Explore 227 Folklore Collections - Atlas Obscura
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Saudi Arabia

Wadi-e Jinn

A phenomenon that appears to make gravity work in reverse has been attributed to jinn, supernatural spirits from Arabian folklore.
Munich, Germany

Wolfsbrunnen

Oddly enough, a pair of Wolfs funded the construction of this Little Red Riding Hood sculpture.
Even though Mexico's "Weeping Woman" is thought to be pre-Hispanic, today her sorry tale reflects the brutalities of colonialism.
witchcraft

6 Legends That Manifest Fears of Powerful Women

From German witches to vampiric Malaysian spirits to a real-life poisoner.
Sarah Durn April 11, 2024
Trees in Dering wood
Pluckley, England

Dering Wood

A woodland close to England's "most haunted village" has been the site of many unexplained events and deaths.
La Segua, from Costa Rica.
collections

An Artist's Journey Through a Thousand Mythical Creatures

Dive into Iman Joy El Shami-Mader's collection of disembodied limbs, chimerical monstrosities, and unicorn cats.
Winnie Lee October 28, 2021
A witch cake from the village of Bempton, which collector William Clarke dated to 1850.
objects of intrigue

Remembering ‘Witch Cakes,’ the Evil-Fighting Baked Goods of the 1600s

Are these cakes weapons against dark forces or just “spiky bagels”?
Sam O'Brien October 21, 2021
What a dragon is, and how it interacts with humans, varies widely by culture and era.
dragons

The Historian of Hell and the Undead Takes on Dragons

Medieval expert Scott Bruce delves into the darker—and sometimes more hopeful—corners of human imagination.
Gemma Tarlach October 20, 2021
Long before vampires were cartoon characters and even love interests, they were seen as diseased, demonic creatures.
vampires

Disease, Demons, and Discord—How the Vampire Myth Was Born

Modern vampires may be dashing, but that's not how the legendary bloodsuckers started out.
Stanley Stepanic October 18, 2021
The misty cloud forests of Costa Rica's Cerro de la Muerte are home to several endangered species—including, say locals, spirits charged with protecting the mountain.
mountains

In Search of Nímbulos, Guardians of Costa Rica's Mountain of Death

Believers say the otherworldly protectors of Cerro de la Muerte's cloud forests face an uncertain future.
Trevor Ritland and Priscilla Palavicini October 6, 2021
Rottingdean, England

Rottingdean Wishing Stone

According to local folklore, this odd face on a wall of Rudyard Kipling's former home can bring visitors a bit of luck.
Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center
Fairmont, West Virginia

Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center

The center preserves and houses artifacts ranging from the colonial era to modern times from across Appalachia.
Nocturnal and reclusive, the aye-aye lemur is considered a harbinger of evil by some communities on Madagascar, the only place the animal can be found in the wild.
folklore

Loved or Loathed: Can Madagascar's Aye-Aye Survive Superstition?

Understanding how locals really view the world's weirdest primate may be key to protecting it.
Bridget Alex March 23, 2021
Saratoga, Texas

Light of Saratoga

This eight-mile stretch of road gets its name from a local legend about a lost soul searching for his head.
The yellow buns are bright as the morning sun.
saints

Detangling the Devilish Origins of Scandinavia's St. Lucia Buns

The story of this saffron-hued swirl has become as twisted as its dough.
Sam O'Brien December 11, 2020
Olaus Magnus's 1555 "A Description of the Northern Peoples" includes an early depiction of a farmhouse spirit. He stands in the center, sweeping the barn.
christmas

The Danish Christmas Porridge That Appeased a Vengeful 'House Elf'

Once a magical, murderous farmhand, the nisse has transformed into a beloved holiday figure.
Sam O'Brien December 9, 2020
The original vetala was a spirit who posed riddles.
vampires

One of Dracula's Often Overlooked Inspirations Is the Indian Vetala

It was an English "translation" that turned a wise, if mischievous, figure into a bloodsucker.
Emma Starer Gross October 30, 2020
Pishtacos are said to harvest people's vitality through their fat.
murder

In the Andes, the Fear of Oppressors Manifests as the Gruesome Pishtaco

They seem to be a monster that made the leap from legend to the real world.
Athena Frost October 30, 2020
The ifrit is the most meddlesome and sinister of the djinn.
mythology

Across the Islamic World, the Ifrit Brings Miseries Both Large and Small

To believe in them and other djinns is to acknowledge there is a world beyond our own.
Harry Spitzer October 29, 2020