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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.

The Greek goddess Eris inspired fear in everyone	Source: Likozor / Adobe Stock

Eris: The Gleeful Greek Goddess of Chaos and Discord

Many of the Greek gods and goddesses enjoyed inflicting in pain, suffering, and destruction, but few took as much joy in it as Eris. Eris was the Greek goddess of chaos, strife, and discord...
Cadmus, the first Greek hero and founder of Thebes, fighting the dreaded dragon in a painting by Hendrick Goltzius. Source: Hendrik Goltzius / Public domain

Cadmus: The Amazing Tale of the First Greek Hero and It’s Horrible End

Out of all the pantheons, the exuberant deities of the ancient Greeks are perhaps the most iconic of all. For generations, imaginations have been enflamed and inspired by the sumptuous mix of high...
Athena, Goddess of Wisdom. Source: Геннадий Кучин / Adobe Stock

Athena: Fiercely Feminine Goddess of War and Wisdom

Of all the Olympian gods and goddesses, Athena was arguably one of the most fascinating. The goddess of war, wisdom, and crafts, Athena was known for her many passions and abilities that made her...
The huge mosaic of the Twelve Labors of Heracles discovered at Syedra, Turkey. Source: Turkey Department of Culture

Massive Mosaic Depicting the 12 Labors of Heracles Unearthed in Turkey

Excavations being carried out in the ancient city of Syedra, traced back to 2,900 years ago, continue to shed light on the vibrant history of what is now Turkey. Located in the Alanya district of...
If your star sign is Sagittarius then your “animal” form is that of a centaur. Sagittarius, the centaur archer, is the sixth sign of the Zodiac. Source: Daniel Eskridge / Adobe Stock

Centaurs in Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to Sagittarius and Harry Potter

Greek mythology is full of interesting magical creatures. From the sirens and their alluring voices to the one-eyed cyclops, these creatures have captured the imaginations of people worldwide from...
“Forbidden fruit” was written in the Bible in reference to the ‘apple’ of Eden that led to Adam and Eve being banished from paradise for tasting of the Tree of Knowledge. But was the forbidden fruit really an apple or some other fruit? Source: funstarts33 / Adobe Stock

Was the “Forbidden Fruit” in the Garden of Eden Actually an Apple?

The forbidden fruit reference in the Bible and the story of how Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden is well known and used in all kinds of modern contexts. But was the forbidden fruit...
Echo and Narcissus in a painting by John William Waterhouse, and one senses that Narcissus has already fallen in love with himself for all time.		Source: John William Waterhouse / Public domain

Narcissus: An Ancient Tragic Story with Many Modern Parallels

The Greek tale of the self-absorbed yet staggeringly handsome Narcissus is a famous and ancient one. Despite its age, the myth remains famous to this day and provides a moral warning against becoming...
Poseidon: The Powerful Greek Sea God Who Created the Minotaur

Poseidon: Greek God of the Sea Who Created the Minotaur

Remembered today as the God of the Sea, Poseidon is one of the most well-known Greek gods. Whilst he is immortalized in myths as a violent and hot-headed god who would brew up a raging sea, the story...
The Weighing of the Heart ritual, shown in the Book of the Dead of Sesostris. Source: Manfred Werner - Tsui / CC BY-SA 3.0

Did the Ancient Egyptians Create Art as a Way to Manifest Reality?

Among the extravagantly decorated tombs and temples that made Egyptian art immortal, there is something obscure. It could even be considered supernatural or otherworldly. Telling the stories of what...
Illustration of a dream-eating Baku monster from Japanese mythology. Source: Fair Use

Baku: The Legendary Dream Eating Monster of Japanese Mythology

The Baku, otherwise known as the dream eater, is a mythological being or spirit in Chinese and Japanese folklore which is said to devour nightmares. The Baku cannot be summoned without caution,...
A closeup of Kratos the Greek god of strength, might and power as depicted in the popular video-game series God of War. Source: Matteo Pedrini / CC BY-SA 2.0

Kratos: The ‘Cruel’ Greek God of Strength and Power

Greek mythology is full of gods and goddesses, heroes, and deities who play roles in countless stories of love, courage, and redemption. From Zeus to Heracles, the Greek heroes and gods are iconic...
The Sun shining in the sky. Source: Günter Albers / Adobe Stock

