Explore this interactive image on PinPic.
Rough sackcloth masks with cut-out eyes were common disguises during Samhain. Simple and handmade, they hid the wearer’s face from wandering spirits and neighbors alike. A plain mask turned anyone into a ghost or trickster for the night.
Animal hides added warmth and a touch of the wild. Wearing fur or a scrap of hide symbolized a link between people and the natural world — part protection, part transformation.
The candle’s glow guided guisers through the dark and honored the souls of the departed. Fire and light were central to Samhain — keeping away harmful spirits while inviting friendly ones to visit.
Many guisers decorated themselves with straw, ivy, or autumn leaves. These materials connected them to the dying year and the harvest season, blending human and natural realms during this night “between worlds.”
A real animal skull was a powerful symbol of death and rebirth. Some guisers carried or wore bones to mimic spirits or animal guardians, part of the season’s deeper ritual meaning.
Guising was both protection and performance. Villagers went door to door with songs or short plays in exchange for food. It mixed fear and fun — a community’s way to stay safe and connected on the year’s darkest night.
Unfortunately, cameras did not exist thousands of years ago, and this is not a perfect depiction of the original Samhain. Costumes/guises/disguises evolved over the years, but it's thought the original Halloween costumes were a combination of skulls, animal hides, leaves, twigs, and other plants.