mythology

The Haunting Legend Of Leshy, The Child-Snatching Trickster Spirit Said To Stalk The Forests Of Eastern Europe

A protector of the forests in Slavic lore, Leshy is known to play tricks on those who enter his woods — while some legends say he’s a malevolent spirit who kidnaps babies.

By Austin Harvey • Jan 9, 2024

The Haunting Legend Of Leshy, The Child-Snatching Trickster Spirit Said To Stalk The Forests Of Eastern Europe

A protector of the forests in Slavic lore, Leshy is known to play tricks on those who enter his woods — while some legends say he’s a malevolent spirit who kidnaps babies.

By Austin Harvey • January 9, 2024

Baron Samedi, The Charming Yet Terrifying ‘Master Of The Dead’ From Haitian Voodoo Lore

Despite being the spirit that decides who lives and dies, Baron Samedi is depicted as an irreverent jokester who performs sexualized dances and is rarely seen without a cigar or a glass of spicy rum.

By Erin Kelly • Nov 26, 2023

Baron Samedi, The Charming Yet Terrifying ‘Master Of The Dead’ From Haitian Voodoo Lore

Despite being the spirit that decides who lives and dies, Baron Samedi is depicted as an irreverent jokester who performs sexualized dances and is rarely seen without a cigar or a glass of spicy rum.

By Erin Kelly • November 26, 2023

This 2,000-Year-Old ‘Tomb Of Cerberus’ Adorned With Mythological Frescoes Was Just Discovered In Italy

The sealed and untouched tomb was named for its mural of Hercules fighting Cerberus, the three-headed dog guarding the gates of the underworld.

By Hannah Reilly Holtz • Oct 11, 2023

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This 2,000-Year-Old ‘Tomb Of Cerberus’ Adorned With Mythological Frescoes Was Just Discovered In Italy

The sealed and untouched tomb was named for its mural of Hercules fighting Cerberus, the three-headed dog guarding the gates of the underworld.

By Hannah Reilly Holtz • October 11, 2023

Who Is Zozo, The Demonic Spirit Supposedly Summoned Through Ouija Boards?

Supposedly a powerful ancient demon, Zozo torments those who contact it through Ouija boards. But is this malevolent force from the spirit world or from our own minds?

By Mark Oliver • Oct 1, 2023

Who Is Zozo, The Demonic Spirit Supposedly Summoned Through Ouija Boards?

Supposedly a powerful ancient demon, Zozo torments those who contact it through Ouija boards. But is this malevolent force from the spirit world or from our own minds?

By Mark Oliver • October 1, 2023

A Definitive List Of History’s Creepiest Cryptids — And Where They Allegedly Live

You've heard about Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster, but they're far from the only cryptids with bone-chilling backstories.

By Austin Harvey • Sep 10, 2023

A Definitive List Of History’s Creepiest Cryptids — And Where They Allegedly Live

You've heard about Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster, but they're far from the only cryptids with bone-chilling backstories.

By Austin Harvey • September 10, 2023

The Real Story Of The Kandahar Giant, The 13-Foot Cryptid Purportedly Killed By U.S. Special Ops

In 2002, an elite tactical team was said to have killed the Kandahar Giant, a 13-foot-tall beast with flaming red hair, six fingers on each hand, and two sets of teeth.

By Bernadette Giacomazzo • Sep 4, 2023

The Real Story Of The Kandahar Giant, The 13-Foot Cryptid Purportedly Killed By U.S. Special Ops

In 2002, an elite tactical team was said to have killed the Kandahar Giant, a 13-foot-tall beast with flaming red hair, six fingers on each hand, and two sets of teeth.

By Bernadette Giacomazzo • September 4, 2023

The Grisly Legend Of Xipe Totec, The Mesoamerican God Of Human Flaying

Ceremonies honoring Xipe Totec were often brutal, involving human sacrifices and skinning of corpses, but the deity was also revered as a god of spring and rebirth, with the human skin seen as merely the husk that harbored the seed of life within.

By Austin Harvey • Aug 31, 2023

The Grisly Legend Of Xipe Totec, The Mesoamerican God Of Human Flaying

Ceremonies honoring Xipe Totec were often brutal, involving human sacrifices and skinning of corpses, but the deity was also revered as a god of spring and rebirth, with the human skin seen as merely the husk that harbored the seed of life within.

By Austin Harvey • August 31, 2023

Inside The Legends Of Pazuzu, The Troublesome Exorcist Demon Based On Ancient Mesopotamian Lore

Pazuzu was worshiped in Mesopotamian religion as an evil demon who controlled the wind, but also served as a protector of women and children.

By Austin Harvey • Aug 21, 2023

Inside The Legends Of Pazuzu, The Troublesome Exorcist Demon Based On Ancient Mesopotamian Lore

Pazuzu was worshiped in Mesopotamian religion as an evil demon who controlled the wind, but also served as a protector of women and children.

By Austin Harvey • August 21, 2023

The Legend Of The Shinigami, The Terrifying Grim Reapers Of Japanese Lore

Represented in both traditional Japanese plays and contemporary television shows, the shinigami are multi-faceted and often terrifying gods of death that lure humans to their demise.

By Amber Morgan • Aug 18, 2023

The Legend Of The Shinigami, The Terrifying Grim Reapers Of Japanese Lore

Represented in both traditional Japanese plays and contemporary television shows, the shinigami are multi-faceted and often terrifying gods of death that lure humans to their demise.

By Amber Morgan • August 18, 2023

This Week In History News, Jun. 25 – Jul. 1

Ancient Medusa medal uncovered near Hadrian's Wall, unnerving doodles found in Henry VIII's prayer book, Stonehenge-like site discovered in the Netherlands.

By All That's Interesting • Jun 30, 2023

News

This Week In History News, Jun. 25 – Jul. 1

Ancient Medusa medal uncovered near Hadrian's Wall, unnerving doodles found in Henry VIII's prayer book, Stonehenge-like site discovered in the Netherlands.

By All That's Interesting • June 30, 2023