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Myths & Legends

All over the world there are extraordinary stories—stories that once upon a time were believed to be true but are today limited to the sphere of ancient myths and legends. The question remains, are those myths and legends something that existed in the minds of our ancestors, or were they based on true events? It is true that most of those ancient myths and legends appear to the scientific world to be fictitious products of vivid imaginations whose goals were purely to explain phenomena beyond their comprehension. Yet is it not arrogant to accuse our ancestors of being uncivilised and ignorant in one breath, then offer them praise and admiration over their monuments, buildings, art, sculptures, and societies in the next? This only proves that our modern society has two contradictory attitudes toward our past.

In this section we will explore some of the most amazing myths and legends from around the world—legends that may hold truths that can unlock the secrets of our ancient origins.

Japanese creation god and goddess Izanagi and Izanami

The Age of the Gods: A Japanese Creation Myth

Japanese mythology is collectively chronicled in the Kojiki , the oldest historical record written in Japan in 712 AD, and in the Nihon Shoki written in 720. As was common practice before the age of...
Fuxi and Nuwa are responsible for creation of humanity in Chinese mythology. Source: Stout256 / Public Domain.

Fuxi, Nuwa, and the Creation of Humanity

Fuxi (伏羲) and Nuwa (女娲) are a pair of important deities found in Chinese mythology. They are credited with the creation of humanity. In addition, Fuxi is believed to have introduced several...
Representation of the Green Knight from the Gawain poem.  Source: Luca Oleastri / Adobe stock

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’s Beheading Game

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (in Middle English as Sir Gawayn and þe Grene Knyȝt ) is one of the most famous Arthurian legends. As the name of the poem suggests, the story is about Sir Gawain, one...
The high priestess, Oracle of Delphi, Pythia

Pythia: Oracle and High Priestess of Delphi

Perhaps one of the most famous prophecies uttered by a Pythia, Oracle of Delphi, is that of Croesus’ defeat by the Persian Empire. According to Herodotus, Croesus , the king of the Lydians wanted to...
Nura Rupert, Australia, c.1933. Pitjantjatjara people, South Australia, Mamu (Spooky spirits) 2006, Ernabella, South Australia, synthetic polymer paint on linen 92x122cm. Ed and Sue Tweddell Fund for South Australian Contemporary Art 2006. Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.            Source: © Nura Rupert, courtesy of Ernabella Arts.

Aboriginal Monsters and their Hidden Meanings

Christine Judith Nicholls / The Conversation A rich inventory of monstrous figures exists throughout Aboriginal Australia. The specific form that their wickedness takes depends to a considerable...
Polyphemus - Whose Prayer for Revenge Was the Origin of the Odyssey

Polyphemus - Whose Prayer for Revenge Was the Origin of the Odyssey

Polyphemus is the cyclops found in the famous Greek mythological tale found in Homer’s Odyssey . This one-eyed beast, arguably the most famous of his kind, is presented as a man-eating monster, and...
Faery at sunset

Secret Lives of Elves and Faeries: The True Story of Rev Robert Kirk

Born in 1644 in Aberfoyle, a parish of Perthshire, Scotland, Reverend Robert Kirk is remembered for apparently making great strides in bridging the gap between the human and faery realms. He was the...
There are many legends of ancient hauntings at prehistoric burial mounds.

Ancient Hauntings in the Hills

It was a worldwide phenomenon during Prehistoric times for people to bury their dead under mounds (which are also known as tumuli ). The dead were buried along with their worldly possessions and...
Fertility goddesses can be found in all cultures and times. Source: zolotareva_elina /Adobe Stock

Praying For Life – Top 10 Ancient Fertility Goddesses

Throughout the ancient history of the world, polytheism - commonly known as paganism or heathenism - was the defining aspect of all societies and civilizations. Our ancestors had complex and...
Oshun, African Goddess of Love

Oshun: African Goddess of Love and Sweet Waters

Across many ancient civilizations throughout the world, love was placed under the domain of a certain deity, usually, but not in all cases, a goddess. In the Classical world, for instance, there were...
Detail of ‘Jupiter and Lycaon’ by Jan Cossiers. Source: Public Domain

King Lycaon of Arcadia – The First Werewolf?

