Indo-European Roots of Halloween: Exploring Dziady
We all know that modern Halloween has traveled to us from America, with its roots in the Irish festival of Samhain. But what does this mean in a broader Indo-European context? What do these festivals tell us about our forms of ancestor worship?
In this blog, we aim to place Dziady, the Slavic equivalent of Samhain, into a broader context in an accessible way, exploring its significance within the wider Indo-European tradition of honoring ancestors.
Indo-European Ancestor Worship
Indo-European paganism can be understood as a dharmic nature-based religion; the term "dharmic" is used because there were specific rules and prescriptions designed to uphold and maintain cosmic order.
In this worldview, ancestors played a vital role. For thousands of years, the Proto-Indo-European peoples buried high-ranking deceased individuals in burial mounds. These mounds were often visible from afar on the steppes, serving as sacred sites that emphasized the ancestor’s status. Nomadic tribes frequently returned to these locations to offer sacrifices in honor of their ancestors. Those buried in these mounds were often seen as personifications of the tribe’s semi-mythological ancestors. Their heroic deeds and accomplishments were passed down through generations, honored and celebrated in the bardic oral traditions of the people. Indo-European groups, such as the Greeks, Romans, Germans, Celts, Balto-Slavs, Indo-Iranians, and Indo-Aryans, all upheld this tradition.
It is within this context that we should view the Germanic Álfablót, the Celtic Samhain, and the Slavic Dziady.
All of these festivals share a central theme: the commemoration of deceased ancestors. These could be personal family ancestors or the mythological forebears of the tribe or clan. Ancestor worship was an important practice in Indo-European cultures, fostering a sense of unity and creating a bond of honor and pride among the people.
What is Dziady?
The name Dziady literally means "grandparents" and comes from the Proto-Slavic word dědъ, meaning "ancestor." The festival was primarily celebrated in the East Slavic regions, including Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine.
Unlike Samhain and Álfablót, Dziady was celebrated at least twice a year: once in the spring, around the end of April or early May, and once in the autumn, around the end of October or early November.
During the spring celebration, which marked the transition to the warm season, the focus was less on direct contact with the spirits of deceased ancestors and more on the celebration of rebirth, fertility, and the cycles of nature. The autumn celebration, however, centered on honoring the dead. People paid tribute to the souls of their departed ancestors and sought their help and protection. These ancestors were not only family members but also mythological ancestors of the entire tribe.
The Slavs believed that the spirits of ancestors could return to earth at specific times of the year. These spirits could help the living, but they could also cause trouble if not treated properly. Through offerings and rituals, people hoped to maintain a good relationship with these souls.
The festival was held in a familial setting. People would eat together and offer part of their food to the ancestors. This was done by preparing a plate for the dead, intentionally spilling food, or going to a cemetery to leave offerings. The food was left undisturbed for at least a day, allowing the spirits to partake. Suitable offerings included bread, honey, grain (such as barley), eggs, nuts, and beverages. These offerings symbolized the prosperity of the people and were a sign of fertility. The offering of eggs may have later influenced the tradition of the Easter egg.
To invite the deceased, families would leave their windows and doors slightly open. They would light candles or fires at crossroads, near windows, or in cemeteries. The fire symbolized purification and served as a guiding light for the souls. It also helped prevent the souls of those who had died suddenly from becoming demons, as these souls were believed to be especially active during Dziady. Interestingly, the word for "demon" also derives from the same Proto-Slavic word dědъ, suggesting that people believed a soul could either become an ancestor or a demon after death.
In some Slavic regions, people would light saunas to warm the spirits before they returned to their own world. The Jewish traveler Ibrahim Ibn Ya'qub mentioned in the 10th century that the Slavs used log cabin saunas for this purpose.
Between the 9th and 12th centuries, the West Slavic tribes were Christianized. The Church discouraged pagan rituals, but some traditions persisted, often blending with Christian practices. Eventually, the Dziady festival evolved into a form of remembrance, integrated into the Christian celebrations of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.
Get the Look: Beleka
In this edition of the "Get the Look" series, we have crafted two traditional outfits. The woman’s name is Beleka, which literally means "white." In Slavic cultures, the color white symbolized beauty and purity. Beleka celebrates Dziady alongside her husband, Gostislav. You can read the blog about him [here].
