Crossroads —by Míchealín Daugherty The intersection of roads and pathways, or Crossroads, have always been attached to magical qualities, superstitions and danger, usually of an evil nature. In general, spirits whose purpose it is to lead travellers astray are thought to wait at Crossroads. In most Western cultures, Crossroads are considered unhallowed ground; haunted by all sorts of vampires, demons, faeries, ghosts and other supernatural creatures. Will O'Wisps are often viewed at Crossroads as well. Those who committed suicide were often buried at Crossroads. A burial at a Crossroads was thought to keep them from rising. Murder victims also were buried at Crossroads as well because it was believed their souls would be restless and try to arise from the dead in order to seek revenge. One of the best books I have ever read about the return of a victim buried at a Crossroads is The Book of Shadows by James Reese, published in 2002 by William Morrow, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishing. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy an extremely well-written horror story. But be warned, it is not for the weak-at-heart or the prudent! The rock and roll and blues' musicians often mention "selling their souls" for fame and fortune — to do this, they meet the Devil (or the "Man in the Long Black Coat") at the Crossroads to make the deal. In Voodoo, Ghedes is the Lord of Black Magic. He is the Man in the Long Black Coat who waits at the Crossroads to guide souls to Guinée, the Land of the Dead; and, along the way, he provides protection from vampires, known as Loup-Garou. In Romanian lore, people who are destined to become vampires after death, send their souls out of their bodies (in preparation to stay in this world after death, I presume) at night to wander at Crossroads — they are known as the Living Dead.  In most Eastern European lore, vampires are thought to congregate at the Crossroads at midnight, wrapped in their casket shrouds, waiting for victims. Conversely, in other parts of Eastern Europe, Crossroads are thought to neutralise malevolent beings and render them powerless! In Gypsy, or Romany, lore when a vampire first appears or is "felt" by a family member, that member must order the vampire to go to the village Crossroads: Go O Demonic Power, the Soul of the Vampire, to the Crossroads, so that the wolves may tear you to pieces, there is no place for you here among our Good Souls." This incantation allegedly banishes the vampire, who leaves behind a puddle of jelly-like substance (unpreserved plasma I presume?). Crossroads also play various roles in funeral and burial customs. In Wales, for instance, some believe corpses should be laid down at Crossroads and prayed over as they are carried from house to graveyard. This practice is purportedly done to protect the corpse from evil spirits and to prevent the return of the dead. In Germany, the return of the dead is prevented by smashing the pottery of the deceased at a Crossroad. In ancient times, Crossroads were associated with Hermes — the god of travellers and transformation — and were marked by "herms" or busts of the god. Hecate also was  believed to appear at Crossroads, accompanied by baying hounds, at night. In Rome, the spirits of the field, known as Lares, would meet each year at a Crossroads where farmers would celebrate their crops and offer the blood of sacrificed animals to the Lares. Crossroads would often be marked with boundary stones; and, animal blood and other gifts would often be placed on the stones throughout the year. In medieval times, Crossroads also were thought to be the meeting place for Covens of Witches. Sources:    Drury, N. The Watkins Dictionary of Magick: Magickal Formulas, Secret Symbols and the Occult. Watkins Publishing, 2005. Guiley, R.E. The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves and Other Monsters. Checkmark Books, 2005. Jones, P. and Pennick, N. A History of Pagan Europe. Routledge, 2003. Murgoci, A. The Vampire: A Casebook. University of Wisconsin Press, 1998. Personal knowledge / traditions (Míchealín Daugherty). Vukanovic, T.P. The Vampire of the Slavs. Slavica Publishers, 1976. Page last updated 20 Aug 2006 Website Design and Myths & Magic logo by Míchealín Daugherty Copyright © 2006 Ireland's OWN All Rights Reserved.