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Legend

A painting depicting a scene from the Chinese classic, Journey to the West. The painting shows the four heros of the story, left to right: Sun Wukong, Xuanzang, Zhu Wuneng, and Sha Wujing.

The Monk and the Poet: Meet the Rebels behind the Legendary “Journey to the West”

Hsi-yu chi , or Journey to the West, is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century, during the Ming Dynasty. The novel adds elements from a bewildering array of Asian cultural lore, as well as...
Tsunami. Image copyright © Dustin Naef. Mount Shasta's Legends & Forgotten History, 2016.

Cascadia: A Vast, Dark Green Land of Mystery – Part II

[Read Part I] The twenty-first century is turning out to be a bad time for people who want certainty about our past human origins and history. All of the solid information we thought we possessed...
Photograph of part of the archaeological complex in Vichama, Peru.

New Archaeological Findings Reaffirm the Important Role of Women 4,000 Years Ago in Peru

Peruvian legends speak of a lonely and hungry woman who unleashed her fury against the sun. The star was moved by her situation, and ‘fertilized’ her with its rays. Four days later, the woman gave...
Artwork of a dragon for the Durian-Project of the Blender Foundation

Dragons: Exploring the Ancient Origins of the Mythical Beasts

One of the most popular and persistent characters of the human mythos is that of the dragon. Whether it is a gold hoarding serpent or fire-breathing giant, dragons continue to fascinate and entertain...
A depiction of the Norse goddess Sif.

The Story of Sif, Powerful Wife of Norse God Thor

The warrior god Thor is well known from Old Norse literature. He has become a popular cultural icon, but his wife seems to be largely forgotten these days. However, Sif was once recognized as an...
Lugh of the Long-Arm: The Martial and Sovereign Reach of Lugh Lama-fada

Lugh of the Long-Arm: The Martial and Sovereign Reach of Lugh Lama-fada

One of the most prominent characters of Irish mythology and literature, Lugh Lama-fada, served as the High King of Ireland for 20 years before his unfortunate death at the hands of the sons of...
Sverd I Fjell, Hafrsfjord

Bronze Swords of Hafrsfjord Tell a Legendary Tale of a Powerful King and a Great Battle

Long ago, the inhabitants of Norway lived in warring tribes and villages. It was not until the 872 Battle of Hafrsfjord that the fractious clans of habitable Norway were united under a single ruler...
The Native American Legend of the Sleeping Giant and the Whiteman

The Native American Legend of the Sleeping Giant and the Whiteman

Not very long ago, a Native American tribe known as the Ojibwa tribe roamed the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. They were much loved by the powerful god, Nanabozho, who was very...
Mask of Zorro Legend

Joaquin Murrieta - The Man Whose Life Provided Inspiration for Zorro

Zorro is one of the icons of 20th century culture. Although he is a fictional character, his story was based on biographies of at least three men: Juan Nepomuceno Cortina, Tiburcio Vasquez, and the...
Did the Legendary Irish Milesians Come from Spanish Galicia?

Did the Legendary Irish Milesians Come from Spanish Galicia?

The legend of Irish Milesians is one of the strangest stories connected with the origins of these islanders. Where did they come from? Is it possible that the early ancestors of modern Irish people...
Underwater Castle

Russian Atlantis: Tomb Raider’s Invisible City of Kitezh was a REAL Place

In the action-adventure video game series Rise of the Tomb Raider , Lara Croft finds the remnants of a once powerful civilization and searches for the location of an artifact known as the Divine...
Koalas: Dreamtime Legends, Ancient Symbols, and their Dangerous Prehistoric Ancestors

Koalas: Dreamtime Legends, Ancient Symbols, and their Dangerous Prehistoric Ancestors

The koala is a major draw for Australian zoos and wildlife parks. They are featured heavily in Australia-related advertisements, cartoons, and soft toys. If one were to name the animal most closely...
Medusa and the Gorgons: The Origins of the Legendary Tale

Medusa and the Gorgons: The Origins of the Legendary Tale

In the middle is the Gorgon Medusa, an enormous monster about whom snaky locks twist their hissing mouths; her eyes stare malevolently, and under the base of her chin the tail-ends of serpents have...
Beira, Queen of Winter

Beira, Queen of Winter

In Scottish folklore, Beira is said to be the goddess of winter. According to some sources, she is known also as the Cailleach, a name which is said to be translated literally into English from...
How Europeans saw the Garden of Eden in the Middle Ages. Painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553)

Was the Garden of Eden a Real Place?

Mention the Garden of Eden to a group of friends and you are likely to get as many suggestions on its true location as people you ask, plus a fair number who will deny that it was ever a real place...
Meetings with the Queen of Elphame: A Magical and Protective Fairy Queen

Meetings with the Queen of Elphame: A Magical and Protective Fairy Queen

Fairies are common beings in European folklore, perhaps even since pre-Roman times. They are known in most cultures and in different regions around the world. Many legends say that the fairies’...
The True Origins of the Legend of Brutus of Troy and the London Stone

The True Origins of the Legend of Brutus of Troy and the London Stone

Until very recently, the London Stone was set into a shop wall in Cannon Street, nearly opposite the entrance to the railway station, but a few weeks ago it was removed and on 13 May this year [2016...
The Kusanagi: Unseen Legendary Japanese Sword

The Kusanagi: Unseen Legendary Japanese Sword

The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (translated as Grass-cutting Sword or Herb-quelling Sword ) is a legendary Japanese sword. This weapon, commonly referred to simply as The Kusanagi , is one of the three...
Historians Draw Closer to the Tomb of the Legendary King Arthur

Historians Draw Closer to the Tomb of the Legendary King Arthur

For many decades, researchers have tried to confirm the existence of King Arthur of Camelot, the legendary ruler that was said to have led the defense of Britain against the Saxons in the 5th century...
Legendary Battle of Monte Medulio.

Did the Legendary Battle of Monte Medulio Really Happen?

Monte Medulio is the name of a legendary battle which is believed to have happened in 22 BC between the Romans and the united army of Cantabrians, Asturians, and Galicians. It is said to be the most...
The Icelandic Kvöldvaka: Cultural Phenomenon in the Twilight Hours

The Icelandic Kvöldvaka: Cultural Phenomenon in the Twilight Hours

Iceland’s strong love of literature is a source of amazement to many people. In an era of declining book sales around the world, this small North Atlantic island continues to publish and sell more...
Archaeologists Say They Have Found an Important Medieval Site Linked to Scottish Hero William Wallace

Archaeologists Say They Have Found an Important Medieval Site Linked to Scottish Hero William Wallace

Archaeologists think they’ve confirmed the site where William Wallace was dubbed Guardian of Scotland but are restricted from excavating more because of so many graves in the churchyard. The site,...
Sigrid the Haughty, Queen Consort of Four Countries and Owner of a Strong Personality

Sigrid the Haughty, Queen Consort of Four Countries and Owner of a Strong Personality

In Norse sagas, Sigrid appears as the wife of Eric the Victorious of Sweden, then Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark. She's also known as a famous Polish queen of the Vikings, who was called Świętosława...
Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl: A Tragic Romance of Aztec Legend

Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl: A Tragic Romance of Aztec Legend

Mexican natural structures are the topic of many legends and mythical stories connected with pre-Columbian tribes like the Aztecs and Mayas. Two of the many volcanoes in Mexico became the symbols of...

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