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Icy Sedgwick

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How does the severed head appear in folklore?

October 22, 2022 by Icy Sedgwick 5 Comments

From John the Baptist to heads in jars, the severed head appears throughout art and culture. But what about folklore? Click here to find out!

The severed head is a common motif in films and television. Horror as a genre is full of beheadings, and heads mounted on pikes draw their authenticity from historical practices. Heads made excellent display objects if you wanted to warn your enemies that you meant business. People recognise severed heads and only one conclusion can be […]

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Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: #FolkloreThursday, heads

What Are The Flying Heads In Iroquois Folklore?

May 18, 2017 by Icy Sedgwick 7 Comments

The Flying Heads are specific to Iroquois legends in the northeast of the U.S. Are they vampires, heroes, or wizards? Click here to find out.

Heads make a range of appearances in folklore and legend. It’s hardly surprising; heads are recognisable body parts, and the ability to speak or otherwise function after decapitation takes them into the realm of the uncanny. But we’re interested in folklore here, not Freud. I’ve already covered the headless horseman and severed heads this month. […]

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Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: folklore, heads

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Who is Icy Sedgwick?

icy sedgwick

Icy is a folklore blogger and host of the Fabulous Folklore podcast. She is based in the north east of England, where she was born and raised amid the folk tales and legends of Tyneside and Northumberland. Icy is fascinated by history, cinema, art, and the occult, and griffins will always be her favourite mythical beast. She also writes dark fantasy novellas, Gothic short stories and the occasional weird Western, and she holds a PhD in Film Studies!

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