3 Items Tagged

Beltane

Wander into our forest of blood-chilling spring tales—if you dare.

Spring Is for Monsters, Ancient Rituals, and Scary Stories

From haunting tales of the Bell Witch to child-eating swamp monsters, the season is full of frights.

Sarah Durn May 8, 2023

Every May, an ancient Celtic festival, known as Beltane, is held atop Calton Hill in Edinburgh, where participants eat a mysterious Beltane bannock cake.

Why 18th-Century Scots Performed Mock Human Sacrifices Over Cake

This May Day, make Beltane bannock, a simple snack with a long history of superstition and divination.

Sam O'Brien May 1, 2023

Bonfires and revelry dominate modern Beltane celebrations, but the origins of the event are more mundane.

Beltane Is About More Than Fire and Fertility

The ancient “Celtic” start of summer is rooted in animal husbandry—and it’s not on May 1.

Gemma Tarlach April 28, 2023