World legends and myths. The most famous legends of Russia
Guys, we put our soul into the site. Thank you for that
that you are discovering this beauty. Thanks for the inspiration and goosebumps.
Join us on Facebook And VKontakte
We are sure that many of you still believe in unicorns. It seems wonderful to imagine that they still exist somewhere, and we just haven’t found them yet. However, even the myth about such a magical creature has a very prosaic and even somewhat frightening explanation.
If you feel like website If you are very skeptical and no longer believe in magic, then at the end of the article a real miracle awaits you!
Great Flood
Scientists believe that the legend of the Great Flood is based on the memory of major flood, the epicenter of which was Mesopotamia. At the beginning of the last century, during excavations of the tombs of Ur, a layer of clay was found that separated two cultural layers. Only a catastrophic flood of the Tigris and Euphrates could lead to the appearance of such a phenomenon.
According to other estimates, 10–15 thousand years BC. e. An incredible flood happened in the Caspian Sea, which spilled over an area of about 1 million square meters. km. The version was confirmed after scientists found it on the territory Western Siberia sea shells, the closest distribution area of which is in the Caspian Sea. This flood was so powerful that there was a huge waterfall on the Bosphorus, through which approximately 40 cubic meters were poured per day. km of water (200 times the volume of water passing through Niagara Falls). There was a flow of this power for at least 300 days.
This version seems crazy, but in this case, ancient people cannot be accused of exaggerating events!
Giants
In modern Ireland, legends are still told about people of gigantic stature who can create an island simply by throwing a handful of earth into the sea. Endocrinologist Martha Korbonitz came up with the idea that ancient legends could have a scientific basis. Incredibly, the researchers found what they were looking for. A huge number of people in Ireland have mutations in the AIP gene. It was these mutations that caused the development of acromegaly and gigantism. If in Great Britain the mutation carrier is 1 in 2,000 people, then in the province of Mid-Ulster it is every 150.
One of the famous Irish giants was Charles Byrne (1761–1783), his height was over 230 cm.
Legends, of course, endow giants enormous power, however, in reality, not everything is so rosy. People with acromegaly and gigantism often suffer from cardiovascular diseases, vision problems and frequent joint pain. Without treatment, many giants may not live to see 30 years of age.
Werewolves
The legend about werewolves has several origins. Firstly, people's lives have always been connected with the forest. From the deepest antiquity we have reached rock paintings hybrids of humans and animals. People wanted to be stronger, they chose a totem animal and wore its skin. These beliefs were also the basis for the narcotic drugs that warriors took before battle and imagined themselves to be invincible wolves.
Secondly, the belief in the existence of werewolves was also supported by the presence in people of such a genetic disease as hypertrichosis- excessive growth of hair on the body and face, which was called “werewolf syndrome.” It was only in 1963 that doctor Lee Illis gave the disease a medical basis. In addition to the genetic disease, there was also a mental disease known as lycanthropy, during attacks of which people lose their minds and lose human qualities, considering themselves wolves. In addition, there is an exacerbation of the disease during certain lunar phases.
By the way, the wolf from the world famous “Little Red Riding Hood”, according to, was none other than a werewolf. And he didn’t eat the grandmother, but fed it to her granddaughter.
Vampires
As for the scientific basis for these myths, in 1914, paleontologist Otenio Abel suggested that the ancient finds of dwarf elephant skulls became the reason for the birth of the myth of the Cyclops, since the central nasal opening can easily be mistaken for a giant eye socket. It is curious that these elephants were found precisely on the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus, Malta, and Crete.
Sodom and Gomorrah
We don’t know about you, but we always thought that Sodom and Gomorrah are a very large-scale myth and rather some kind of personification of vicious cities. However, this is quite a historical fact.
For a decade now, excavations have been underway at Tell el-Hammam in Jordan. ancient city. Archaeologists are confident that they have found the biblical Sodom. The approximate location of the city has always been known - the Bible described the “Sodom Pentate City” in the Jordan Valley. However, its exact location has always raised questions.
In 2006, excavations began, and scientists found a large ancient settlement, surrounded by a powerful rampart. According to researchers, people lived here between 3500 and 1540 BC. e. There is no other option for the name of the city, otherwise the mention of such a large settlement would have remained in written sources.
Kraken
Kraken is a legendary mythical sea monster of gigantic proportions, cephalopod, known from descriptions of sailors. The first extensive description was made by Eric Pontoppidan - he wrote that the kraken is an animal “the size of a floating island.” According to him, the monster is capable of grabbing a large ship with its tentacles and dragging it to the bottom, but the whirlpool that occurs when the kraken quickly sinks to the bottom is much more dangerous. It turns out that a sad end is inevitable - both when the monster attacks and when it runs away from you. Really creepy!
