Discover the MythCloud

Philemon and Baucis, Accompanied by Zeus and Hermes, Inventory No. 11001, by Peter Paul Rubens is a masterwork housed at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp.

The piece depicts the mythological tale of Philemon and Baucis, an elderly couple renowned for their hospitality toward Zeus and Hermes, who visited their humble home disguised as travellers. This story, drawn from Ovid's Metamorphoses, exemplifies the virtue of hospitality and the sacred relationship between mortals and gods.

In the myth, the gods reward the couple's generosity by transforming them into intertwined trees, allowing them to remain together for eternity—a metaphor for enduring love and the divine recognition of human virtue. Rubens captures this pivotal moment, illustrating how mythological narratives offer moral frameworks that transcend time and culture.

Bluiríní Béaloidis is a podcast from the National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin. It explores the rich landscape of Irish and European folk traditions. Each episode journeys through diverse cultural narratives, revealing how understanding our traditional heritage can illuminate our present and guide our future. By uncovering the stories, beliefs, and practices embedded in folklore, the podcast invites listeners to discover the depth and complexity of our shared cultural inheritance.

St. Patrick
The 17th of March is celebrated worldwide as Saint Patrick's Day, a time of parades and revelry honouring Ireland's patron saint. Beyond the festivities, however, lies a complex figure whose historical reality and mythological dimensions have become thoroughly intertwined over fifteen centuries of cultural transmission.

In this episode of Blúiríní Béaloidis, hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon from the National Folklore Collection of Ireland examine the multifaceted figure of St. Patrick, exploring both the historical person and his evolution in folk tradition. They consider the fascinating intersection between Patrick's Christian mission and the pre-Christian, Pagan traditions he is said to have confronted and transformed.

The programme examines the numerous pilgrimages still conducted in Patrick's name across Ireland, from Skerries in the east to Croagh Patrick in the west, and from Duhallow in the south to Lough Derg in the north. These devotional practices reflect Patrick's enduring influence not only in Ireland but throughout Europe, demonstrating how mythologised historical figures can become focal points for cultural and religious practices that span centuries.

This exploration reveals how the historical Patrick—a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary—has been transformed through layers of hagiography, folk belief, and national mythology into a multivalent symbol that extends far beyond historical reality. The narratives surrounding Patrick, including famous episodes like banishing snakes from Ireland or using the shamrock to explain the Trinity, illustrate how historical figures become mythologised through processes of cultural adaptation and reinterpretation.

Through examining the continuing veneration of Patrick, the programme illuminates how mythological processes remain active in contemporary culture, blending historical, religious, and folkloric elements into narratives that continue to evolve and resonate.

Peter Paul Rubens' Judgement of Paris, existing in both painting and print versions, exemplifies how classical mythological narratives continued to provide Renaissance and Baroque artists with sophisticated frameworks for exploring fundamental human concerns. This representation of Paris choosing which goddess—Hera, Athena, or Aphrodite—is most beautiful demonstrates how ancient narratives addressing themes of desire, judgment, and consequence maintained cultural resonance even as their religious context transformed from belief to artistic resource.

The mythological scene depicted—Paris making his fateful choice—represents pivotal moment in the narrative sequence leading to the Trojan War, where seemingly minor personal decision triggers catastrophic geopolitical consequences. This narrative structure, connecting individual choice to broader societal fate, exemplifies how mythological frameworks often explore relationships between personal actions and collective outcomes, providing models for understanding how individual decisions participate in larger patterns of causality.

Rubens' Baroque style, emphasising dynamic compositions and sensuous representation of the goddesses' nude figures, demonstrates how artistic interpretation transformed classical narratives to address contemporary aesthetic sensibilities and moral concerns. The ornamental elements in the print version—angelic and mermaid figures—further exemplify how Renaissance and Baroque artists adapted classical material through addition of visual elements reflecting contemporary artistic conventions rather than strict archaeological accuracy.

The inclusion of Hermes as divine messenger illustrates the scene's theological framework, where human judgment occurs within divinely structured circumstances. This visual element reminds viewers that Paris's choice takes place within cosmic order beyond his control or understanding, exemplifying how mythological narratives often explore tension between human agency and predetermined fate. The preservation of this work in Antwerp's Royal Museum reflects ongoing cultural interest in understanding how classical narratives maintained relevance through artistic reinterpretation, providing flexible frameworks for exploring universal human concerns across changing historical contexts.

These Baltic brass rings featuring serpent motifs exemplify how mythological understanding was literally worn on the body in traditional societies. Inspired by archaeological findings throughout the Baltic region, these rings transform abstract cosmological concepts into tangible, personal objects that connected individuals to broader cultural narratives.

