Through History
A new book explores the rituals and beliefs of ‘pagan’ communities through their material culture
The label of ‘pagan’ has been used for over a thousand years by Christians to describe those who did not conform or subscribe to Christianity, and instead worshipped their own gods and goddesses. Then, in the 20th century, groups such as Wiccans and Druids began to refer to themselves as pagans. As a result, the term ‘pagan’ has come to encompass a large and diverse population, with each historical and modern community within this definition having their own beliefs and practices. So can paganism be defined and what did pagans believe?
In Pagans: The Visual Culture Of Pagan Myths, Legends And Rituals (Thames & Hudson, 2023), writer Ethan Doyle White has collated information on ‘pagan’ communities throughout the centuries and presented facets of their cultural identities through various images and artefacts. Each stunning page of images, accompanied by Doyle White’s concise and informative research, helps readers to understand more about what and how different ‘pagan’ communities have worshipped throughout history and navigates the eclectic material culture of different religious groups. Doyle White’s book analyses and explains, in a visually beautiful way, the array of rituals and symbols that have come from ‘pagans’ who have found divinity in the natural and material world.
CEREALIA
The ancient Roman festival of Cerealia, held in April, was dedicated to Ceres, the goddess of grain. This painting entitled Spring by Lawrence Alma-Tadema from 1894 shows women and girls processing through the streets in honour of the goddess. © The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
SACRIFICE
Human sacrifice has been a practice of many cultures through the ages. This blade, which dates from the 11th to the 15th century, was probably used in sacrificial rituals by the Chimú people of Peru. © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, gift and bequest of Alice K. Bache, 1974, 1977
MJÖLNIR
In old Norse mythology, the god of thunder and lightning, Thor, wielded his hammer known as Mjölnir. Pendants of the hammer, like this silver one from Skåne, Sweden were worn by religionists between the 9th and 11th centuries. © Ola Myrin, Statens historiska museum/ Swedish History Museum, Stockholm
RITUALISM
Photographed by the ethnographer VV Sapozhnikov in the 1890s, this ritual specialist is seen beating a drum during a performance. They are from a community in the Altai Mountains