The rationale for the myth of the “creepy monster” is simple: Giant squids still exist today and reach 16 meters in length. They really are an impressive sight - in addition to suckers, some species also have claws and teeth on their tentacles, but they can only threaten someone by pressing them down from above. Even if modern man Having met such a creature, one gets very scared, let alone medieval fishermen - for them the giant squid was definitely a mythical monster.
Unicorn
When it comes to unicorns, we immediately imagine a graceful creature with a rainbow horn in its forehead. Interestingly, they are found in the legends and myths of many cultures. The very first images were found in India and are over 4,000 years old. Later the myth spread across the continent and reached Ancient Rome, where they were considered absolutely real animals.
Chindo in South Korea. Here the waters between the islands part for an hour, revealing a wide and long way ! Scientists explain this miracle by the difference in the timing of low and high tides.
Of course, many tourists come there - in addition to simple walks, they have the opportunity to see the marine inhabitants who remained on the opened land. The amazing thing about the Moses Trail is that it leads from the mainland to the island.
According to statistics from the British Royal Society of Ghosts, on average every square meter At least 3 ghosts live on the inhabited surface of the Earth. We managed to photograph some of them, and even talk to some of them. We present the most famous myths and legends.
10th place: Argonauts. The myth of the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece is very old. The very first recorded version of this myth is already a reworking of it, very far from the original story. Argonauts (literally "sailing on the Argo") - participants in the voyage on the ship "Argo" for the Golden Fleece to the country of Colchis. The journey of the Argonauts is described in most detail in the poem "Argonautica" by Apollonius of Rhodes.
9th place: Beowulf. The only existing manuscript of Beowulf dates back to around 1000. But the epic itself dates back, according to most experts, to the end of the 7th or the first third of the 8th century. Beowulf, a young knight from the Gaut people, having learned about the attack of the monster Grendel on the Danish king Hygelac, goes to help the king.
8th place: The legend of the fern flower. According to ancient folk legend Those who find a fern flower on the night of Ivan Kupala will find happiness. By the way, this myth exists not only in Russia. The legend of the fern flower was also believed in Lithuania and Estonia.
7th place: The Legend of King Arthur. Italian researcher Mario Moiraghi claims that the legendary sword of King Arthur really exists and is located in a rock in the Abbey of San Galgano in Italy. By the way, in his book, Moiragi states that the legend of King Arthur is Italian, although it was traditionally assumed that King Arthur and the Holy Grail were invented in northern Europe or in France.
6th place: Poltergeist. Some claim that poltergeists (“noisy spirit” in German) terrorized our ancestors for thousands of years. During a poltergeist, objects can appear and disappear out of nowhere, for example, a fire can pour or appear right out of thin air, pipes can burst, plugs can burn out, dishes can break, etc. Events of this kind usually last about 2-3 months, and only sometimes for several years.
5th place: Loch Ness monster. The first mentions of Nessie begin in 565. A monster is described as resembling a giant toad, “only it wasn’t a toad.” Seventh-century Latin accounts of Nessie noted the appearance of a dragon "cum agenti fremitu", meaning "violently shaking",
4th place: No one has really seen Bigfoot yet, but Nepalese mountain tribes still believe in the existence of the terrible Mi-Go or “Abominable Snowman” lurking among the icy and mountain spiers.
3rd place: Flying Dutchmen. Legend has it that there once lived a Dutch captain, Van der Decken. He was a drunkard and a blasphemer. And then one day, near the Cape of Good Hope, his ship was caught in a strong storm. The navigator advised him to take refuge in one of the bays, but instead of heeding the advice, Van der Decken shot the navigator. This act angered God, and since then Van der Decken’s ship has been wandering the seas. With a rotten hull, it nevertheless holds up well on the waves. The damned captain recruits his crew from drowned men, and the more vile and vile their deeds in life were, the better.
2nd place: Bermuda Triangle. The literature on the Bermuda Triangle describes in detail 50 cases of disappearances of ships and aircraft. In almost all cases, ships and planes disappeared without a trace along with their crews. By the way, about 140 thousand people were nevertheless rescued from shipwrecks in the Bermuda Triangle area by the US security service.