The serpent, a potent symbol in Baltic mythology as in many world traditions, functioned as a multivalent emblem associated with protection, fertility, and cyclical renewal. Its ability to shed its skin made it a natural symbol of transformation and rebirth, while its movement between surface and underground realms positioned it as a mediator between worlds. The specific association with justice, happiness, and domestic safety suggests the serpent's role as a guardian of proper order in both cosmic and social domains.

Beyond their symbolic content, these rings served as personal talismans, believed to channel protective powers for the wearer. This apotropaic function illustrates how mythological thinking in traditional societies extended beyond abstract belief into practical engagement with supernatural forces through material objects. The wearing of such symbols represented both cultural affiliation and active participation in a world understood to be animated by unseen forces.

The contemporary reproduction of such designs demonstrates how mythological symbols maintain cultural resonance even when detached from their original belief contexts, serving as tangible connections to ancestral worldviews. These seemingly modest objects thus function as repositories of cultural memory, linking past and present through persistent symbolic forms.

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA), one of Belgium's premier cultural institutions dating back to 1810, houses a significant collection of mythological artworks, including this pencil sketch simply titled Mythological Scene.

This artwork, measuring 225 x 296 mm and catalogued under inventory number 3172/83, represents an unspecified mythological narrative. While details about the specific mythological content are limited in the museum's documentation, the piece exemplifies how classical mythology continued to provide inspiration for artists well after the Renaissance revival of interest in Greco-Roman culture.

Such sketches often served as preliminary studies for larger works or as exercises in composition and classical subject matter. The continued fascination with mythological themes demonstrates their enduring relevance as a shared visual language through which artists could explore complex human experiences, emotions, and social values.

The preservation of such works in major cultural institutions like KMSKA reflects the ongoing cultural significance attached to mythological representation in European art history. These collections serve as repositories of visual narratives that have shaped Western cultural understanding for centuries, allowing contemporary viewers to engage with historical interpretations of these narratives.

Talking History offers a distinctive exploration of pivotal political, social and cultural events that have shaped our world, examining the complex figures central to these historical moments. Hosted by Dr Patrick Geoghegan of Trinity College Dublin, this programme interrogates the multifaceted, often contested dimensions of our collective past, illuminating what these historical narratives reveal about contemporary society.

Dracula
‍Bram Stoker's Dracula represents a quintessential example of how literary works synthesise diverse mythological elements to create new cultural narratives with remarkable staying power. This Gothic masterpiece draws from multiple sources—historical, folkloric, and contemporary social anxieties—to create a composite figure whose symbolic resonance transcends its Victorian origins.

The layered influences behind Dracula reveal how modern mythmaking often operates through bricolage, combining elements from diverse traditions into coherent new narratives. Stoker's vampire amalgamates Eastern European folklore, the historical figure of Vlad the Impaler, and potential echoes of Irish cultural trauma from the Great Famine. This synthesis demonstrates how effective modern myths often function as cultural crossroads where multiple traditions converge and transform one another.

Particularly significant is the novel's context within British colonial dynamics. Stoker, an Irishman writing under British rule, created a narrative where the "civilised" West confronts a threatening Eastern Other—a structure that simultaneously reinforced and subtly subverted colonial perspectives. This ambiguity has contributed to the story's enduring relevance, allowing it to be continuously reinterpreted through changing cultural lenses.

The novel's afterlife through adaptations like F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu further demonstrates how powerful mythological narratives transcend their original medium, evolving through continuous reinterpretation. The copyright battle that paradoxically enhanced Dracula's cultural status exemplifies the unpredictable processes through which certain cultural narratives achieve mythological prominence while others fade into obscurity. Stoker's creation thus offers a case study in how modern literary works can attain mythological status, becoming flexible frameworks for exploring evolving cultural anxieties while maintaining recognisable core elements across diverse adaptations.

The "chocholi taniec" (dance of the straw wrap) from Stanisław Wyspiański's 1901 drama The Wedding offers a powerful example of how artistic symbols can evolve into national mythology. This striking image of wedding guests dancing under the influence of the straw wrap has transcended its original context to become a potent metaphor for societal lethargy and impotence in Polish cultural consciousness.

The dance's evolution from theatrical element to national symbol demonstrates how aesthetic creations can acquire mythological significance when they effectively capture collective psychological states. By embodying the concept of "marasm"—a deepening drowsiness and national stagnation—the chocholi taniec provided Polish society with a visual language for understanding its own historical predicament at the turn of the 20th century.

Particularly significant is the symbol's ambiguity, which has allowed it to maintain relevance through changing historical circumstances. The image of a society caught in hypnotic, purposeless movement serves as a flexible metaphor that can be applied to various instances of collective inaction or misdirected energy. This adaptability explains why the symbol has retained its power well beyond its original historical context.

