Archaeology and Geomythology: Virtual Special Issue 12, 2021

Virtual Special Issue of Folklore, 12, 2021: Archaeology & Geomythology

Introduced by Dr Juliette Wood

Listen to Folklore’s 2021 Virtual Special Issue podcast on Archaeology & Geomythology, and explore the featured articles related to the podcast. These articles are free to access by members of The Folklore Society. Articles chosen by the Editor, Jessica Hemming, and podcast written and read by Juliette Wood.

‘Prehistoric sites and other landscape features undoubtedly play an important role in the creation of folk tradition. Their durability creates a feeling of continuity, and this perceived landscape simultaneously connects us to the past and localizes us in the present. Since the 1960s, geomythology, a term coined by the American geologist Dorothy Vitaliano and applied to a wide-range of folk legends by Adrienne Mayor, has provided another perspective from which to view possible links between mythic material and natural phenomena. This year’s Virtual Special Issue presents a selection of articles examining connections between traditional folklore, notable features in the landscape—especially prehistoric sites, and the natural world.’ (Excerpt from Podcast written and read by Juliette Wood)