284 Items Tagged

Mythology

Laconia, Greece

Pyramid on Mount Taygetos

The top of the holy mountain for the ancient Spartans looks like a pyramid—is it man-made or a natural phenomenon?

In Norse mythology, the wolves Sköll and Hati were hungry for the Sun and Moon.

Behold Rahu, the Beheaded Asura, and Other Eclipse Monsters of Yore

From cosmic serpents to demon warriors, these creatures have been blamed for messing with the Sun and Moon.

Robert Lamb March 11, 2024

Podcast: Stone of Destiny

An unassuming rock in a Scottish bar may have quite a royal history.

The Podcast Team February 21, 2024

In the waters beyond La Palma's Cumbre Nueva mountains (shown here), San Borondón is said to appear to the west of the Canary Islands archipelago.

In the Canary Islands, a Mysterious Phantom Isle Haunts Local Imagination

The legend of San Borondón all started with an Irish saint.

Cat Rainsford February 9, 2024

29 Dragon Places for the Lunar New Year

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with temple-scaling serpents, fire-breathing bridges, and everything in between.

Michelle Cassidy February 5, 2024

Lava from Mount Etna could hit 10 different municipalities.

Europe’s Most Active Volcano Is Also the World’s Only Decipoint

The many eruptions isn't the only reason Mount Etna is unique.

Frank Jacobs February 2, 2024

Maysville, Colorado

Angel of Shavano

This distinctive snowfield on the slopes of a Colorado fourteener has several legendary origin stories.

The mysterious Bigfoot

10 Places to Visit If You Want to Believe in Bigfoot

Even if you’re not convinced cryptids exist, these spots will offer a fascinating look into the minds of those who are.

Atlas Obscura January 18, 2024

The Christmas Goblins of Greece Play Devious Tricks All the Way Till January

But don’t worry—polar plunges and putting children in ovens helps banish them.

Vittoria Traverso December 22, 2023

Gdańsk, Poland

Lunar Rover at Mariacka Street

During the renovation of this bas-relief, the constructors added one unusual element.

The legend of the Snallygaster appears to have been an invention of local newspapers, but one that carried a dark threat.

The Unsettling Legend of Maryland's Native Cryptid, the Snallygaster

A strange, scary farce that brought together Old World legends and racist scare tactics.

Colin Dickey October 27, 2023

Caravaggio's 1597 painting of the gorgon Medusa vividly captures the violence behind origin stories for many of our constellations.

In October, Our Night Sky Is Full of Scary Stories

Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere can find the demon star Algol, a murdered monster, and victims of vengeful gods.

Rebecca Boyle October 25, 2023

The 1984 film <em>Gremlins</em> was inspired in some ways by wartime gremlin stories (Roald Dahl's in particular), but put another modern spin on the older tradition.

military history

How Gremlins Went From Fairy Stories to Warplanes to Hollywood Legend

Meet these slippery, mischievous reflections of our anxieties about technology.

Hadley Meares October 24, 2023

This 1962 cover of <em>Official Detective</em> features a Halloween candy poisoner at work.

Why Halloween’s ‘Poison Candy’ Myth Endures

Even though we know better.

Jennifer Byrne October 19, 2023

San Rafael, Mexico

Nahualac Pond

A shrine in the middle of this pond represents a Mesoamerican creation myth.

Stone God of Nanoka-Ichiba

Yamanashi, Japan

Stone God of Nanoka-Ichiba

Considered an enigma by folklorists, an object of primitive animistic worship lives on in Yamanashi.

16 Real-World Places Steeped in Mythology

From a legendary river of the dead to a long-burning fire, reality and myths merge in these places.

Jonathan Carey September 22, 2023

Puerto Nariño, Colombia

Fundación Natütama

From pink dolphins to underwater cities, this museum explores the unseen, mythical world of the Amazon river.