A History of Ghosts in the Western World
Starting today at 7pm New York Time! This three part online series explores how people have thought about ghosts through time in the Western world.
Course Description
In this course, we'll trace the history of ghostly encounters reported across the Western world, both friendly and nefarious. We'll begin with ghosts from the classical world who haunted heroes like Gilgamesh and Odysseus, and look at the Biblical story of Saul and the Witch of Endor. We'll meet medieval necromancers, Victorian spiritualists, and finally, the modern ghost-hunter. By the end of our time together, you'll not only have a deep understanding of how cultures have conceived of the most common supernatural entity throughout history, but also ideas and suggestions for engaging in your own supernatural investigations.
Syllabus at a Glance
This course includes three total sessions, each lasting for 1 hour on three Mondays beginning January 22.
Session 1 (Monday, 1/22, 7–8:00 PM ET) | From Gilgamesh to the Victorians
We'll explore the earliest history of ghosts, including Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, and Biblical stories; cover medieval necromancers; and learn how the Victorians fell in love with the seance.
Session 2 (Monday, 1/29, 7–8:00 PM ET) | Who You Gonna Call (in the 20th century)?
We'll cover early scientific investigation of ghosts, including spirit photography and audio recording; the first great ghost-hunters; and ghosts in 20th-century literature and film.
Session 3 (Monday, 2/5, 7–8:00 PM ET) | Today's Ghosts
In our final session, we'll take an in-depth look at modern theories regarding spirits and ghost-hunting, including a close examination of equipment and the use of mediums and psychics.
Between Sessions
Students will be given recommended readings and materials that touch on the topics covered in class.
Pricing Options
This course is available at three ticket prices. This tiered pricing model is designed to increase access for a wider range of students as well as to support our instructors. In addition to tiered tickets, we offer a limited number of no-pay spots for students who would not otherwise be able to take this course. No-pay spots are selected via a randomized drawing two weeks before each section begins. For more information and to apply for a no-pay spot, please click here. To learn more about our pricing model and randomized selection process for no-pay spots, please visit our FAQ page.
Community Guidelines for Students
Please take a moment to review our community guidelines for students, which aim to share our classroom ethos and help set the stage for the best possible learning experience.
Atlas Obscura Online Courses
Atlas Obscura Courses offer opportunities for participants to emerge with new skills, knowledge, connections, and perspectives through multi-session classes designed and taught by expert instructors. To learn more about our current course offerings, please visit www.atlasobscura.com/online-courses. For answers to commonly asked questions, check out our FAQ page here.
Founded in 2009, Atlas Obscura created the definitive community-driven guide to incredible places across the planet and is now an award-winning company that shares the world’s hidden wonders in person and online.
Once registered, you’ll receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite that will provide access to each class meeting. Please save the confirmation email as you’ll use it to access all sessions of your course via Zoom.