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Medusa

Perseus and Andromeda by Peter Paul Rubens (1622) Hermitage Museum (Public Domain)

Perseus, The Greek Variant Of Sumerian Gilgamesh

Perseus is one of the greatest heroes of Greek tradition, venerated as a demigod. But is Perseus really of Greek origin or was his legend brought from elsewhere to Greece? According to the Greek...
2nd century mosaic of a winged medusa head found in Roman-era house in Spain. (Image credit: Mérida City Hall)

Rare Winged Medusa Mosaic Found in Ancient Roman Villa in Spain

Archaeologists excavating a lush Roman-era house in western Spain have uncovered a huge 1,800-year-old colourful mosaic featuring the head of a ‘winged’ Medusa. The Medusa mosaic was discovered at...
Pegasus of Greek mythology is depicted as a majestic, white, winged-horse. Source: Viks_jin / Adobe Stock

Pegasus of Greek Mythology: Majestic Winged Horse of Mount Olympus

Pegasus is the majestic flying horse of Greek mythology , best known for its association with the heroes Perseus and Bellerophon. Traditionally depicted as a pure white horse with wings, the Pegasus...
Massive Medusa heads under Istanbul lend support to the legend of the Medusa sarcophagus.	Source: Goinyk / Adobe Stock

Did a Sultan Find Medusa’s Sarcophagus in the Basilica Cistern?

Nestled beneath the winding streets of Istanbul, just 490 feet (149 meters) from the Hagia Sophia, lies an ancient cistern that may have been the final resting place of Medusa! The Basilica Cistern,...
Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini. Source: Dimitris Kamaras / CC BY 2.0

Perseus: The Powerful Demigod of Greek Mythology

One of the most detailed stories within Greek mythology, the story of Perseus reads like an action-packed thriller. From being born of Zeus’ golden rain to slaying the fearsome Medusa, Perseus has...
The five female Olympians of the Ancient Greek Pantheon. Source: local_doctor / Adobe Stock

Five Female Olympians of Ancient Greece: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Greek Mythology consists of numerous gods and goddesses, although the Greek pantheon itself is comprised of just twelve main gods ruling Mount Olympus. Among the twelve, there are five female rulers...
A modern Medusa depiction.

The Real Story of Medusa: Protective Powers from a Snake-Haired Gorgon

In ancient Greek mythology, Medusa is the most famous of three monstrous sisters known as the Gorgons. The earliest known record about the story of Medusa and the Gorgons can be found in Hesiod’s...
According to ancient Greek mythology, the hero Bellerophon with the aid of the winged horse Pegasus slew the monstrous creature known as the Chimera.           Source: insima / Adobe stock

Bellerophon – The Escapades of a Bad Boy Hero With Hidden Lessons

Bellerophon is a well-known hero in Greek mythology. He is best-known for the slaying of the Chimera, a monstrous fire-breathing creature with three heads. The hero was able to accomplish this feat...
Flamingos at Lake Natron.

Medusa, The Lake That Turns Flesh Into Stone

In a remote part of northern Tanzania in Africa there is a mysterious lake. The water is so caustic that it can burn the skin and eyes of unprepared creatures. Its shores are littered with the...
Medusa in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. There are other creatures from ancient Greek myth in Assassin’s Creed as well.

Ancient Greek Myth in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: Medusa, The Minotaur and More?

The upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey game gives players a glimpse at the mythology of ancient Greece . How big of a step the creators have taken into that realm is still under wraps, but when the...
Bellona with Romulus and Remus

Who is Bellona and Was She More Powerful than Mars? Piecing Together the Identity of the Mysterious Ancient Roman Goddess of War

In his History , Livy reported that during a critical part of the battle against the Samnites in 296 BCE, the general Appius Claudius was seen in the front lines raising his hands as he uttered a...
Dragon Sculpture, China.

The Bird and the Serpent: From the Neolithic Goddesses to Ancient Chinese Symbols of Nobility and Benevolence

Victorian art critic, John Ruskin, in his book Proserpina , calls himself “the gentle and happy scholar of flowers”. A large part of his work is an attempt to connect nature, art and society. To...
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...
The ancient Egyptian sky goddess, Nut, arching over the earth. The human figures represent stars and constellations.

Ancient Egyptians Discovered the Period of Algol Three Millennia Before Previously Thought and Used the Information for Divination

There have long been theories that the mythological texts of the ancient Egyptians contain scripture related to astronomical phenomena. It is also known that as part of their cosmology, the Egyptians...
Head of Medusa by Peter Paul Rubens

Archaeologists Unearth Marble Head of Medusa at Roman Ruins in Turkey

Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a marble head of Medusa, the legendary gorgon from Greek mythology with snakes in place of hair who could turn any person to stone with just her gaze. The...
The young man on the 1,800 year old sarcophagus, Ashkelon, Israel

Builders Uncovered Unique Sarcophagus in Israel… and Hid It

A 1,800 year old sarcophagus believed to have belonged to a young Roman man has been returned to the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) after initially being hidden by builders. The sarcophagus is...
Basilica Cistern

The incredible subterranean Basilica Cistern

Hidden beneath the city of Istanbul (Constantinople), Turkey, are hundreds of ancient cisterns that stored and supplied water to its inhabitants in the ancient past. The largest of these is the...