Ixchel is the 16th-century name of the elderlyjaguar goddess of childbirth and medicine in ancient Mayan culture. She corresponds, more or less, to Toci Yoalticitl “Our grandmother, the night doctor,” an Aztec goddess of the …
Omamori (omamori) are Japanese amulets commonly sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, dedicated to particular Shinto kami, as well as Buddhist figures, and are said to provide various forms of luck or protection. 1. …
A huldra is a seductive forest creature found in Scandinavian folklore. Its name derives from a root meaning “covered” or “secret.” In Norwegian folklore, she is known as huldra (“the huldra,” although folklore presupposes that …
The constellation Leo is one of the 13 constellations of the zodiac through which the Sun passes each year. It is between the constellation Virgo on its left and Cancer on its right. The two …
Menelaus was the King of Sparta. He began his life as a mortal. The eldest son of King Atreus and Queen Aerope of Mycenae, he was the brother of Agamemnon, a great warrior. Menelaus became …
Zion is a sacred hill located in ancient Jerusalem. A Jebusite fortress was located on the hill when King David captured the city in the 10th century BC, and the city became known as the …
Kitsune, these legendary foxes have been delighting the Japanese for centuries, whether celebrating a wedding with “foxfire” lanterns or making the village fool run naked through the streets and give away all his money. But …
Norse runes were the first form of writing used by the early Germanic tribes. The word rune means secret, as well as letter, in Proto-Germanic. Norse runes were usually carved into wood or stone, which …
As the enemy of the sun god, Ra, he was a malevolent force that could never be completely defeated. Every night, as the sun traveled through the underworld (or across the sky), his roar filled …
The Amazon is full of myths and superstitions. Some have ancient roots, and others are urban legends passed down through European influence. In the Amazon, there is a legend of a two-legged beast called the …