The persistence of this theatrical image in Polish cultural memory exemplifies how modern artistic creations can attain mythological status when they effectively address collective psychological concerns. Like traditional mythological symbols, the chocholi taniec provides a framework for understanding complex social and psychological phenomena that might otherwise resist articulation. Its enduring presence in Polish cultural discourse demonstrates how societies continue to create and sustain mythological thinking through literary and theatrical forms, adapting traditional patterns to address contemporary circumstances.

This woodcut titled "Haemorrhous," depicting a mythological snake, exemplifies how early modern scientific texts incorporated fantastical elements alongside empirical observations. Created by designer Geoffroy Ballain and woodcut artist Jean de Gourmont in 1565 for Jacques Grévin's works on poisons and venomous creatures, this image demonstrates the complex relationship between mythological thinking and emerging scientific methodology in Renaissance natural history.

The Haemorrhous snake's inclusion in texts discussing natural poisons reveals how the boundaries between observed and imagined phenomena remained fluid in early scientific literature. Rather than representing failed empiricism, this integration reflects a worldview that understood nature as potentially containing wonders beyond everyday experience. The snake's name, suggesting connection to blood and haemorrhage, demonstrates how nomenclature itself often carried symbolic meanings that shaped understanding of natural phenomena.

The woodcut technique allowed for detailed visual representation in printed materials, playing crucial role in standardising and disseminating knowledge of both real and mythological creatures. This technological innovation transformed how information circulated, creating increasingly stable visual references that shaped collective understanding of natural and supernatural phenomena. The intricate execution of this particular woodcut demonstrates the era's commitment to precise visual documentation even of creatures whose existence was uncertain.

The woodcut's acquisition by the Plantin-Moretus Museum in 1876 represents another phase in its cultural evolution—from practical printing element to preserved historical artifact. This transition reflects changing attitudes toward early scientific materials, which came to be valued not just for their content but as evidence of evolving approaches to knowledge classification. The image thus provides valuable insight into how Renaissance culture navigated the complex relationship between observation and imagination in developing early modern natural history.

This Baltic brass ring featuring serpent motifs exemplifies how mythological understanding was incorporated into everyday objects. Drawing inspiration from archaeological findings, the ring embodies ancient Baltic cosmological concepts through its symbolic imagery and circular form.

The serpent, a potent symbol in Baltic mythology as in many world traditions, carried multiple associations—justice, domestic happiness, and protection. This multivalent symbolism demonstrates how mythological figures often function simultaneously across several conceptual domains, collapsing distinctions between moral, emotional, and practical concerns. The serpent's ability to shed its skin made it a natural symbol of renewal and transformation across many cultures, while its movement between surface and underground realms positioned it as a mediator between worlds.

The ring form itself, with no beginning or end, provided a natural vehicle for expressing cyclical time—a fundamental concept in traditional Baltic worldviews governed by seasonal rhythms and astronomical cycles. By wearing such symbols on the body, individuals incorporated themselves into cosmic patterns while simultaneously marking cultural belonging through distinctive stylistic execution.

The craftmanship evident in such pieces reflects the sophisticated metalworking traditions of Baltic peoples, where technical skill itself was understood within a mythological framework. The transformation of raw materials into meaningful forms through the application of fire and specialized knowledge carried associations with creative and even magical processes. This ring thus demonstrates how material culture in traditional societies operated simultaneously across practical, aesthetic, and spiritual domains, embedding cosmic understanding in the most personal of objects.

This Baltic waistband adorned with spruce-inspired patterns offers a window into how traditional societies encoded sophisticated mythological concepts into everyday objects. The Tree of Life motif, central to many world mythologies and particularly significant in Baltic traditions, transforms a practical item into a statement of cosmic understanding and cultural identity.

The Tree of Life symbol represents a universal mythological concept—the interconnection of all existence through a central axis that unites underground, terrestrial, and celestial realms. In Baltic contexts, this multilayered symbolism provided a comprehensive model of cosmic structure while simultaneously expressing cultural values of continuity and regeneration. By wearing such symbols, individuals literally incorporated themselves into this cosmic framework.

The association with Laima, the Baltic goddess of fate who governs destiny and fortune, adds another dimension to the waistband's significance. As a deity concerned with determining life trajectories, Laima's symbolic presence suggests the waistband's function beyond mere decoration—potentially offering protection and influencing the wearer's fate. This belief in the active power of symbolic objects illustrates how mythological thinking in traditional societies extended beyond abstract concepts into practical engagement with supernatural forces.