1st place: Aliens. On at the moment V different organizations About 1-0 thousand evidence of UFO sightings and communication with aliens has been recorded. The myth about aliens is especially widespread throughout the world: aliens from outer space who visited the earth a long time ago. Some people consider the ancient Egyptians and Maya Indians to be aliens. By the way, the image of a green man with big eyes and in silver clothing was recognized as the most common idea of aliens on Earth. The drawing of the “little green man” was sealed in one of the “time capsules”, which should be opened in three thousand years.
The debate between supporters of the theory of creationism and evolutionary theory continues to this day. However, unlike the theory of evolution, creationism includes not one, but hundreds of different theories (if not more).
The Myth of Pan-gu
The Chinese have their own ideas about how the world came into being. The most popular myth is the myth of Pan-gu, the giant man. The plot is as follows: at the dawn of time, Heaven and Earth were so close to each other that they merged into a single black mass.
According to legend, this mass was an egg, and Pan-gu lived inside it, and lived for a long time - many millions of years. But one fine day he got tired of such a life, and, swinging a heavy ax, Pan-gu got out of his egg, splitting it into two parts. These parts later became Heaven and Earth. He was of unimaginable height - about fifty kilometers in length, which, by the standards of the ancient Chinese, was the distance between Heaven and Earth.
Unfortunately for Pan-gu and fortunately for us, the colossus was mortal and, like all mortals, died. And then Pan-gu decomposed. But not the way we do it. Pan-gu decomposed in a really cool way: his voice turned into thunder, his skin and bones became the earth's surface, and his head became the Cosmos. Thus, his death gave life to our world.
Chernobog and Belobog
This is one of the most significant myths of the Slavs. It tells the story of the confrontation between Good and Evil – the White and Black gods. It all started like this: when there was only one continuous sea around, Belobog decided to create dry land, sending his shadow - Chernobog - to carry out all dirty work. Chernobog did everything as expected, however, having a selfish and proud nature, he did not want to share power over the firmament with Belobog, deciding to drown the latter.
Belobog got out of this situation, did not allow himself to be killed, and even blessed the land erected by Chernobog. However, with the advent of land, one small problem arose: its area grew exponentially, threatening to swallow everything around.
Then Belobog sent his delegation to Earth with the goal of finding out from Chernobog how to stop this matter. Well, Chernobog sat on a goat and went to negotiate. The delegates, seeing Chernobog galloping towards them on a goat, were imbued with the comical nature of this spectacle and burst into wild laughter. Chernobog did not understand the humor, was very offended and flatly refused to talk to them.
Meanwhile, Belobog, still wanting to save the Earth from dehydration, decided to spy on Chernobog, making a bee for this purpose. The insect coped with the task successfully and found out the secret, which was as follows: in order to stop the growth of land, you need to draw a cross on it and say cherished word- "enough". Which is what Belobog did.
To say that Chernobog was not happy is to say nothing. Wanting to take revenge, he cursed Belobog, and he cursed him in a very original way: for his meanness, Belobog was now supposed to eat bee feces for the rest of his life. However, Belobog was not at a loss and made bee excrement as sweet as sugar - this is how honey appeared. For some reason, the Slavs did not think about how people appeared... The main thing is that there is honey.
Armenian duality
Armenian myths resemble Slavic ones and also tell us about the existence of two opposite principles- this time male and female. Unfortunately, the myth does not answer the question of how our world was created; it only explains how everything around us works. But that doesn't make it any less interesting.
So here you go short summary: Heaven and Earth are a husband and wife separated by an ocean; The sky is a city, and the Earth is a piece of rock, which is held on its huge horns by an equally huge bull - when it shakes its horns, the earth bursts at the seams from earthquakes. That, in fact, is all - this is how the Armenians imagined the Earth.
There is an alternative myth where the Earth is in the middle of the sea, and Leviathan floats around it, trying to grab onto its own tail, and constant earthquakes were also explained by its flopping. When Leviathan finally bites its tail, life on Earth will cease and the apocalypse will begin. Have a nice day.
Scandinavian myth of the ice giant
It would seem that there is nothing in common between the Chinese and the Scandinavians - but no, the Vikings also had their own giant - the origin of everything, only his name was Ymir, and he was icy and with a club. Before his appearance, the world was divided into Muspelheim and Niflheim - the kingdoms of fire and ice, respectively. And between them stretched Ginnungagap, symbolizing absolute chaos, and there Ymir was born from the fusion of two opposing elements. And now closer to us, to the people. When Ymir began to sweat, a man and a woman emerged from his right armpit along with the sweat. It’s strange, yes, we understand this - well, that’s how they are, harsh Vikings, nothing can be done. But let's get back to the point. The man's name was Buri, he had a son Ber, and Ber had three sons - Odin, Vili and Ve. Three brothers were gods and ruled Asgard. This seemed to them not enough, and they decided to kill Ymir’s great-grandfather, making a world out of him.