Gostislav and Beleka lived in what is now southern Poland, a crossroads between the East, West, and South Slavic regions, in the Moravian Empire. They were farmers, raising livestock and growing grain.
Temple Rings (Slaapringen)
Slavic women from all social classes in the early Middle Ages often wore temple rings, also known as slaapringen. These rings were worn near the temples and could be styled in various ways—attached to a headband, braided into the hair, or worn as earrings. Temple rings were typically made of metal, including bronze, silver, or sometimes even gold, and have been found throughout the Slavic regions. The Merovingians also adopted this practice. The design of these rings varied by region.
Beleka wears two types of rings. Attached to the headband over her headscarf, she wears the "ring and bar" type, a design whose original has been found in Poland. These rings not only serve as decorative pieces but also highlight the cultural and regional identity of Slavic women.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/waistband-hedwig-dark-blue.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/slavic-earrings-zawada-lanckoronska-bronze.html
Beleka also wears earrings of the "dangling chain" type. This is a slightly later design, dating back to the 10th or 11th century. The original was found in Staraya Ladoga, near St. Petersburg, and dates to the 11th century. This area was inhabited by Scandinavians from the early 8th century, and the graves in this region have revealed goods of Swedish, Finnish, Slavic, and even Arabic origin.
The "dangling chain" earrings reflect the cross-cultural influences of the time, blending Slavic and Scandinavian styles, and symbolize the interconnectedness of these early medieval societies through trade and migration.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-earrings-with-horses-bronze.html
Headscarf
Unmarried Slavic women typically wore their hair loose or in a braid. However, after marriage, they covered their hair with a headscarf, marking their marital status. Interestingly, temple rings were likely worn by girls as well, not just married women, indicating their role as an important cultural accessory across different stages of life.
The headscarf, worn by Beleka after marriage, symbolizes modesty and tradition, while the temple rings add a touch of personal and cultural adornment to her everyday attire.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-veil.html
Jewelry
Beleka wears several amulets, each with its own significance.
The first is a granulated amulet crafted in the typical Slavic style. The original was found in a grave in Birka, a major Viking trading center, reflecting the interconnectedness of Slavic and Scandinavian cultures during the early medieval period. This type of amulet was likely worn for protection and to invoke spiritual or ancestral power, blending aesthetics with symbolic meaning.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/birka-amulet-grave-943.html
The second is based on the Zbruch idol, a pre-Christian sculpture from Ukraine, created in the 9th century. It was once thought to depict Svetovit, the god of abundance and war, though the exact meaning is unclear. The pillar itself has three "layers": the lower layer shows a bearded man on three sides, the middle layer depicts four figures (possibly two men and two women), one holding a child, and the top layer also shows four figures, one holding a ring/bracelet (possibly an oath ring), one with a drinking horn, and one with a sword and a horse. These three layers possibly symbolize the three realms of existence: the underworld, the human world, and the world of the gods.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/slavic-pendant-swiatowid.html
Belt
No metal buckles or belt ends have been found in the graves of Slavic women, indicating that they likely wore fabric, woven belts. In the northern Slavic regions, they may have also used the technique of tablet weaving to craft these belts.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-belt-caja-blue.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-belt-elina-red.html
Knife
The knife was an essential tool both in and around the household, used for crafts and food preparation. In many graves, a sharpening stone was found alongside the knife, indicating the importance of maintaining its sharpness for daily tasks.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/11th-century-viking-knife-jorvik.html
Apron
Slavic women wore two types of aprons: the one used here and a three-part apron that was open at the front. Both styles were common and practical for daily tasks.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/apron-alianor-natural.html
Dress & Underdress
Beleka wears a simple, undyed underdress made of basic fabric, with a woolen dress worn over it. This layering provided both comfort and warmth, typical of the period.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-dress-elisa-white.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-dress-wilma-wool.html
Shoes
The recovered Slavic shoes are known as turnshoes. These shoes were simple to make and easy to repair, but they offered little ankle support compared to modern footwear.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-shoes-alva.html
Kaftan
Over her dress, Beleka wears a kaftan, which is ideal for the cold winter days. The kaftan provides additional warmth and protection from the elements, making it a practical and functional garment.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/rusvik-viking-coat-kseniya-blue.html
Cloak
When it’s particularly cold, Beleka wears a cloak over her kaftan, adding an extra layer of warmth and protection against the harsh winter weather.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/medieval-cloak-karen-brown.html
