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Helen Duncan during a sance showing ectoplasm
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Helen Duncan during a sance showing ectoplasm
Double photograph of the Scottish medium Helen Duncan during a sance showing " ectoplasm" wrapped around her head and reaching down to the floor, May 1931. The photograph is possibly for use in a stereoscope. HPG/1/4/2 (xvii)"
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Media ID 4421207
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10252611
Cheesecloth Cloth Draped Duncan Ectoplasm Ectoplasmic Fake Fraud Fraudulent Helen Investigation Materialisation Medium Observation Sance Spirit Stereoscope Stereoscopic Wrapped Xviii Paranormal
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This intriguing photograph captures the moment during a seance led by the renowned Scottish medium Helen Duncan, in May 1931. The image, which is believed to have been taken for use in a stereoscope, shows Duncan in a trance-like state with an unusual apparition surrounding her head and extending down to the floor. The material appearing to emanate from her body, referred to as 'ectoplasm,' was a key element of Duncan's mediumship, as she claimed it was a physical manifestation of spirits. However, the authenticity of this phenomenon has been a subject of intense debate and investigation. Skeptics, including scientists and magicians, believed that Duncan and her accomplices used various methods to create the illusion of ectoplasm, often using cheesecloth or other materials. The investigation into Duncan's mediumship ultimately led to her arrest and conviction for fraud in 1936. Despite the controversy surrounding her practices, this photograph remains a fascinating glimpse into the historical observation of spiritualism and the belief in the paranormal during the early 20th century. The draped cloth and the mysterious materialization of ectoplasm add to the intrigue and continue to captivate the imagination, leaving us questioning the boundaries between the spiritual and the material world.
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