The versatility of the waistband as both belt and headband demonstrates the adaptability of traditional Baltic textiles, while the persistence of these patterns in contemporary contexts shows how mythological symbols maintain cultural significance even when detached from their original belief systems. These textile traditions thus serve as repositories of cultural memory, connecting present practices to ancestral worldviews through the continuity of visual language.

This Baltic waistband adorned with spruce-inspired patterns exemplifies how traditional societies encoded sophisticated mythological concepts into everyday objects. The Tree of Life motif transforms a practical item into a vehicle for expressing cosmic understanding and cultural identity, connecting the wearer to both ancestral traditions and universal patterns.

The Tree of Life symbolism represents one of humanity's most widespread mythological concepts—a central axis connecting underground, terrestrial, and celestial realms. In Baltic traditions, this multilayered imagery provided a comprehensive model of cosmic structure while expressing cultural values of continuity and regeneration. Its prominence in textile arts demonstrates how abstract cosmological concepts were made tangible through integration into daily material culture.

The association with Laima, goddess of fate, adds another dimension to the waistband's significance. As a deity concerned with determining life trajectories, Laima's symbolic presence suggests the waistband functioned beyond mere decoration—potentially offering protection and influencing the wearer's destiny. This belief in the active power of symbolic objects illustrates how mythological thinking extended beyond abstract belief into practical engagement with supernatural forces through material objects.

The waistband's versatility as both belt and headband demonstrates the adaptability of traditional Baltic textiles, while the persistence of these patterns in contemporary contexts shows how mythological symbols maintain cultural resonance even when detached from their original belief systems. These textile traditions thus serve as repositories of cultural memory, connecting present practices to ancestral worldviews through the continuity of visual language.

<p>Praamžius  occupies a fundamental position in Lithuanian mythology, particularly within  creation myths and the structure of the ancient pantheon. The name itself,  translating to <em>"Eternal"</em> or  <em>"Primordial,"</em> underscores this deity's  foundational status in Baltic cosmology as an originating creative force that  precedes and underlies existence itself.</p><p>Unlike the  anthropomorphic depictions common to many mythological traditions, Praamžius  is primarily conceptual, representing universal principles rather than  appearing in a defined physical form. This abstract quality reflects a  sophisticated theological understanding that transcends simple  personification of natural forces.</p><p>In mythological  narratives, Praamžius is portrayed as the originator of all life, determining  fundamental destinies while allowing beings to shape their external  attributes through their will—a nuanced concept that balances predestination  with free will. The mythology depicts Praamžius contending with opposing  forces like devils (<em>Velnias</em>), nymphs  (<em>Laumės</em>), witches, and selfish beings, reflecting his  role as a guardian of cosmic order against chaotic or destructive  elements.</p><p>The mythology positions him at the head of a  divine hierarchy, influencing narratives about celestial bodies (the Sun,  Moon), his son Perkūnas (the thunder god), winds, giants, and other  mythological figures. These interconnected stories extend into various folk  traditions including legends, fairy tales, and songs, revealing Praamžius as  the central axis around which Lithuanian mythological cycles  revolve.</p><p>While original narratives about Praamžius often  incorporate Christian influences, demonstrating the syncretism between  indigenous beliefs and later religious traditions, he remains a profound  symbol of cosmic order and creative power in Lithuanian cultural  memory.</p>

Marc McMenamin's report on the unexpected connection between Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley—whose maternal grandmothers are buried in the same church in Ballyshannon, County Donegal—offers fascinating insight into how local history and folklore influenced the development of two defining works of Gothic literature. This geographical coincidence invites deeper consideration of how specific landscapes and local traditions inform even the most universally resonant literary creations.

The report's exploration of how real historical events—particularly the cholera epidemic of 1832—shaped these fictional narratives demonstrates the complex relationship between historical trauma and literary mythology. By incorporating elements from actual catastrophes into their supernatural narratives, both authors created frameworks for processing collective fears and anxieties through displaced fictional contexts. This transformation of historical experience into mythological narrative exemplifies how Gothic literature often addresses real social concerns through symbolic displacement.

The persistence of themes concerning plagues, death, and the undead in local folklore reflects how oral traditions preserved collective memory of historical traumas while providing frameworks for understanding them. These folkloric elements provided crucial material for both Stoker and Shelley, demonstrating how literary innovations often draw on traditional narrative patterns rather than emerging ex nihilo. This connection highlights the essential role of cultural context in shaping even the most seemingly unique artistic visions.

The contributions from Professor Jarlath Killeen of Trinity College Dublin and local historian Brian Drummond exemplify contemporary scholarly approaches to understanding the relationship between folklore, history, and literary creation. By examining how local traditions influenced works that would eventually reshape global popular culture, this report illuminates the continuous feedback between local specificity and universal themes that characterises the evolution of cultural mythology. The enduring global influence of Dracula and Frankenstein demonstrates how works deeply rooted in specific cultural contexts can transcend their origins to address universal human concerns across diverse cultural boundaries.

