Dr Chris Duffin (The Natural History Museum) talks about some of the folklore and beliefs associated with fossils, which have a surprisingly diverse folklore history. Online talk, Tuesday 22 November 2022, 18:00 GMT Fossil bones and amber are the subject of a wide range of classical, local and oriental myths, including the Homeric Cyclops, the...
The Katharine Briggs Lecture will be held on Tuesday 8 November at 18:30 at The Brockway Room, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. This year’s speaker is Katherine Langrish, author of historical fantasies and essays on folklore and fairy tales, ‘Fenrir’s Fetter and the Power of Stories.’ On the power of stories for...
What is Folklore? Online talk by Prof. Richard Jenkins (University of Sheffield) Tuesday 25 October 2022, 18:30 BST Folklore in Britain, and its study, seems to be in increasing danger of being understood by the public – particularly on the Internet – as ‘ghosties, ghoulies and long-leggedy beasties’…with a bit of witchcraft, paganism, and Gothic...
Dr Paul Cowdell’s online talk, Tuesday 11 October, 18:00 BST, examines why ghosts are commonly shown in sheets, though this is unrepresentative of most experiences or beliefs. All historical discussions of ghosts feature some comment on what they are wearing. Some of the most frequently mentioned imagery – like ghosts in white sheets, or images...
Dr Juliette Wood (University of Cardiff) explores the origins of the Sandman in this online talk on Tuesday 27 September 2022, 18:00-19:30 BST The Sandman has recently emerged as a popular modern fantasy character. This eerie figure who brings dreams to good children can also be a threatening bogeyman. It has become a romantic and horror...