European folklore orWestern folklore refers to thefolklore of theWestern world, especially when discussed comparatively.The history ofChristendom during theEarly Modern period has resulted in a number of traditions that are shared in many European ethnic and regional cultures.
This concerns notably common traditions based onChristian mythology, i.e. certain commonalities in celebratingChristmas, such as the variousChristmas gift-bringers, or customs associated withAll Souls' Day.
In addition, there are certainapotropaic gestures or practices found in large parts of the Western world, such as theknocking on wood or thefingers crossed gesture.
Many tropes of European folklore can be identified as stemming from the Proto-Indo-European peoples of the Neolithic and Bronze Age, although they may originate from even earlier traditions. Examples of this include the 'Chaoskampf' myth-archetype as well as possibly the belief in knocking on wood for good luck.[1] The culture ofClassical Antiquity, includingmythology,Hellenistic religion andmagical or cultic practice was very influential on theformative stage of Christianity, and can be found as a substrate in the traditions of all territories formerly colonized by Greeks and theRoman Empire, and by extension in those territories reached byChristianization during theMiddle Ages. This includes all ofEurope, and much of theMiddle East andNorth Africa. These traditions inherited from folk beliefs in the Roman era were syncretized with local traditions, notablyGermanic,Celtic andSlavic.Many folk traditions also originated by contact with theIslamic world, especially in theBalkans and in theIberian Peninsula, which were ruled byIslamic empires before being re-conquered (in the case of theBalkans, partially) by Christian forces. The result of such cultural contact is visible e.g. in the tradition of theMorris Dance in England, an adaptation of the "moorish" dances of the late medieval period.
The result were the related, but regionally distinct, folk traditions as they existed in European society on the eve of theEarly Modern period.In modern times, and especially since the 19th century, there has been much cross-pollination between these traditions, often by the detour ofAmerican folklore.
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