Lycaon was a king of Arcadia mentioned in Greek mythology. He is believed to have lived in the period before the Great Deluge, and therefore was a contemporary of two other legendary kings, Deucalion...
Top image: Pelasgos is said to be the father of the Pelasgians. Source: Fxquadro / Adobe Stock.

Pelasgos and The Mysterious Pelasgians of the Aegean

Pelasgos was a mythical ruler of ancient Greece . He is said to have been the progenitor of the Pelasgians (or Pelasgi), who are a mysterious people, as little is known for certain about them. Their...
The Greek god Apollo slaying the giant serpent, ‘Python’      Source:   Choo Yut Shing / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The Greek God Apollo and His Mystical Powers

Apollo was a Greek god, and one of the Twelve Olympians . He was one of the most important gods in the Greek pantheon, and was believed to have jurisdiction over a range of different aspects,...
The rape of Persephone. Source: Mattes / Public Domain

Explainer: The Story of Demeter and Persephone

Chris Mackie / The Conversation The student of Greek mythology is often struck by the fact that some gods and goddesses have extensive roles in the mythical narratives, and others have very limited...
A seated Zeus reaches out for the hand of Hera on the temple of Hera at Selinus, c. 530 BC. Inset: Adam and Eve, oil and paper, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1517. (Public Domain)

Zeus and Hera – A Match for the First Couple of Genesis?

There is no Creator-God in the Greek religious system. Ancient Greek religion gets away from the God of Genesis and exalts mankind as the measure of all things. You may think to yourself that the...
A seventh son of a seventh son may possess special powers

The Legendary Powers of a Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

Today is born the seventh one Born of woman the seventh son And he in turn of a seventh son He has the power to heal He has the gift of the second sight He is the chosen one So it shall be written So...
Grey wolf.   Source: Jon Anders Wiken /Adobe Stock

Lupus In Fabula: The Wolf In The Story

Lupus in fabula or perhaps more accurately in historia , given that historically the figure of the wolf is not marginal at all. The undisputed symbol of the forest, the wolf has always been strongly...
Representation of the Emerald Tablet

The Legendary Emerald Tablet and its Secrets of the Universe

The origins of Western alchemy can be traced back to Hellenistic Egypt, in particular to the city of Alexandria. One of the most important characters in the mythology of alchemy is Hermes...
Heryshaf depicted as a ram wearing symbolic headdress. (Rama / CC BY-SA 3.0)

The Egyptian God Heryshaf – Mysterious Lord of Heracleopolis

We all know that the wonders of the ancient Egyptian pantheon are many and so amazing – and the deities that lurk within that pantheon are almost impossible to count and mention. Many of these...
John Brewer discovered the Brewer Cave in the 1950’s. Source: andreiuc88 / Adobe Stock.

Does the Brewer Cave Story Unlock a Hidden History?

Pseudo archaeology , and some of its more controversial claims, have long been the subject of extensive debate among mainstream scholars and the general public. From ancient aliens , creation myths,...
When Kalki the Destroyer Descends: Greed, Corruption, War, Destruction, and the Apocalypse

When Kalki the Destroyer Descends, the Apocalypse Begins

A harbinger of the apocalypse, it is believed that Kalki will bring about the destruction of the world when mankind has completely abandoned religion, “when nothing is known of the techniques of...
Dragon Myths: Tales of Beasts, Beauties, and Brutes

Dragon Myths: Tales of Beasts, Beauties, and Brutes

The dragon is a legendary creature found in many cultures around the world. Generally speaking, the dragon is depicted as a huge creature that has a serpent-like body and the ability to fly. Although...
Titanomachy, war of Greek gods versus giant Titans (matiasdelcarmine / Adobe Stock)

Battle of the Gods, When Titans Took on Zeus

When discussing the creation myths of the ancient Greek gods, as told by the poet Hesiod (750-650 BC), it is best to imagine an audience huddled around a single speaker by way of a fire pit in the...
Hades, god of the underworld and Cerberus, his dog. (rudall30 / Adobe Stock)

Hades, God of the Underworld and His Unsung Powers

In Greek mythology , Hades was the god of the dead and the ruler of the Underworld. Thus, he was an important god in the Greek pantheon . Nevertheless, he is not considered to be a member of the...

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