It is to Greek culture that some scholars trace the origins of the archaic choreutic-cathartic ritual of tarantism, in which a person writhes to the rhythm of music until they are freed from the poison of the spider that supposedly bit them. Some associate it with the Greek maenads, others with the myth of the virgin weaver Arachne, transformed into a spider by Athena. Still others recognize a possible Greek origin, though not necessarily connected to the maenads, while some emphasize the alleged links between tarantism and the clash between two cultures — Islamic and Christian — during the Crusades, when Salento was a land of arrival and departure for knights heading toward the “lands of the infidels.”
But beyond its uncertain origins, which perhaps could encompass all the hypotheses put forward by scholars, what exactly is tarantism? And how was it perceived over the centuries?
The First Appearances of the Phenomenon
Tarantism was already being discussed between the 9th and 14th centuries, and the oldest document providing evidence of it is the Sertum papale de Venenis, written in 1362, which states that “those who are bitten by the tarantula take the greatest delight in one kind of music or another.” During the same period, the physician Cristoforo degli Onesti also discussed the phenomenon in his treatise De venenis, and even Leonardo da Vinci included it among his reflections.
By that time, tarantism had spread throughout southern Italy, sometimes taking slightly different forms — such as the lively Neapolitan tarantella — and involved the use of energetic, rhythmic dances to cure the bite of a spider, which appeared to affect women particularly often. Music was therefore used in an attempt to treat those showing symptoms of spider-poison intoxication.
Throughout history, some scientists consequently focused on the music therapy aspect, investigating the effects that dance and music had on the body and mind, while physicians examined the nature of the illness and the causes of the disorder. They wondered whether the condition experienced by so-called tarantate was caused by a toxic reaction resulting from the bite of an arachnid or was instead a psychological disorder.
While it is true that spiders such as Latrodectus tredecimguttatus or Lycosa tarantula could, through their bites, cause muscle contractions and spasms, it was nevertheless strange that the phenomenon predominantly affected women. In summer, those working in the fields or handling tobacco leaves were not only women; men worked there too, yet they appeared to be less frequently affected by trance, hallucinations and spasms.
The matter became even more complicated with the intervention of the Church, which attempted to “domesticate” what appeared to be a pagan ritual by incorporating it into the cult of Saint Paul. Referring to the Acts of the Apostles, which recount that Saint Paul emerged unharmed after being bitten by a viper, and establishing June 29 — the saint’s feast day — as the day of definitive healing, the Church sought to unite faith and superstition, fear and hope.
Thus, the practices of tarantism, later studied and documented in Galatina (Lecce) by ethnologist Ernesto De Martino and his research team, became part of a complex religious and popular tradition.
What did the ritual consist of?
As De Martino documented in the poorest and most economically disadvantaged areas of Salento, some women began to experience symptoms supposedly associated with a spider bite: discomfort, hysteria and convulsions.
In an attempt to cure them, a sort of domestic musical-choreutic exorcism was performed, traditionally on June 28. The tarantate were placed in a dark room of the house — although in earlier times the ritual was performed outdoors — and lay on sheets spread across the floor.
Next to them were a basket for offerings and brightly colored images of Saints Peter and Paul. The tarantate — who were predominantly women — could also choose a colored handkerchief to tie around their waist or hold in their hands. The colors could be red, green or blue, supposedly corresponding to the color of the spider that had caused their illness.
Then the music began, generally performed with a violin, accordion and tambourine, instruments characteristic of the area. Skilled musicians played the opening notes of a pizzica or tarantella, and the tarantata would begin moving only to the rhythm of the composition she felt was capable of relieving her suffering.
She would writhe within the space marked by the sheet, stand up, roll on the ground, and make convulsive movements intended to eliminate the poison — whether real or symbolic. Sometimes she recovered, often she did not.
She would then turn toward an image of Saint Paul, speaking to him and asking what might cure her condition. Outside, people gathered to watch the frenzied dance.
The following day, June 29 — during the 1950s and 1960s — women suffering from the condition would come from all over Salento to the Chapel of Saint Paul in Galatina, where they drank water from the well believed to make the symptoms disappear.
Scenes of delirium, illness, screams and distress unfolded, much of which was functional to the healing ritual. Festivities then followed, accompanied by music. Some women recovered, while others prepared to be bitten again the following year.
What lay behind tarantism?
There could be, and still are, many explanations for the phenomenon. Once the likelihood of an actual spider bite was questioned, De Martino suggested that tarantism might be connected to a state of inner distress, unhappiness caused by extremely difficult living conditions, or a need for attention.
