How a Spider Bite Could Send Medieval Italy Into a Dancing Frenzy

A dance linked to bites

From the 11th to the 17th century, tarantism spread through southern Italy, with Taranto in Puglia regarded as its center. During summer harvests, people worked in fields where large wolf spiders lived.

Many believed a spider bite brought on trembling and uncontrollable movement. Dancing at speed was thought to make the victim sweat out the venom, although the episode could leave dancers exhausted.

Dancer Anna Harsh told Popular Science that some people attributed the shaking to spider bites. The dance was understood not only as an illness, but also as a possible cure.

A wider medieval phenomenon

Involuntary dancing was reported elsewhere in Europe during the Middle Ages. A major recorded outbreak began in Aachen, Germany, on June 24, 1374, followed by episodes in Switzerland and what is now France.

Some people in those outbreaks reportedly danced for days or weeks, and some died. The causes remain unknown, while southern Italy’s tarantism and its associated dance had their own distinct traditions.

What science suggests

The wolf spiders associated with Taranto may have helped inspire the name “tarantula,” though wolf spiders and tarantulas belong to different families. Wolf spider bites are generally considered harmless to humans and can cause localized pain and swelling similar to a mild bee sting.

In an 1693 public test, an anonymous Neapolitan doctor let two wolf spiders bite him but showed no dancing response. Modern explanations for tarantism’s symptoms include summer heat, physical exertion, dehydration and heavy wine drinking. Among the 38,000 known spider species, about 100 have venom considered harmful to humans, according to the article.

From healing ritual to folk dance

The tarantella began as a ritual dance intended to sweat out supposed venom. The healing form is more specifically known as pizzica, a name drawn from an Italian verb meaning “to pinch” or “to bite.” Harsh said people today might understand the bite as an internal strain, such as stress or anxiety. Pizzica tarantata could resemble an exorcism, with musicians playing rapid rhythms on tambourines, violins and guitars as the affected person moved.