Archaeological evidence reveals a close relationship between people and the spiritual world back to the Bronze Age. Springs often reveal ritual deposits, such as those found at the head of the Seine. It’s unsurprising that humans would continue this water-based relationship via wells. For some scholars, wells had either a patron deity or a guardian […]
water folklore
Wonderful Waterfall Folklore, Myths & Legends
Waterfalls are a favourite subject of artists and photographers alike. Discussing painting and literature, Brian J. Hudson points out that “the popularity of waterfalls appears to have grown considerably between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries [.. in] the period of the Grand Tour” (2012: 105). This was the era in which rich young men toured […]
Avoid the Dark Depths! Dangers Lurk in Lake Folklore
Perhaps the most famous slice of lake folklore is the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend. So much so that when an 8-year-old girl pulled a sword from Vidostern lake, the internet dubbed her the new Queen of Sweden. The Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legend aside, lakes pop up in a range […]
Strange River Folklore: River Gods and Dark Spirits
One of the things I love about running this blog is taking requests for posts. I got one a few weeks back about the folklore of water. The more I delved into it, the more I realised there was too much for a single post. So we’re splitting things into categories. We’ll look at river […]
What were the three types of water nymphs in ancient Greece?
For the past three weeks we’ve been looking at mythology related to water and the sea. Our final aquatic jaunt will be to meet the three groups of water nymphs in ancient Greece. They are the Naiads, the Nereids, and the Oceanids. Just to make things more complicated, you also have undines. Wikipedia lists naiads, […]
Why do people confuse sirens with mermaids?
There’s been a lot of confusion between sirens and mermaids since the Middle Ages. Many of the images show gorgeous women with fish’s tails. Or creatures with beautiful voices capable of bewitching men. Look at Ariel in The Little Mermaid. But it’s far from their Greek origins. And the siren/mermaid confusion only really starts when […]
