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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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sirens

Ulysses (Odysseus) and the Sirens of Greek mythology in a painting dating to circa 1909 by Herbert James Draper. Source: Public domain

Seductive Sirens of Greek Mythology and How Heroes Resisted Them

Sirens are a type of creature found in ancient Greek mythology. Commonly described as beautiful but dangerous creatures , the sirens are remembered for seducing sailors with their sweet voices, and,...
Are Mermaid Myths Inspired by a Rare Medical Condition?

Are Mermaid Myths Inspired by a Rare Medical Condition?

Mermaids have occupied our imagination for thousands of years. The mesmerizing aquatic creatures, hybrid half-human and half-fish beings, have been spotted in seas around the world and appear in...
Apollo and Diana killing the children of Niobe by Jan Boeckhorst  (1668)

Messengers of Misery: Mourning Women in Mythology

Women's laughter may have been considered as a sign that the empire was doing well, however in mythology women lamenting and crying were often harbingers of misery, madness and mourning. In the works...
Sirens And The Night by William Edward Frost (1810–1877)

Identity Crises of the Sirens: Wise Women, Murderesses or Singing Prostitutes?

Ancient cultures around the world saw the sea as a dangerous place, filled with beings who preyed upon people - especially men. The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, whose Natural History would serve...
Rusalka: The Mythical Slavic Mermaid

Rusalka: The Mythical Slavic Mermaid

In Slavic mythology, a rusalka (plural: rusalki) is something akin to the Celtic mermaids or the Greek sirens. In short, rusalki are beautiful young women who dwell in bodies of water and enjoy...
Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite

Ring of Skulls: Ancient and Modern Sacrifices to the Water Gods

Liz Leafloor | Mysteriorum The macabre discovery of a ring of children’s skulls buried in the earth around lakes in Germany and Switzerland has revealed an age-old tradition of making offerings and...