltane, or as the Germans call it, Walpurgisnacht (“Walpurgis night“)  the night of St. Walburga, that and oh so much more! It’s also about St. George’s Eve, and the conflation of the two in Bram Stoker’s Dracula … Read More Read More The post Episode 1: Walpurgisnacht, Pt 1 appeared first on Bone and Sickle.