The series offers a comprehensive exploration of how Ireland, as a new nation-state, evolved a collective identity over its first seven decades. The shared national narrative, initially framed by founding leaders, evolved through a dynamic interplay of internal and external socio-economic-cultural forces. It reveals the complex process through which societies construct and sustain their sense of collective self

Episode 4 examines how economic challenges in 1950s Ireland catalysed a profound national reckoning with competing mythologies of identity. The clash between romantic pastoral ideals and modernisation imperatives reveals a universal pattern in how societies negotiate transitions through competing narratives of who they are and who they might become.

Seán Ó Mórdha's documentary series presents this period as a critical juncture where Ireland's self-conception was fundamentally contested, illustrating how economic necessities often force reconsideration of cherished national myths. The series demonstrates that moments of economic crisis frequently trigger not just policy debates but deeper existential questions about national character and purpose.

Each episode explores decisive moments in Ireland's evolution, revealing how national identities are constantly renegotiated through an ongoing dialogue between established narratives and emerging realities. The documentary features insights from key political figures and cultural commentators, offering multi-dimensional perspectives on Ireland's struggle to reconcile traditional self-conceptions with modern imperatives.

By examining the tension between idealised pasts and pragmatic futures, the series provides a sophisticated framework for understanding how societies adapt their foundational stories to accommodate changing circumstances. First broadcast in 2000, Seven Ages continues to offer valuable insights into how national mythologies function both as anchors to tradition and as adaptable frameworks that can accommodate—albeit sometimes reluctantly—the inevitability of change.Seven Ages: The Story of the Irish Stateis a landmark documentary series produced in 2000 by Araby Productions for RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland. Directed by Seán Ó Mórdha, this influential seven-part series chronicles Ireland's evolution since its founding in 1921 through key political, social, and cultural moments in history.

The concept of the "riverbody" explored through Belgian composer Peter Benoit's work on the Scheldt River offers a sophisticated framework for understanding how geographical features become repositories of cultural mythology. Rivers, with their literal and metaphorical capacity for flow, connection, and transformation, have provided ideal vehicles for mythological thinking across diverse cultures and historical periods.

Benoit's musical exploration of the Scheldt exemplifies how natural features acquire mythological significance through the accretion of historical, cultural, and emotional associations. The river becomes not merely a physical watercourse but a living entity that embodies collective memories, historical events, and communal values. This transformation of geographical feature into mythological entity demonstrates the persistent human tendency to imbue the material world with symbolic and narrative significance.

The comparison to other mythologised waterways—such as the Nile in Egypt or the Ganges in India—highlights how this pattern of river-based cultural mythology transcends specific cultural contexts. Across civilisations, rivers have functioned as boundary markers, lifelines, trade routes, and symbolic pathways between worlds. Their physical characteristics—flowing from source to mouth, constantly changing yet remaining identifiable, sustaining life while occasionally threatening it—make them natural repositories for complex cultural narratives.

Benoit's compositions represent a modern continuation of this ancient pattern, adapting traditional mythological thinking to contemporary artistic forms. By creating musical interpretations of the Scheldt's symbolic significance, his work demonstrates how mythological thinking continues to evolve through artistic innovation, finding new expressions while maintaining connection to fundamental patterns of human meaning-making. The riverbody thus exemplifies how mythological frameworks persist in ostensibly secular contexts, addressing enduring human needs for narrative coherence and connection to place.

This Baltic leather waistband adorned with brass decorations represents a sophisticated fusion of practical function and mythological expression. Archaeological findings of such items throughout the Baltic region reveal how everyday objects served as carriers of cultural identity and cosmic understanding in traditional societies.

The intricate brass fittings, featuring geometric patterns and solar symbols, transform a utilitarian item into a statement of both social status and spiritual alignment. The sun motif, recurring throughout Baltic decorative arts, connects the wearer to cycles of life, fertility, and temporal order—fundamental concepts in agricultural societies whose prosperity depended on cosmic regularity.

Beyond indicating social standing, such elaborately decorated belts likely served protective functions, with specific motifs believed to safeguard the wearer from various harms. This integration of practical, social, and apotropaic functions illustrates how pre-modern societies operated with more unified conceptual frameworks than modern compartmentalised thinking allows, seeing no contradiction between practical purpose and symbolic meaning.

The combination of leather and brass demonstrates not only technical skill but conceptual sophistication, bringing together animal-derived and earth-derived materials to create an object that mediates between different realms. This material hybridity mirrors the belt's function as a boundary marker on the human body, encircling the waist at the juncture of upper and lower body. Such items provide tangible evidence of how mythological thinking permeated everyday life in traditional Baltic societies, embedding cosmic understanding in the most practical aspects of material culture.

