Scottish medium Helen Duncan during a sance
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Scottish medium Helen Duncan during a sance
Photograph of the Scottish medium Helen Duncan during a sance with her head covered with " ectoplasm" reaching down to her lap, May 1931. HPG/1/4/2 (xv)"
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Media ID 4421047
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10252610
Cheesecloth Cloth Curtains Duncan Ectoplasm Ectoplasmic Exposed Fake Fraud Helen Investigated Investigation Materialisation Medium Observation Observed Sance Scots Seance Spirit Paranormal
EDITORS COMMENTS
This intriguing photograph captures the moment during a seance in May 1931 when Scottish medium Helen Duncan, renowned for her alleged ability to materialize ectoplasm, was under observation by investigators. Duncan, seated with her eyes closed and her head covered in a damp cheesecloth, appears to be reaching down towards her lap as if in contact with some unseen force. The ectoplasm, which was believed to be a materialization of spirits, is visible in the image, hanging from her covered head like a white, flowing curtain. The investigation into Duncan's seances was part of a larger movement in the early 20th century to scientifically examine claims of the paranormal. Skeptics, including psychical researchers and scientists, were determined to uncover any evidence of fraud or trickery in the medium's performances. In this particular seance, the investigators had set up a rigorous observation regime, using multiple cameras to document every detail. Despite the intense scrutiny, the authenticity of Duncan's ectoplasmic materializations remained a subject of controversy. Some believed it to be a genuine manifestation of the spirit world, while others saw it as a cleverly staged hoax. The investigation into Duncan's seances ultimately led to her arrest and trial on charges of fraud in 1936, marking a significant moment in the history of spiritualism and the paranormal. This photograph, taken during a pivotal moment in the investigation, offers a glimpse into the intrigue and controversy surrounding the world of mediumship and the search for proof of the afterlife.
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