Jinn are beings described in the Quran, Islamic theology, Arabic literature, and many regional traditions. For Muslims who affirm the Quran, they are part of religious belief, not merely fictional monsters. Folklore and popular entertainment have added many details, so a careful profile must distinguish Quranic statements from later stories. Jinn in the Quran The […]
Jinn Mythological Profile Read More »
Naga is a Sanskrit word used for snakes and for a broad class of serpent beings in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions. Nagas are not one character with one origin story. Texts and artworks describe individual kings, queens, clans, guardians, enemies, and devotees whose roles differ by religion, region, and period. Forms and habitats Nagas
Naga Mythical Origins Read More »
Bigfoot is the modern North American name for a large, hair-covered, human-like being reported mainly in forests of the Pacific Northwest. “Sasquatch” is an Anglicized form of Sasq’ets, a word from the Halq’emeylem language of southwestern British Columbia. The two terms are often used interchangeably today, but the modern Bigfoot story should not be treated
Bigfoot Existence Analysis Read More »
The unicorn of European tradition did not begin as the gentle white horse common in modern illustration. Ancient writers described several one-horned animals, medieval authors turned the creature into a religious and moral figure, and the trade in narwhal tusks gave supposed unicorn horn a physical presence in churches and royal collections. One-horned animals in
Unicorn Legends Explored Read More »
The phoenix is a legendary bird whose story changed substantially between ancient Greek, Roman, medieval, and modern accounts. The familiar image of a bird burning itself and rising from its own ashes belongs to the later history of the tradition. It should not be treated as one fixed story told in the same form throughout
Phoenix Mythology Profile Read More »
Thor is the thunder god of Old Norse tradition and one of the most frequently named gods in medieval Icelandic sources. He protects gods and humans against giants, travels with the hammer Mjölnir, and is associated with strength, storms, and the defense of social order. Thor in the surviving tradition Major stories appear in poems
Thor Norse Thunder Might Read More »
Amaterasu Ōmikami is the sun kami and the leading figure of the heavenly order in Japan’s early court chronicles. She is central to the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, but those works preserve different versions of her birth and family relationships. Amaterasu in the surviving tradition In the Kojiki, Amaterasu is born when Izanagi washes his
Amaterasu Japanese Sun Goddess Read More »
Nataraja, meaning Lord of Dance, is a major form of Shiva in Hindu art and worship. The best-known bronze type developed in southern India under the Cholas, although dancing forms of Shiva are older. Shiva as Nataraja in the surviving tradition The image places Shiva inside a ring of flame. One upper hand holds a
Shiva Hindu Dance Lord Read More »
The phrase Celtic fairies groups together many traditions from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Brittany. These traditions share some motifs, but they do not describe one uniform class of beings or one unchanged ancient religion. Celtic fairies in the surviving tradition Irish sources often use terms such as aos sí for
Celtic Fairies Myths and Legends Read More »
King Arthur is the central ruler of a large medieval story tradition. The earliest material is Welsh and Latin, while the familiar Round Table, Lancelot, Grail quest, and courtly romances were built by later authors. Evidence for a single historical Arthur remains disputed. King Arthur in the surviving tradition Early Welsh poems and tales refer
Arthurian Legends King Arthur's Tale Read More »