Ymir was not happy, but no one asked him. In the process, he shed a lot of blood - enough to fill the seas and oceans; from the unfortunate man's skull the brothers created firmament, they broke his bones, making mountains and cobblestones out of them, and clouds were made from poor Ymir’s torn brains.
This new world Odin and the company immediately decided to settle: so they found two beautiful trees on the seashore - ash and alder, making a man from the ash, and a woman from the alder, thereby giving rise to the human race.
Greek myth about marbles
Like many other peoples, the ancient Greeks believed that before our world appeared, there was only complete chaos. There was neither the sun nor the moon - everything was dumped into one big pile, where things were inseparable from each other.
But then a certain god came, looked at the chaos reigning around, thought and decided that all this was not good, and got down to business: he separated the cold from the heat, foggy morning from a clear day and stuff like that.
Then he set to work on the Earth, rolling it into a ball and dividing this ball into five parts: at the equator it was very hot, at the poles it was extremely cold, but between the poles and the equator it was just right, you couldn’t imagine anything more comfortable. Then, from the seed of an unknown god, most likely Zeus, known to the Romans as Jupiter, the first man was created - two-faced and also in the shape of a ball.
And then they tore him in two, making him a man and a woman - the future of you and me.
Among the main gods, the Egyptians especially highlighted married couple- Osiris and Isis. Osiris was revered for teaching the Egyptians various crafts, healing, showing how to build cities and houses, grow cereals and grapes. Isis was the goddess of fertility. Women approached her with help...
All the myths we know say that the earth was created by some creator. In some countries, God was considered the creator, in others - some animal. In the myths of many Asian peoples, for example in Indian myths, the earth is created by a celestial being that descended from the sky. She's per...
When God created heaven and earth, far in the east he planted a wonderful garden of paradise. And he called it Eden. Orange trees, apple trees, grapes, dates, and bananas grew in Eden. And there were many more amazing trees and flowers. In Eden there was eternal spring. The roses were blooming, the river was murmuring in the...
Gilgamesh is real historical figure, lived at the end of the 27th - beginning of the 26th century. BC e. Gilgamesh was the ruler of the city of Uruk in Sumer. He began to be considered a deity only after his death. They claimed that he was two-thirds god, only one-third human, and reigned for almost 126 years. Sleep...
The beautiful daughters of Sultan Salim were orphaned early. The eldest, the unapproachable Mahiman Bano, became the ruler, and the people regretted that the throne did not go to the youngest, whom people called Shirin, which means Sweet. Only one circumstance reconciled the people with the government...
Hercules was the son of the god Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. Hera, the wife of Zeus, could not come to terms with the birth of Hercules. One day she sent two terrible snakes to the cradle of Hercules, but unusual child strangled them. Hercules grew up strong and dexterous, but was distinguished by his wayward nature. To about...
The Carpathians are a protected region, a kingdom of pristine nature. Plants and animals that have long since become rare and endangered have found refuge under the shadow of centuries-old beech forests. One of the most picturesque corners of Carpathian nature is the high-mountain lake Synevyr. Blue expanse of water, steep banks, overgrown...
It was so long ago that no one remembers when it was. They say, however, that in those days all people spoke the same language and everyone understood each other. And people wanted to leave a memory of themselves forever and ever. - Let's all get together and build a high tower!...
When people settled the earth, they first learned to sow bread, and then began to grow grapes and make wine from them. And when they drank wine, they became stupid and angry, offended the weak, praised themselves and deceived each other. God looked at the people, and he felt...
In the Middle Ages Western Europe was Christian, but its legend is still associated with the myths of pagan times. In legends we have received information about real historical events, but these events are changed and embellished. A legend is sometimes based on myth, but more often it includes...
In ancient times, people did not know about fire, lived in caves, hunted with clubs and stones, and ate everything raw... At that time, life on Olympus proceeded fully using fire. One day Prometheus stole a spark of sacred fire from Olympus and gave it to people. The fire started in...
The world arose from Chaos. Chaos is translated from Greek as “yawn”, “empty extension”. According to one version of the myth, Gaia ( mother earth) emerged from Chaos. She created Uranus (sky). Uranus and Gaia became husband and wife, and the Titans were born to them. One of the titans, Kronos, the moods of other...
