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Mythology
Myths, gods, heroes, and ancient epics from all different ancient civilizations, with clear retellings, context, and links to traditions.
Laufey: Loki’s Mother Who Barely Survives the Eddas
Laufey was Loki's mother in Norse mythology. The Eddas, her second name Nál, and a later Icelandic tale reveal what the sources actually say.
The Morrígan: Irish War Goddess, Shapeshifter, or Triad?
The Morrígan confronts Cú Chulainn as an eel, wolf and heifer. Irish manuscripts also make her a battle prophet, a crow and one of…
Cernunnos and the Evidence for a Celtic Horned God
Cernunnos is named on a damaged Roman monument in Paris. The Reims altar and Gundestrup Cauldron reveal an antlered figure, but leave his role…
Einherjar: Odin’s Dead Warriors Training for Ragnarök
The einherjar were Odin's chosen dead warriors. Old Norse poems explain their daily battles in Valhalla, the valkyries and their fate at Ragnarök.
Athena vs Poseidon: The Divine Contest That Named Athens
Athena won Athens with an olive tree, but Poseidon kept his place on the Acropolis. Ancient texts and surviving art reveal how their contest…
Ratatoskr: The Squirrel Carrying Insults Through Yggdrasil
In Grímnismál, Ratatoskr carries the eagle’s words down Yggdrasil. Snorri’s Prose Edda adds hostile messages, but the squirrel’s motives remain unknown.
Tsukumogami: Japan’s Old Tools That Sought Revenge
In medieval Japan, discarded tools became vengeful spirits, then Buddhist monks. The Tsukumogami scrolls reveal the story behind the hundred-year legend.
Lamashtu: The Demon Mesopotamian Mothers Feared Most
Lamashtu threatened mothers and infants in Mesopotamian belief. Ancient spells, Pazuzu amulets and ritual plaques show how families sought protection.
Muspelheim: The Norse Fire Realm of Creation and Ragnarök
Muspelheim is the primordial fire realm in Snorri's Norse creation story. Surtr guards its border and brings its flames to Ragnarök.
Jorōgumo: Japan’s Shape-Shifting Spider Woman
Edo-period tales portray Jorōgumo as a spider that becomes a woman, creates illusions and haunts waterfalls. The surviving stories give her different powers.
What Is the Difference Between Titans and Olympians?
The Titans ruled before Zeus and the Olympians. Learn how these divine generations differed, why they fought and which Titans survived.
Who Were the Norns in Norse Mythology?
The Norns shaped human destinies in Norse myth, but there were more than three. The Eddas describe fate through carving, birth prophecies and threads.