Psychiatry also considered — and continues to consider — the possibility that it could be associated with latent unconscious conflicts and forms of moral constraint. Several recurring characteristics of tarantism seemed to support this interpretation: the young age of the sufferers, the cyclical recurrence of the condition, the supposed time of the bite — noon — and the exorcism carried out through music and the intercession of Saint Paul.
Whatever the true causes that drove the tarantate, what remains of authentic tarantism is the extraordinary rhythm that continues to involve and exhilarate people, the overwhelming melodies, and the cathartic and liberating power that only pizzica and tarantella can still unleash today.
The Chapel of Saint Paul and the Myth of Tarantism
Among the many churches found in Galatina, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the patron saints of the city, deserves particular attention. Located just a short distance from the historic center, the church has been completely restored but remains an important artistic and historical testimony of considerable significance.
Adjacent to the church is the Chapel of Saint Paul, better known as the Chapel of the Tarantate. It is an 18th-century place of worship incorporated into Palazzo Tondi in the center of Galatina.
A small and simple structure, the chapel has an understated façade in the distinctive Lecce Baroque style.
Legend has it that the Apostles Peter and Paul, while traveling around the world, stopped in Galatina and were hosted by a devout local man in his home, which stood where the chapel is now located.
To thank him for his hospitality, Saint Paul granted the man and his descendants the power to heal anyone bitten by poisonous spiders, known in the local dialect as tarante.
Simply by drinking the water from the well located inside the courtyard of the house and making the sign of the cross over the wound, it was believed that this terrible illness could be defeated.
Inside the small chapel, above the only altar made of Lecce stone, there is a noteworthy painting entitled Saint Paul and the Tarantato by the painter Saverio Lillo of Ruffano (Ruffano 1734–1796).
The canvas is one of the artist’s final works; his signature and the date can be seen in the lower right-hand corner.
The composition is dominated by the figure of Saint Paul, wrapped in broad flowing draperies, standing against a background depicting a stretch of coastline, with a sail visible on the horizon to the left.
The saint’s luminous and solemn face, framed by a dark beard and thick hair, is turned toward the viewer. His left hand holds his cloak, while a long sword rests against his arm. His right hand points toward an angel holding a large open book, whose pages contain references to letters written by the Apostle to the Ephesians, Romans and Corinthians.
Saverio Lillo’s unusual pictorial narrative is closely connected with the phenomenon of tarantism. In the foreground on the left, a sick man — the tarantato — lies languidly supported by a woman, waiting to drink the miraculous water from the well, offered by a kneeling woman holding a small bucket attached to a rope.
The man’s suffering may be attributed to the snake, scorpion and tarantula depicted near his feet and those of Saint Paul.
The painting also contains elements alluding to the Apostle’s episode on the island of Malta: in the upper left, along the horizon, a sailing boat can be seen, while a crawling viper appears on the right, near the saint’s feet.
The numerous iconographic details in the painting — the tarantato supported by a woman, the bucket containing the miraculous water drawn from the Galatina well, and the poisonous animals — were intended to illustrate to the faithful the healing powers of the saint who could cure poisonous bites.
The other mural depicting Saint Paul, located in the niche of the second actual opening of the miraculous well in the courtyard of the building, can likewise be attributed to Lillo’s artistic style.
A stylistic comparison with other works by the painter has revealed that the saint’s facial expression corresponds to the characteristic features adopted by the Ruffano artist. It is presumably contemporary with the 1795 canvas displayed in the chapel.
The composition is classically structured: Saint Paul stands upright, his left hand holding a book and a sword, while his other hand is raised toward the sky in a gesture of preaching.
The phenomenon of tarantism represents a complex intertwining of beliefs, rituals and practices that have crossed the centuries, reflecting not only the social and cultural conditions of Salento but also the interaction between local traditions and external influences.
Although the exact origins of tarantism remain shrouded in mystery and interpretations range from scientific to cultural explanations, what clearly emerges is the cathartic and liberating function of the ritual.
The dances and melodies that accompanied the tarantate have become symbols of a living and pulsating tradition, capable of evoking and transmitting the emotional intensity and dynamism of that era.
The Chapel of Saint Paul in Galatina, with its history and legends, remains a precious witness to this intangible heritage, preserving the essence of a tradition that has evolved and endured through time.
Through art and music, tarantism continues to fascinate and engage, offering a glimpse into human resilience and creativity in the face of hardship and uncertainty.
Thus, even though scientific explanations may have clarified certain aspects of the phenomenon, the fascination and evocative power of pizzica and tarantella persist, keeping alive a fundamental part of Salento’s cultural identity.