Myths & mysteries
Discover facts about myths & mysteries. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Myths & mysteries
Ambrosia was delivered by doves to Mount Olympus
The gods’ food was said to keep them young forever, with doves carrying it up the mountain.
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Zmey Gorynych is a multi-headed fire breathing dragon
In Slavic legends, its many heads could breathe scorching flames, making it a fearsome opponent.
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Basilisk venom could supposedly shatter swords
Its blood was said to be so corrosive that a weapon striking it would disintegrate, making an attack supposedly dangerous too.
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Ponce de Leon sought youth water in Bimini
He was searching for a mythical pool in Bimini said to erase the effects of aging with a quick dip.
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Shambhala hides behind an impenetrable snow veil
According to the legend, an invisible barrier of freezing winds and mysterious mental forces keeps visitors from reaching the utopia.
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Bunyip is an aquatic creature lurking in deep swamps
In Australian folklore, the bunyip is said to lurk in murky billabongs and devour people who swim there.
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Tikbalang is a humanoid horse playing mountain tricks
In Philippine folklore, the tikbalang is a towering, horse-headed creature that delights in making travelers lose their way in the woods.
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Atlantis supposedly sank due to massive moral decay
According to Plato, Atlantis’s citizens grew arrogant and corrupt before the island was drowned.
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Asura are power hungry deities fighting for supremacy
In some traditions, Asura are power-hungry beings who fight celestial wars in an effort to rival more virtuous deities.
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Ziz is a giant mythical bird blocking out the sun
Ancient Middle Eastern mythology describes Ziz as so enormous that its wings could eclipse the sun.
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Blemmyes were headless people with faces on chests
Ancient writers placed the supposed Blemmyes in the wilderness, describing them as a tribe whose eyes and mouths were on their torsos.
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Kinnara are celestial musicians with bird bodies
In the legends, kinnara were known for their music and often shown strumming small instruments.
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Mount Meru is shaped entirely like a lotus
In some ancient Asian cosmologies, Mount Meru stood at the center of the universe and was imagined as a mountain shaped like a blooming lotus.
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Cynocephali were a mythical race of dog-headed men
Ancient writers described Cynocephali as dog-headed people who communicated by barking.
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Rakshasa are illusion casting entities from India
In Hindu legends, these beings thrive in darkness and use elaborate illusions to deceive unsuspecting people.
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Kapre is a giant tree dweller smoking huge cigars
In Philippine folklore, the kapre is a large, hairy tree-dwelling being said to smoke oversized cigars; the smell of tobacco is sometimes associated with its…
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Kitsune are foxes that grow extra tails with age
In Japanese folklore, kitsune gain more tails as they age, along with greater wisdom.
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Kraken is a legendary sea monster dragging ships under
Kraken is a legendary sea monster dragging ships under. Nordic fishermen feared a gigantic cephalopod rising from the depths and dragging their wooden vessels…
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Nuno sa punso is a grumpy dwarf in a termite mound
In Philippine folklore, a nuno sa punso lives in a mound and may curse anyone who disturbs it—so watch where you step.
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Tengu are bird-men who teach swordsmanship
In Japanese folklore, tengu are mountain dwellers said to teach martial arts. They’re often depicted as birdlike beings with long noses.
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Baba Yaga flies around inside a wooden mortar
She steers with a pestle and sweeps away her tracks as she flies.
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Amrita is the legendary nectar of immortality
In Hindu mythology, gods and other beings churned the ocean of milk to obtain a sip of amrita, the nectar of immortality.
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Hyperborea was an eternal springtime paradise
Greek legends placed it far to the north, where the sun was said never to set and people supposedly lived for centuries.
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Apsara are celestial dancers distracting meditators
In some stories, supernatural dancers called apsaras are sent to disrupt ascetics' meditation. The meditators may shut their eyes tightly to resist the…
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