One of the most terrible monsters of mythology Ancient Egypt there was Apep (APEP) - a giant underground serpent. Every night he entered into battle with the sun god Ra. Every day Ra sailed over the world across the sky in a boat called the Boat of Millions of Years. Ra illuminated Egypt - the country...
Do you know why a dog of the Chow Chow breed blue tongue? If such a question were asked to a resident Ancient China, he would not have difficulty answering. There is an interesting Chinese legend, which reads: “In very ancient times, when God had already created the Earth and populated it with animals, birds, insects, fish, he was engaged in the distribution of stars in the sky. During this work, quite by accident, a piece of his sky fell off and fell to Earth. All the animals and birds, in horror, ran away and hid in secluded places. And only the bravest Chow Chow dog was not afraid to approach the fragment of sky, sniff it and lightly lick it with his tongue. Since then, the Chow Chow dog, and all its descendants, have had a blue tongue.” Thanks to this beautiful legend, Chow Chow, even today, is called “the dog that licked the sky.”
The Austrian city of Salzburg is known not only for its picturesque surroundings and famous resorts, but also for its many historical attractions. And, perhaps, the main one is the Mirabell Palace with a complex of fabulous gardens. The pink stone from which the palace is built gives it lightness and airiness. Of course, this is a beautiful creation of architecture, but it is not considered the main highlight, namely the Mirabell Gardens. Fountains, a garden of dwarfs, stone lions, trees and flower beds - very fancy shapes, graceful balustrades, a theater with hedges - it’s impossible to describe everything. This is a must see. The real pride of Austria.
Venice, a city shrouded in a light haze, seems almost ephemeral and exists only in our imagination. But you can still see it not only in pictures and in movies, it actually exists with all its squares, canals, bridges, cathedrals. I think that everyone who has not been there dreams of taking a romantic trip to Venice to capture the mysterious and mysterious essence of this unusual and magnificent city. The gondola is rightfully considered one of the main symbols of the city. Perhaps someone noticed that they are all the same color and, like black swans, cut through the waters of the canals of Venice. There is a legend that answers the question: Why are all the Venetian gondolas in the “city of love” black?
Salzburg is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in Austria. Located at the very foot of Alpine mountains, literally 5 kilometers from the border with Germany. The name of the city itself is associated with a nearby deposit of table salt. They have been mining it since time immemorial. According to legend, a fortress was built here to control the export of salt. This is how the name Salzburg appeared, which means Salt Fortress.
If anyone has ever visited Krakow, they will never forget the enchanting atmosphere of this city. Complicated story, unique culture, unique architecture make Krakow a real paradise for poets, musicians, artists and just any person. The city, covered in legends, gladly reveals its secrets to everyone who visits it. If you are not lucky enough to visit there, I highly recommend reading the book by N.G. Frolova "Old Krakow". One of the parts of this book is called “Characters of a City Play.” Who does not participate in this eternal Krakow performance: musicians, poets, warriors, kings, artists, adventurers...
This monument first appeared in St. Petersburg in 1999 on Malaya Sadovaya Street 3. The work of sculptor V.A. Sivakova. The exact name is “Monument to the Stray Dog Gavryusha.” But as soon as it was not called the monument good dog, and Gavryusha, and even just Nyusha. After sitting there for 8 years, the dog gave birth to either a rumor or a legend. The teenagers really loved the dog. And so they came up with the idea that if you write a wish to a dog, it will definitely come true. Since then, the courtyard on Malaya Sadovaya, where the dog stood, has become a place of pilgrimage for tourists and city residents.
Saint John of Nepomuk is one of the most revered Czech saints by the residents of Prague. He is considered the patron saint of Prague and the entire Czech Republic. He lived in the 14th century, during the reign of King Wenceslas IV, and was a priest. It is not known exactly what John of Nepomuk did wrong before the king, but one of the most plausible assumptions is the following. As the queen's confessor, he refused to reveal the secret of his wife's confession to Wenceslas IV. For what, after much torture and torment. the king ordered his execution. The priest was put in a sack and thrown from the Charles Bridge into the Vltava.
Charles Bridge is one of the main attractions of Prague. It was built by order of King Charles IV in 1357. For five centuries it was the only bridge across the Vltava. Later in XVII century they began to decorate it with sculptures, the number of which reached 30. So the bridge turned into a real one art gallery under open air. Nowadays, the bridge is a pedestrian bridge and has been chosen by artists, souvenir sellers, street musicians and of course tourists. Many legends of Old Prague are associated with the Charles Bridge. Here is one of them.