This Baltic brass brooch exemplifies how decorative objects in traditional societies functioned as carriers of cosmological understanding. Featuring sun and plant motifs drawn from archaeological findings dating to the Roman Iron Age, the brooch demonstrates the sophisticated visual language through which Baltic peoples expressed their relationship to natural and supernatural realms.

The prominence of solar imagery in Baltic decorative arts reflects the central role of the sun in pre-Christian European mythologies. As a symbol of life, regeneration, and cosmic order, the sun motif connects the wearer to universal cycles while simultaneously marking cultural particularity through specific stylistic execution. This dual function—expressing both universal patterns and cultural distinctiveness—characterises effective mythological symbols across cultures.

The integration of plant imagery alongside solar motifs creates a visual narrative of cosmic fertility—the sun's generative influence on earthly growth. This relationship between celestial and terrestrial realms represents a fundamental pattern in agricultural mythologies worldwide, where human prosperity depends on correctly understanding and ritually acknowledging cosmic influences.

The brooch's function transcended mere decoration, serving simultaneously as practical fastener, status marker, and potentially protective talisman. This multidimensional functionality illustrates how pre-modern societies integrated practical, social, and spiritual concerns within unified symbolic systems rather than separating them into distinct domains. The preservation and contemporary reproduction of such designs demonstrates how mythological symbols maintain cultural resonance even when detached from their original belief contexts, serving as tangible connections to ancestral worldviews.

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA), one of Belgium's premier cultural institutions established in 1810, houses a pencil sketch titled Sphinx, Inventory No. 3257/25, by the Belgian artist Paul Joostens (1889-1960), whose diverse career encompassed multiple artistic movements of the early 20th century.

This artwork depicts the sphinx, a mythological creature with ancient origins in Egyptian tradition that was later adopted and transformed in Greek mythology. Typically represented with the body of a lion and the head of a human (usually female in Greek depictions), the sphinx embodied mystery, riddles, and the boundary between the known and unknown realms of knowledge.

Joostens's approach to this mythological subject would have been informed by his multifaceted artistic development. Trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, he began with Cubist paintings before becoming associated with Dadaism and abstraction, collaborating with avant-garde figures like poet Paul van Ostaijen. In the mid-1920s, he developed what he called his "Gothic Joostens" style, influenced by Flemish Primitive painters like Hans Memling.

His interpretation of the sphinx likely reflects this complex artistic journey, potentially incorporating elements from multiple periods of his stylistic evolution. The sphinx, with its hybrid nature and associations with enigma, would have provided rich symbolic material for an artist known for exploring diverse styles and themes ranging from the experimental to the traditional.

This sketch exemplifies how mythological subjects continued to inspire artistic interpretation throughout modernism, with ancient symbols acquiring new meanings and formal treatments as artists reimagined them through contemporary aesthetic approaches.

The woodcut Minerva and Mercurio (Inventory No. 10558) at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) represents a printer's mark associated with Jan van Meurs, a significant figure in Antwerp's printing industry during the early modern period when the city was one of Europe's most important publishing centres.

This printer's mark features two classical deities: Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, crafts, and strategic warfare (equivalent to the Greek Athena), appears on the left, while Mercury, messenger of the gods and patron of commerce, communication, and eloquence (Greek Hermes), is depicted on the right. The choice of these particular deities for a printer's mark is significant, as they represent the intellectual and commercial aspects of the printing trade during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

The woodcut is attributed to Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the foremost Flemish Baroque painter whose influence extended beyond painting to design work for various media, including book illustrations and prints. Rubens frequently incorporated classical references in his work, reflecting the humanist education and values prevalent among cultural elites of the period.

Printer's marks functioned similarly to modern logos, identifying the origin of books and establishing brand recognition in the early modern book trade. The use of mythological figures in these marks reflects the Renaissance interest in classical antiquity and demonstrates how printers positioned themselves as disseminators of learning and culture, not merely commercial producers.

This particular woodcut exemplifies the intersection of commercial practice, artistic craftsmanship, and classical learning that characterised elite print culture in 17th-century Antwerp, offering insight into how mythology permeated even the practical aspects of knowledge production and dissemination.

This traditional Lithuanian folk song, documented by Jonas Basanavičius (1851-1927) as part of his extensive fieldwork collecting Lithuanian cultural expressions in the late 19th century, represents a significant element of Lithuania's intangible cultural heritage. The preservation of such folk songs was particularly important during a period when Lithuanian national identity was under pressure from Russification policies imposed by the Tsarist regime.