The Disc of Life in Ancient Texts

In 1988 Lana Corrine Cantrell wrote The Greatest Story Never Told , a book that combined multiple ancient culture histories turned-into-myth as one story – the story of our ancient, off-world, or...
A 1,800-year-old Roman coin portraying the goddess Luna was recovered from the Israeli Mediterranean. Source: Dafna Gazit / Israel Antiquities Authority

Rare Roman Coin Portraying Moon Goddess Luna Retrieved from Israeli Waters

A rare and beautiful bronze coin from the reign of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, who ruled as emperor between 138 and 161 AD, has been discovered off the coast of Haifa in Israel. The 1,850-year-old...
Some information can be gathered about sex in ancient Egypt by viewing scenes from the mastaba tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum at Saqqara in Egypt. Source: Sailingstone / Adobe Stock

Exploring Sex in Ancient Egypt

People often have the strange idea that people in the “olden days” were much more conservative when it came to sex than they are today. However, if modern history tells us anything it is that people...
The Hashshashins were a military group of trained fedayeen fighters, also known as the Order of Assassins. Source: warmtail / Adobe Stock

The Notorious Hashshashins, the Original Assassins of Persia

When it comes to legends, none is quite as moviesque as that of the Hashshashins, who in the Middle Ages inspired fear in the hearts of leaders in the Middle East. Hassan-i Sabbah, dubbed the Old Man...
Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo – Christ with Joseph of Arimathea Source: Public Domain

Did Joseph of Arimathea Bring the Holy Grail to Britain?

According to the Biblical Gospels , Joseph of Arimathea played a key role in the days following Jesus’ death and leading up to his resurrection . It is claimed that he removed Jesus’ body from the...
Tiresias, the blind seer of Greek mythology. Source: matiasdelcarmine / Adobe Stock

Tiresias: The Blind Seer of Greek Mythology

Movies, video games, and comic books have made mythological figures like Zeus, Hercules, and Hades household names across the globe. These gods and heroes of ancient Grecian myth have carved out a...
A group of Thuggees strangling a traveler on a highway in India in the early 19th century. Source: Public domain

Thuggees – The Cult Assassins of India

Thuggees, from the Sanskrit word meaning “concealment”, were an organized gang of professional assassins – sometimes described as the world's first mafia – who operated from the 13th to the 19th...
The Tower of Babel. Source: Александр Михальчук / CC BY-SA 4.0

Gateway to the Heavens: The Assyrian Account of the Tower of Babel

The story of the fabled Tower of Babel from the Book of Genesis has come to inspire artists throughout history and to symbolize the idea of human ambition. Once a real-life ziggurat at the center of...
El Tepozteco temple in Mexico. Source: Tolo / Adobe Stock

El Tepozteco – The Aztec Temple Dedicated to the Drunken Rabbit God

On a lonely peak of the Sierra de Tepoztelan in the state of Morelos in Mexico stands the Aztec temple of El Tepozteco. The temple is dedicated to an unusual deity, Ometochtli - Tepoztecatl, one of...
Although a creator god, Coniraya dressed like a beggar. Source: fresnel6 / Adobe Stock

Coniraya: The Inca Fertility God Who Dressed Like a Bum

If you thought the Greek gods had a monopoly on selfishness, rape, deception and other shady derring-do, you were wrong. Take, for instance, the Inca god Coniraya (also Cuniraya), who might have fit...
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...
Prometheus, by Luca Giordano. Source: Public domain

Prometheus: The Creator of Mankind Who Stole Fire from the Gods

The story of Prometheus is one of the most curious of Greek mythology. Over the centuries it has been enriched by poets and philosophers, and these days Prometheus personifies intelligence, even...
In the Arms of Morpheus - Sir William Ernest Reynolds-Stephens (1862-1943) Source: Fair use

Dreams and Prophecy in Ancient Greece

Dreams were very important within the culture of ancient Greece and their connection to concepts of prophecy were explored in the literature of the era. Writers tended to distinguish between two...

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