Technically, the St. Vitus dance describes Sydenham’s chorea, a childhood movement disorder characterized by rapid, irregular, aimless and involuntary movements of the muscles of … Saint Vitus' dance definition is - chorea; especiallysydenham's chorea. Saint Vitus is an American doom metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1979. This involves the occurrence of similar physical symptoms, with no known cause, which affect a large group of people as a form of social influence. My interests range from ‘conventional’ to ‘radical’ interpretations of the archaeological/textual/pictorial data set. Cases of mass hysteria have been reported all over the world for centuries and provide a fascinating insight into the complex nature of human psychology! Mass hysteria. His people were informed not to eat unleaved bread of the next day. Track name: Bitter LemonMusic By Chris Norris aka St. Vitus Dance Video By Simon Pearson-Wood The goal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. The Where, When and How of Quarrying Stonehenge 'Bluestones' Is Revealed in New Report. June 15 is the feast date of the early Christian saint and martyr Vitus.. Floki and the Viking Discovery of Iceland, 3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis. Feast day - June 15th. Sydenham's chorea is a neurological disorder characterized by rapid, jerky, irregular, and involuntary movements (chorea), especially of the face and limbs. The name Saint Vitus' Dance comes from a Christian martyr who is the patron saint of dancers. I believe that intellectual engagement by advocates from both ends of the spectrum would serve to... Read More. Tzompantli, A Morbid Aztec Skull Rack, Unearthed In Mexico City, Unique Cyprus Death Cult Treasures Uncovered at Mass Burial Site, The Tiara of Saitaphernes: Wow Antique? St. John’s Dance, known historically as St. Vitus Dance, was a social phenomenon involving a type of dance mania that gripped mainland Europe between the 14 th and 17 th centuries. Photo source: Wikipedia. Naupa Iglesia: An Egyptian Portal in the Andes? Very interesting. The rage became endemic, and in 1374, the number of sufferers from the St. Vitus dance became enormous. In 1971, the Rosicrucian Museum in California acquired a sealed ancient Egyptian coffin containing the well-preserved mummy of a high status Egyptian male. More than two decades later, a team of... Silbury Hill is a prehistoric site located near Stonehenge and Avebury (a Neolithic henge monument) in the southwestern English county of Wiltshire. During that year, a group of 200 people were dancing so vigorously on a bridge over the Maas River that the bridge collapsed, killing many of the dancers. Guy," and in Germany, it took the name of "Veith ," In Lorraine, it was called "La Danse de St. Jean. " Part One, Pelasgos and The Mysterious Pelasgians of the Aegean, Wayland the Smith: The Lost Germanic Legend of the Flying Blacksmith, Adventist Adventurer Claimed to Have Found Ark of the Covenant Beneath Crucifixion Site, Medical Mystery of Usermontu: Why the Discovery of 2,600-Year-Old Knee Screw Left Experts Dumbfounded. http://www.csicop.org/si/show/rethinking_the_dancing_mania, http://www.toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/St.+John's+Dance, http://biotech.law.lsu.edu/Books/hecker/Death_c.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_hysteria. Thousands of people were affected to some degree. "(used in modern times as a precursor in the synthesis of LSD).". Featured image: ‘The Saint John’s Dancers in Molenbeeck’ (1592) by Pieter Brueghel II. This Day in History, 1374: Thousands of People on the Streets of Aachen, Germany Suddenly Suffer from the “Forgotten Plague”, Dance Mania. According to historian John Waller, the explanation most likely concerns St. Vitus, a Catholic saint who pious 16th century Europeans believed had the power to curse people with a dancing plague. Find Out, New Evidence Ends the Neanderthal Burial Debate, Herodium, King Herod’s Palace, Is Set to Reveal New Marvels, The Zeno Map And Travels Of the 14th-Century Venetian Zeno Brothers, The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age, Ancient Anomalous Human Skeletons: Humanity Could be Much Older Than We Think, Where are Ashkenazi Jews from? Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if St Vitus' Dance is left untreated: acute rheumatic fever; inflammation of the heart valves; joint arthritis Find Out, New Evidence Ends the Neanderthal Burial Debate, Herodium, King Herod’s Palace, Is Set to Reveal New Marvels, The Zeno Map And Travels Of the 14th-Century Venetian Zeno Brothers, The Northern Mysteries Current: Futhark and Mystery Schools of the Viking Age, Ancient Anomalous Human Skeletons: Humanity Could be Much Older Than We Think, Where are Ashkenazi Jews from? No, what you are thinking of is LSA (lysergic acid amide -- a natural psychedelic substance that does have many similar characteristics of LSD). Nevertheless, it has been argued that the outbreaks usually do not happen during the floods or wet seasons. Ancient Origins © 2013 - 2020Disclaimer - Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy - Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. It also led to Vitus being considered the patron saint of … History. My understanding is that it is the seeds from the Morning Glory plant which is the precursor of LSD. Saint Vitus Dance disease is an autoimmune disorder. Their disappearance coincided with the demise of the fervent supernaturalism that had sustained them; in the late 17th century the term “St Vitus' Dance” was appropriated to describe a quite different medical condition. And dancing plagues were the calling card of one St. Vitus, an early Christian martyr venerated with dance parties, meaning that the idea was already in the victims’ heads. My understanding is that LSD is the Pharmaceutical (patentable) derived from M.G. Those who survived were taken to a nearby chapel dedicated to St. Vitus, and many of them were reported to have been restored to full health. The association of this phenomenon with St. Vitus can be traced to an incident that happened in Germany in 1278. St. John’s Dance, known historically as St. Vitus Dance, was a social phenomenon involving a type of dance mania that gripped mainland Europe … Etruscans Transported Bees by Boat to Reach the Best Flowers! Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. Feast Day of St. Vitus. It involved groups of people dancing erratically, sometimes thousands at a time. 1 This is the same bacterium which is responsible for causing rheumatic fever. As they were involved in prolonged dancing, fasting, and emotional worship, such symptoms as hallucinating, fainting, and trembling uncontrollably would have been common. St. John’s Dance, known historically as St. Vitus Dance, was a social phenomenon involving a type of dance mania that gripped mainland Europe between the 14 th and 17 th centuries. The alternate eponym, "Saint Vitus Dance", is in reference to Saint Vitus, a Christian saint who was persecuted by Roman emperors and died as a martyr in AD 303. Real LSD is derived from Ergot. More than two decades later, a team of... Silbury Hill is a prehistoric site located near Stonehenge and Avebury (a Neolithic henge monument) in the southwestern English county of Wiltshire. While this form of mass hysteria may seem to belong to the history books, it is in fact just as common in modern times. Messiah on Temple Mount: Are We Nearing the End of Time? At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Fine Art? The Old Testament tells a story in which a diminutive David defeats the giant Goliath. A Forgotten Sphinx and Faked Cartouche: Changing the Course of Ancient Egyptian History? The band was formed in 1979 under the name Tyrant, with Scott Reagers (vocals), Dave Chandler (guitar), Mark Adams (bass), and Armando Acosta (drums), but soon changed their name to Saint Vitus after the song “St. Rather than take an allopathic medication chew the seeds for the same experiential effect. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Hiskey, D., 2012. More than a Sip and You Feel a Drip: A Morbid Motif for the Crafty Pythagoras Cup, The Secrets and Treasures of KV5, the Largest Tomb Ever Found in Egypt, The Secret Tomb of the First Chinese Emperor Remains an Unopened Treasure. This dancing developed almost into a mania, and was confused with chorea, the nervous condition later known as Saint Vitus’ Dance, the saint being invoked against it. Their Origins May Surprise You, Easter Island’s Birdman Cult: A Story of Struggle and Survival. St. John's Dance. Saint Vitus' dance: also Saint Vitus's dance (vī′təs, -tə-sĭz) n. See Sydenham's chorea . The term chorea itself borrows from the Latin for "dance" and is related to the Greek word for "chorus." During the outbreak, afflicted individuals would dance hysterically through the streets for hours, days, and apparently even months, until they collapsed due to exhaustion or died from heart attack or stroke. