Kalma: Personification of the Grave and the Corpse
From Chthonia by Brigid Burke
December 8, 2025 · 37 min
About this episode
This episode explores Kalma, a Finnish folkloric figure associated with corpses and graveyards, and discusses the implications of her imagery on death and time.
In this week's episode we look at Kalma, a Finnish folkloric figure mentioned in the Kalevala associated with corpses and graveyards. She is the daughter of the god and goddess of the underworld, and has a dog called Surma that is a cross between the Greek Kerberos and Medusa. We look at the stories surrounding Kalma, and discuss what the imagery around her tells us about death and time.
Topics covered
- Kalma
- Finnish folklore
- Kalevala
- death
- time
- underworld
Keywords
- folklore
- graveyards
- mythology
- death personification
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Kalevala
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