Ankou | Harbinger of Death

The Ankou is the personification or servant of death in Breton, Cornish, and Welsh folklore, functioning as a psychopomp who collects the souls of the deceased. The name itself comes from a Celtic word for death. 

• Appearance: The Ankou is typically depicted as a tall, haggard, or skeletal figure (sometimes with a revolving head that sees everything) wearing a large, dark cloak and a wide-brimmed hat.
• Role: The primary role is to act as death's "henchman," collecting the souls of the dead and escorting them to the otherworld. It is also known as the graveyard watcher.
• The Cart: The Ankou is often seen driving a creaking, rickety cart called the karr an Ankou, pulled by a skeletal or black horse, and sometimes accompanied by two ghostly helpers. The sound of the cart's axle is an omen of impending death. 

Origin and Legends

• Annual Renewal: A common legend states that the Ankou is the soul of the last person to die in the parish during the year, who is then doomed to perform the grim task for the following year until a new soul takes their place.
• Other Origins: Alternative tales identify the Ankou with Cain (Adam's eldest son who killed his brother) or as a cruel prince cursed for challenging Death in a hunting contest.
• Ominous Harbinger: Encountering the Ankou or hearing its cart is believed to be an ominous sign that death will soon visit the observer or someone close to them. 

In Popular Culture and Art

The figure of the Ankou is prevalent in Breton culture, with its skeletal likeness frequently sculpted into the stonework of old churches and ossuaries in Brittany, France. It has appeared in various forms of media, from literature by writers like Anatole Le Braz to video games like Old School RuneScape, where Ankou are skeletal monsters.