Mythology, History, and Interesting Facts
What sort of hero looks at the sun and decides it’s moving too quickly? Or goes fishing and ends up hauling an island out of the ocean? Māui, one of the most celebrated figures in Polynesian mythology, is responsible for both feats. A clever, daring and occasionally reckless trickster, Māui challenges powerful beings, transforms the … Read more
With the head of a black jackal and the body of a man, Anubis is one of ancient Egypt’s most recognisable gods. He appears throughout Egyptian funerary art, watching over the dead and their journey into the afterlife. Although often called the god of death, Anubis didn’t bring death upon people. He protected the deceased, … Read more
Greek mythology has no shortage of heroes. Heracles strangled monsters with his bare hands, Perseus killed Medusa, Theseus entered the Labyrinth, and Achilles chose glory over a long life. Odysseus, meanwhile, repeatedly survived situations that really should have killed him. But Greek heroes weren’t superheroes in the modern sense, nor were they necessarily good people. … Read more
Of all the gods and monsters in Greek mythology, few have quite the same quiet menace as the Fates. There are three of them: Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. Together, they are the Moirai, divine figures who determine the portion of life allotted to mortals. Their most famous image is wonderfully simple. Human life is a … Read more
The kappa is one of the most recognisable creatures in Japanese folklore. Today, it is usually depicted as a small, green, turtle-like creature with webbed hands and feet, a shell on its back and a strange dish on top of its head. It loves cucumbers, enjoys sumo wrestling and can sometimes be defeated simply by … Read more
Hecate is one of the most mysterious goddesses in Greek mythology. Today, she is best known as the goddess of witchcraft, magic, ghosts, night and crossroads. She is often depicted carrying torches, accompanied by dogs or appearing in three forms. But the earliest Greek accounts present a surprisingly different Hecate. In Hesiod, she is a … Read more
Introduction Norse mythology is filled with powerful and imposing beasts, but few are as feared as Fenrir, the monstrous wolf destined to bring destruction during Ragnarök. Known for his immense strength, Fenrir is one of the most important figures in Norse legend. But who exactly is Fenrir, and why was he so feared by the … Read more
Japanese folklore is filled with strange and mysterious creatures, but few are as fascinating and well-known as the Kitsune. Often depicted as intelligent fox spirits with supernatural abilities, the Kitsune has become one of the most iconic figures in Japanese mythology. But what exactly is a Kitsune, and why are these creatures so important in … Read more
King Cadmus of Thebes was a figure of immense importance, yet he was often overshadowed by the deeds of others more commonly celebrated. His story is one of adventure, courage, and innovation, and as the founder of Thebes, one of the major cities in Greece, and the bringer of the Phoenician alphabet to the Greek … Read more
Phorcys, a lesser-known but pivotal figure in Greek mythology, reigns from the shadowy depths of the ancient seas as a primordial deity of the ocean’s hidden perils. Son of Pontus, the primordial god of the sea, and Gaea, the mother of the Earth, Phorcys embodies the ancient Greeks’ fear and fascination with the sea, a … Read more