Ouija boards have since been pointed to as a prime example of the brain's capacity to enter a dissociative state and make unconscious muscle movements, the same way it might during automatic writing or "table movement" parties. According to the Smithsonian, this breakthrough in communication with the unseen world came at a time suspiciously adjacent to America's post-Civil War fascination with spiritualism, when hucksters fleeced the likes of Arthur Conan Doyle and Mary Todd Lincoln with the promise of seeing their lost loved ones again. The classic illustrations of Demons Published in 1818-1863, the original Dictionnaire Infernal remains the ultimate source for images of the most famous. On a side note, Ouija boards were first patented by a novelty toy company in the late 19th century. In any case, his tale of demonic woe has garnered the attention of internet message boards and low-budget Ghost Hunters knockoffs for more than a decade. Other times it was written on the front of the board where "Ouija" would normally be. In some accounts, he first encountered the demon after finding a Ouija board with the name "Zozo" engraved on the back. Thrillist points out that Evans' story has varied significantly over time.
#Le dictionnaire infernal plus#
Auteur de prs d'une centaine d'ouvrages, il publie en 1818 Le Dictionnaire infernal, livre qui lui vaut les foudres de l'glise mais deviendra son oeuvre la plus clbre.
Zozo came up with a name for Evans' rock band that Evans later realized "wasn't cool AT ALL!" Jacques collin est n en 1794 dans le village de Plancy, dont il prend le nom. Zozo, somehow, was responsible for his 1 year old daughter being left alone in the bathtub. Evans, via a post to the website True Ghost Tales, warned of the dangers of Ouija board usage, claiming to have been harassed by the demon Zozo, a nefarious antagonist from the dawn of time who used Ouija boards (trademark Hasbro) as a portal to our world. Evans' claims ran the supernatural gamut: Zozo made his girlfriend disinterested in him. Even the shaky source material doesn't present him as being super duper real.Įven so, starting around 2009, a new urban legend started making the rounds thanks to an Oklahoma man named Darren Evans. Pointing to Le Dictionnaire Infernal as proof that he's been around for centuries is like citing Fight Club as proof that Tyler Durden exists. "Zozo" is the name that a habitual liar gives while pretending to be possessed, a grift that she runs a couple of times before getting thrown in jail for being a pant-on-fire drama queen.Īnd that's the problem with talking about the history of Zozo. In the context of the book, demons are presented as a very real threat - demons, but not Zozo. Dictionnaire infernal, tome 1 (BIBLIOTHEQUE SECRETE REGINE D, 1) (French Edition) Hardcover ApFrench Edition by Jacques Collin De Plancy (Author) 4.
We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.The first time anyone mentioned the name Zozo was in Le Dictionnaire Infernal, a 19th century spotter's guide to the gruesome and unholy. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Īs a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. The Dictionnaire Infernal was first published in 1818 by a dutiful student of the new rationalism, to catalogue the aberrations and germs or causes of. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.