Basanavičius, often referred to as the "Patriarch of the Nation," played a central role in the Lithuanian National Revival movement, recognising that cultural expressions like folk songs were essential repositories of linguistic tradition and collective memory. His systematic documentation of songs and tales from villages across the Lithuanian-speaking territories created an invaluable archive of cultural knowledge that might otherwise have been lost to modernisation and political suppression.

The song's title, which translates as "A Warm, Beautiful Little Autumn," immediately establishes its connection to seasonal rhythms and agricultural life. Lithuanian folk songs typically reflect the deep relationship between rural communities and the natural environment, marking transitions between seasons and acknowledging the importance of weather patterns for agricultural prosperity.

The diminutive form used in the title (rudenėlis rather than rudenis) is characteristic of Lithuanian folk expression, where diminutives express affection and intimacy rather than simply indicating small size. This linguistic feature creates a sense of familiar, personal relationship with natural phenomena and seasonal cycles.

The preservation of this cultural expression by the Lithuanian Literature and Folklore Institute's Lithuanian Folklore Archive ensures continued access to these traditions, maintaining connections between contemporary Lithuanian society and its pre-industrial cultural heritage. This institutional commitment to preserving oral traditions reflects the recognition that such expressions contain valuable insights into historical relationships between communities and their environments.

The phenomenon of American presidents emphasising their Irish ancestry represents a sophisticated exercise in transnational mythmaking, where personal genealogy becomes entwined with national narratives on both sides of the Atlantic. This complex cultural exchange demonstrates how immigration patterns create enduring mythological frameworks that transcend geographical and temporal boundaries.

The roots of this phenomenon lie in the massive Irish emigration of the 19th and 20th centuries, which created diasporic communities that maintained strong cultural identification with Ireland while developing distinctive Irish-American identities. The success of Irish-American politicians in reaching national leadership positions transformed narratives of displacement and marginalisation into powerful stories of achievement and integration, creating mythological frameworks that reinterpreted historical trauma through the lens of ultimate triumph.

Presidential visits to Ireland function as sophisticated ritualistic performances that transcend mere diplomatic encounters. These carefully choreographed events serve as moments of national narrative construction, where personal genealogical connections acquire broader geopolitical significance. The reciprocal nature of these interactions demonstrates how national identities are continuously negotiated through symbolic exchanges that benefit both parties—providing American presidents with culturally resonant origin stories while affirming Ireland's global significance despite its small size.

The theoretical frameworks of diaspora studies, postcolonial theory, and cultural anthropology illuminate how these presidential narratives represent complex processes of identity formation rather than simple historical facts. By selectively emphasising certain aspects of their heritage while downplaying others, presidents engage in mythmaking that addresses contemporary political needs while maintaining sufficient connection to historical reality to remain credible. This phenomenon thus exemplifies how modern political identities continue to be constructed through mythological thinking, adapting traditional patterns to serve contemporary purposes.

Pagan Rave represents an innovative, ongoing performance-based project that reimagines traditional folk customs and seasonal rituals of Ireland for contemporary contexts. Rather than treating these traditions as static cultural artifacts to be preserved, the project approaches them as living practices that can be adapted and revitalised for current communities.

Taking as its foundation the costumed figures and characters from Irish and European folk theatre and seasonal festivals, Pagan Rave operates at the boundaries between past and present, tradition and innovation. The project seeks to embody the transformative and liberating aspects of masks and music in ceremonial contexts, exploring how these traditional elements can create meaningful communal experiences in contemporary society.

The project manifests in various forms and scales. Some events are large, community-oriented festivals involving scores of performer-participants and hundreds of spectators, creating immersive experiences that connect communities to seasonal rhythms and shared cultural heritage. Others are more intimate gatherings with smaller groups, focused on exploring ritual space through mask, music, and movement to access altered states of consciousness. Some manifestations are purely celebratory, emphasising communal enjoyment and festivity.

Pagan Rave maintains connections with related musical projects, including Aeons, an electronica band founded by Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, and the musical collective Mr Muntz. These collaborations demonstrate how traditional practices can find new expressions through contemporary media and performance styles.

This initiative exemplifies how mythological and ritual traditions remain vital through adaptation and reinterpretation, rather than through simple preservation. By engaging bodily, communally, and emotionally with traditional forms, Pagan Rave demonstrates the continuing relevance of ritual practices in creating meaningful shared experiences in modern contexts.

Bluiríní Béaloidis is a podcast from the National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin. It explores the rich landscape of Irish and European folk traditions. Each episode journeys through diverse cultural narratives, revealing how understanding our traditional heritage can illuminate our present and guide our future. By uncovering the stories, beliefs, and practices embedded in folklore, the podcast invites listeners to discover the depth and complexity of our shared cultural inheritance.

