Since the dawn of civilization, spirituality has shaped how humans make sense of the world. Early people viewed thunder, lightning, and other natural phenomena as signs from forces greater than themselves, sparking the timeless question of what lies beyond. Nearly every culture throughout history has recorded stories of spirits and those believed to bridge the gap between the living and the dead.
While such beliefs have existed for millennia, the mid-19th-century Spiritualist movement brought mediumship into the public eye, turning séances and spirit communication into a global fascination. Today, this enduring curiosity continues to influence how we explore the unknown and find meaning in the mysteries that science cannot fully explain.
Click on the following gallery to explore how humanity’s desire to speak with spirits has shaped our search for meaning through the ages.