Paper Short Abstract:

This paper examines previous scholarship on the Italian New Age commune of Damanhur and supplements it with new findings, correcting previous statements based on the results of two participatory fieldworks from 2023 and 2025.

Paper Abstract:

Established in 1975 by Oberto Airaudi (a.k.a. Falco Tarassaco), the Italian movement of Damanhur is one of Europe's biggest, still-standing New Age communes. Its founding in the Chiusella Valley coincided with Piemonte's growing urbanization and industrialization. As a counter-reaction, Damanhur defined itself as a communal exodus for the alienated and estranged, who searched – and found here – alternatives for reattaining individuality, agency, and a sense of collective identity. Damanhur hosts various artistic productions: inspired paintings, performative dances, classical and sacred poetry, architectural grandeur, sculpture-making, and metalworking, mentioned by renowned scholars such as Massimo Introvigne, Stefania Palmisano, Nicola Pannofino, PierLuigi Zoccatelli, Mario Cardano, and Peter Jan Margry. Since Falco's death (2014), artistic and religious life has changed significantly. His post-mortem reverence became a key element, while the absence of his charisma catalyzed a change towards institutionalization. My paper aims to further nuance – and correct, if necessary – the established scholarly image of Damanhur. Utilizing the external perspectives of morphology- and the internal angles of the anthropology of religions, I will outline the results of my two participatory fieldworks (late 2023 and early 2025). My goal is to illustrate how – while standing on the shoulders of its prophetic founder – Damanhur could have overcome the loss of its charismatic leader and how it institutionalized itself to keep the legacy of Falco Tarassaco alive in the 21st century.