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Floki and the Viking Discovery of Iceland, 3 Problems to Remember When Trying to Find Atlantis. Dancing mania (also known as dancing plague, choreomania, St. John's Dance and St. Vitus' Dance) was a social phenomenon that occurred primarily in mainland Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries. It may occur alone or concomitantly with other manifestations of rheumatic fever. One of the most well-known major outbreaks took place in Aachen, Germany, on the 24 th of June 1374, just several decades after the Black Death swept across Europe. The Tanganyika laughter epidemic of 1962, for example, was an outbreak of mass hysteria in Tanzania in which uncontrollable laughter, accompanied by fainting, respiratory problems, and crying, spread from a group of school girls, to the entire school, neighbouring schools, and entire villages. This dancing became popular and the name "Saint Vitus Dance" was given to the neurological disorder Sydenham's chorea. More than a Sip and You Feel a Drip: A Morbid Motif for the Crafty Pythagoras Cup, The Secrets and Treasures of KV5, the Largest Tomb Ever Found in Egypt, The Secret Tomb of the First Chinese Emperor Remains an Unopened Treasure. Were Asclepian Centers Powered By Magical Ritual or Holistic Healthcare? Saint Vitus is an American doom metal band. Great to think about & speculate on, for sure! The Black Death and The Dancing Mania by J. F. C. Hecker. Dinner Invitations for Famous People from the Past, about The Mysterious Case of Medieval Dance Mania, Delphine LaLaurie: A Beautiful Face Masks Evil Deeds, 10 of the World’s Oldest Languages Still Used Today, The Monumental and Mysterious Silbury Hill, Ancient nanostructures found in Ural mountains are out of place and time, Kenneth MacAlpin: King of the Picts and Legendary Founder of Scotia, Ostrogothic Kingdom – The Rise and Fall of the Eastern Goths, Tattooed Scythian Warriors, Descendants of the Amazons? Yes, it definitely seems to be some sort of mass hysteria, it sure would be nice if we knew more about it. Rethinking the Dancing Mania. The Where, When and How of Quarrying Stonehenge 'Bluestones' Is Revealed in New Report. Interestingly, these were not isolated events, but occurred numerous times throughout Medieval Europe. The number of participants at any one outbreak could reach into the thousands. The Mysterious Case of Medieval Dance Mania. The existence of mystery schools in the Viking Age (800-1200 CE) is deduced from myth and folklore. St. Vitus Church has existed in Cleveland, OH since 1893 and is well known for its deep roots in Slovenian culture, which began with immigrations to the area in the early 1800's. • St.Vitus Dance / Blah Blah Blah split flexi 7" flexi - Helden/Good Vibrations/Lyntone - LYN 17627 - 1986 One-sided promotional flexi giveaway with Helden #5 tracks: St.Vitus Dance - Meet Mohammed Blah Blah Blah - Heavenly View • Love Me Love My Dogma LP - Probe Plus Records - PROBE 10 - UK - April 1987 - 500 copies pressed Such occurrences of mass hysteria have continued to confound the medical community and while it is easy to laugh off as ridiculous and bizarre behaviour, research has shown that there are a number of complex factors that can contribute to the formation and spread of collective hysteria, including rumours, extraordinary anxiety or excitement, cultural beliefs, social and political context, reinforcing actions by authority figures, and stress. Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain this phenomenon. Another explanation for the St. John’s Dance is that those participating in it were followers of deviant religious sects. Fake? The existence of mystery schools in the Viking Age (800-1200 CE) is deduced from myth and folklore. Dinner Invitations for Famous People from the Past, Delphine LaLaurie: A Beautiful Face Masks Evil Deeds, 10 of the World’s Oldest Languages Still Used Today, The Monumental and Mysterious Silbury Hill, Ancient nanostructures found in Ural mountains are out of place and time, Kenneth MacAlpin: King of the Picts and Legendary Founder of Scotia, Ostrogothic Kingdom – The Rise and Fall of the Eastern Goths, Tattooed Scythian Warriors, Descendants of the Amazons? The phenomenon was not completely eradicated for some eighteen months! 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