How a Microbial Infestation in Ireland Gave us the Modern Day Jack-o’-lantern
Raúl Rivas González/The Conversation
The greatest symbol of Halloween is, beyond a doubt, the jack-o’-lantern: a pumpkin with its innards scooped out, a grotesque, smiling face carved into it, and a candle inside. Its flickering light casts ghostly shadows and brings the carved face to life, enhancing the holiday’s distinctive air of mystery and festivity.
The type of pumpkin most commonly used for Halloween is Cucurbita pepo, typically the Connecticut field or Jack O’Lantern varieties, whose color, rounded shape and tough rind make them ideal for carving. But pumpkins were not always used for this tradition. In the beginning, other vegetables were carved. Specifically, turnips.
The Spirit of Stingy Jack
The most famous legend associated with the tradition of carved Halloween vegetables takes us back to 18th-century Ireland. It is linked to the Irish folklore figure of Stingy Jack, also known as Jack the Smith, Drunk Jack, Flaky Jack and Jack O’Lantern.
Jack fooled the devil twice, so the story goes. First, he convinced him to turn himself into a coin to pay for one last drink before taking him to hell, and then he trapped him in the top of a tree. To gain his freedom, the devil had to promise Jack that he would never try to claim his soul again.
However, when Jack died, his sinful life prevented him from entering heaven. The devil honored their deal and denied him entry to the underworld, leaving Jack condemned to wander the Earth in eternal darkness, unable to rest in either heaven or hell.
www.Ancient-Origins.net – Reconstructing the story of humanity’s past
Source: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology-history-ancient-traditions/jack-o-lantern-pumpkin-origins-00102270
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