In a very special supplemental episode, The Ghosthropologist answers listener questions and shares a fascinating story about a very famous (CENSORED) that, for obvious reasons, was not included in an earlier episode.
Category Archives: GhostPod
25. Dr. Michele Hanks Author Interview
For the 25th episode of Ghosthropology, Matt does something a bit different. Rather than focusing on a specific ghost story, this long episode is dedicated to an interview with Dr. Michele Hanks, an anthropologist who studies ghost tourism and paranormal investigators. Dr. Hanks provides some thought-provoking comments on the search for evidence, what belief in ghosts means, and how this all ties into larger cultural issues.
24. Haunted Artifacts at the British Museum
There are many creepy stories associated with the British Museum, but in this episode, Matt focuses on two – one involving a fake artifact and the other involving a rather weird interpretation of a real artifact with a heaping helping of 19th century colonialist exoticism. Both are interesting in what they tell us about the people who first began circulating the stories.
23. Ghosts of the Ancient World
Matt speaks about ghost beliefs of ancient humanity, at least as far as we can discern them. While there are some that seem a bit odd to us today, many of these ideas and concepts will seem very, very familiar. The similarities between these ancient stories and the ones we tell each other today seem to speak to continuity of tradition, but they also suggest a variety in beliefs about the returning dead.
22. Space-Age Hauntings
Tales from throughout the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico tell of a stranger who appears at a dancehall, dancing well, but leaving fear in his wake. Is it all just tall tales? Is it exaggerations of a rakish man’s exploits? Or is the Devil actively looking for dance partners? Matt is again joined by James Tyner, whose family members were present for events in Fresno that seem to match the folklore of the Devil at the Dancehall.
21. Devil At The Dancehall
Tales from throughout the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico tell of a stranger who appears at a dancehall, dancing well, but leaving fear in his wake. Is it all just tall tales? Is it exaggerations of a rakish man’s exploits? Or is the Devil actively looking for dance partners? Matt is again joined by James Tyner, whose family members were present for events in Fresno that seem to match the folklore of the Devil at the Dancehall.
20. The Less Than Impressive
There are ghost stories that will keep you up at night in fright. There are ghost stories that make you question your most basic assumptions about the world around you. There are ghost stories that you can’t shake, no matter how far in the past they were told to you. This episode isn’t about those stories. This episode is about the ghost stories that never get invited to any ghost story parties and go somewhere to sulk. The stories in the episode aren’t good, but they are fun.
19. The Woman In White At White Rock Lake
The ghost of White Rock Lake is said to take on many forms ranging from the merely unnerving to the outright terrifying. If you are traveling near Dallas, it may be worth looking at the location….but if you see a woman in white, don’t let her get too close. Also, Matt is in fine -overthinking- form on this one.
18. Himuro Mansion
It is said that on the outskirts of Tokyo there is a haunted mansion that is cursed due to the terrifying occult rituals once practiced there. Made famous in the video game Fatal Frame, you cannot find the house on a map, but there are those who claim to have traveled to it and regret having done so. Poet and video game enthusiast, James Tyner, joins Matt to discuss this story.
17. Jacob Cooley’s Conjure Chest
A cruel slave owner beats a man to death due to displeasure over a piece of carpentry. This sets the stage for a series of misfortunes for the slave owner’s descendants and the legend of a cursed object. This story is steeped in American folklore traditions and cannot help but be soaked in the racial politics that continue to influence Americans to this day.
