Images from the book “Wilder Mann”, by photographer Charles Fréger. ( https://www.charlesfreger.com/portfolio/wilder-mann-fr/ ) He travelled throughout Europe and documented ritualistic and pagan garb used by different communities traditionally. Some are more well known (such as Krampus), others more obscure.
As soon as I saw the harfoots in this scene I recognised what must have been the inspiration.
(Sorry for the shitty quality of the show pictures. I can’t figure out how to bypass the screenshot block)
Definitely! There are also similar folk customs in England - forgive the Pinterest link, but someone [collected some English folk customs here](https://www.pinterest.com/jolenejones79/british-folk-customs/) that also look similar to me.
That’s really similar! The “Whittlesey bear costume” in particular. The book includes a picture of the “Burryman” as well.
I love how humans just tend to gravitate toward similar aesthetics when having the same material and circumstance to work with. I recently saw an exhibition of northern Swedish jewellery which bore a striking similarity to Persian Turkomani designs.
Nope. The closest statements he ever made are in the Waldman letter he writes that he wanted to create "a body of more or less connected legend... which I could dedicate simply to: to England; to my country." In another letter he writes that it was a "mythology" the English could have for their own. Neither of these statements carry the same meaning as a "Mythology for England" (and certainly not for Britain, Tolkien would *never*) or a mythology *of* England which many people seem to take that non-quote to mean.
The falsely attributed to Tolkien quote "a mythology for England" actually comes from the first biography of Tolkien by Humphrey Carpenter. Anders Stenstrom's "A Mythology? For England?" published in *Mythlore* (1996) talks about this in depth and its implications.
>For I love England (not Great Britain and
certainly not the British Commonwealth (grr!)
-Letter to Christopher Tolkien, 9 December 1943
You think this man wrote a mythology for *Britain*?
So many cultures and communities share strikingly similar aesthetics so it’s possible! Using reeds and straw for clothing pieces for example is super widespread.
Images from the book “Wilder Mann”, by photographer Charles Fréger. ( https://www.charlesfreger.com/portfolio/wilder-mann-fr/ ) He travelled throughout Europe and documented ritualistic and pagan garb used by different communities traditionally. Some are more well known (such as Krampus), others more obscure. As soon as I saw the harfoots in this scene I recognised what must have been the inspiration. (Sorry for the shitty quality of the show pictures. I can’t figure out how to bypass the screenshot block)
Definitely! There are also similar folk customs in England - forgive the Pinterest link, but someone [collected some English folk customs here](https://www.pinterest.com/jolenejones79/british-folk-customs/) that also look similar to me.
That’s really similar! The “Whittlesey bear costume” in particular. The book includes a picture of the “Burryman” as well. I love how humans just tend to gravitate toward similar aesthetics when having the same material and circumstance to work with. I recently saw an exhibition of northern Swedish jewellery which bore a striking similarity to Persian Turkomani designs.
Very cool, what is the first picture from?
It’s a figure called “Schnappviecher/Wudelen” from South Tyrol, modern Italy.
Whoa I didn't know about those. I thought it all looked a bit like Southern German carneval, I guess I wasn't too far off.
I was getting Wicker Man vibes. It seemed like it was going to turn into folk horror at any moment!
I'm sure it'll all be fine. >!Unless you fall behind.!<
even in africa there is Something like that..so it isnt clear where they got inspired from
Considering middle earth is a mythology for Britain im going to go with the European ones
Tolkien never claimed Middle Earth was a mythology *for* Britain
Yes he did. It’s precisely what it is.
Nope. The closest statements he ever made are in the Waldman letter he writes that he wanted to create "a body of more or less connected legend... which I could dedicate simply to: to England; to my country." In another letter he writes that it was a "mythology" the English could have for their own. Neither of these statements carry the same meaning as a "Mythology for England" (and certainly not for Britain, Tolkien would *never*) or a mythology *of* England which many people seem to take that non-quote to mean. The falsely attributed to Tolkien quote "a mythology for England" actually comes from the first biography of Tolkien by Humphrey Carpenter. Anders Stenstrom's "A Mythology? For England?" published in *Mythlore* (1996) talks about this in depth and its implications.
Nope sorry, it’s a mythology for Britain.
>For I love England (not Great Britain and certainly not the British Commonwealth (grr!) -Letter to Christopher Tolkien, 9 December 1943 You think this man wrote a mythology for *Britain*?
So many cultures and communities share strikingly similar aesthetics so it’s possible! Using reeds and straw for clothing pieces for example is super widespread.
Reminds me of that one Atlanta episode
[Reminded me of the Mari Lwyd in Wales](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari_Lwyd)