Fairy Forts
Across the Irish countryside, scattered through fields, valleys, and forgotten corners, lie countless earthwork mounds, cairns, and tumuli—relics of early human habitation dating back to prehistoric times. These ancient sites have acquired profound supernatural significance over centuries, regarded in folk tradition as the dwellings of Na Daoine Maithe (The Good People), a euphemistic term for fairies in Irish folklore.

Far removed from the whimsical fairies of Victorian imagination or contemporary popular culture, these beings were conceptualised as an ancient, otherworldly community that coexisted with humans within the natural landscape. Both feared and revered, they were believed to wield considerable influence over human lives, capable of bestowing both blessings and curses. Their ambiguous nature—neither entirely benevolent nor wholly malicious—reflects the complex relationship between Irish rural communities and the unpredictable forces of nature.

In this edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis from Ireland's National Folklore Collection, hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon explore the rich history and intricate role of fairies in Irish tradition. Their discussion challenges popular misconceptions, uncovering the origins, habitats, and rituals associated with these enigmatic beings. By examining connections to fallen angels, pre-Christian deities, and nature spirits, the episode traces how various cultural and religious influences shaped beliefs about the fairy world.

The enduring belief in fairy forts and reluctance to disturb them—even well into the 20th century and occasionally persisting today—demonstrates how mythological narratives can influence practical behaviour and land use over remarkable time spans. These sites became focal points where abstract beliefs manifested in concrete interactions with the landscape, creating spatially defined areas where ordinary rules were suspended.

This exploration reveals how mythological beliefs function not merely as entertaining stories but as frameworks for interpreting the environment, explaining misfortune, and maintaining connections to ancestral landscapes.

Pauline Lebbe's analysis of Belgian art songs set to symbolist texts offers valuable insights into how mythological thinking adapted to modernist artistic contexts. During the period between the 1880s and the Second World War, Belgium became a creative crucible where literary symbolism—with its emphasis on suggestion, evocation, and transcendence—found powerful musical expression through art songs that created new mythological frameworks for understanding human experience.

The collaboration between musicians, artists, critics, theorists, and concert organisers described by Lebbe exemplifies how cultural mythologies emerge not from isolated genius but from complex creative ecosystems. These interconnected networks facilitated the cross-pollination of ideas across different artistic disciplines, producing innovative works that responded to the spiritual and existential challenges of modernity while drawing on both traditional and newly invented symbolic languages.

Symbolist art songs, though less well-known than their literary and visual counterparts, represent a significant adaptation of mythological thinking to modern artistic forms. By combining evocative texts with sophisticated musical settings, these compositions created multisensory experiences that functioned similarly to traditional mythological narratives—providing frameworks for understanding aspects of experience that resist literal description while evoking emotional responses that transcend rational comprehension.

The rich collaborative environment Lebbe describes demonstrates how mythological thinking continued to thrive in ostensibly secular, modernist contexts. Rather than abandoning symbolic understanding in favour of scientific rationalism, these artists created new mythologies that addressed the psychological and spiritual needs of a rapidly changing society. This cultural moment offers valuable perspective on how mythological thinking continually reinvents itself to remain relevant in new contexts, adapting traditional symbolic languages while developing innovative forms of expression.

Ireland's journey in the 1990 World Cup offers a compelling case study in how sporting events transform into powerful national mythology. What began as a football tournament became a transcendent cultural moment, demonstrating how societies create narratives that far exceed the literal significance of the events that inspired them.

Set against a backdrop of economic hardship and political uncertainty, Ireland's unexpected success under Jack Charlton provided not merely entertainment but a canvas onto which collective hopes and anxieties could be projected. The nation's first ever World Cup saw the team progress to the quarter-finals catalysing a nationwide catharsis, temporarily unifying a society often divided by political tensions and social challenges. This phenomenon represents a classic example of how successful national mythologies often emerge from moments of shared emotional experience rather than rational planning.

The mythological resonance of Italia '90 invokes universal archetypal patterns—the underdog's journey, the symbolic battle against powerful opponents, the testing of national character on an international stage. The iconic images of packed pubs and streets filled with celebrating crowds have become ritualistic scenes in Ireland's collective memory, functioning as visual shorthand for a moment when national identity was intensely felt rather than merely conceptualised.

Perhaps most significantly, Italia '90 demonstrates how contemporary societies still create and consume mythology in ostensibly secular and rational contexts. The tournament's elevation from sporting event to national touchstone reveals the persistent human need for shared narratives that transcend individual experience. Like all effective mythologies, its power lies not in factual achievements but in symbolic resonance—creating a narrative that continues to function as an emotional reference point in Irish cultural consciousness, far exceeding its significance as a mere football tournament.