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This image was taken looking into Russia from Paatsjoki Bridge in North-East Finland and looks to us like a very, very angry god indeed. Local Aurora Hunter, Markku Inkila describes Paatsjoki Bridge as
The best place in the world to see the Northern Lights.
Here’s how to find out for yourself......if you are brave enough!
https://www.theaurorazone.com/holidays/nellim-tailor-made
Image: Markku Inkila
Scary Movie
The indigenous Sami reindeer herders of the 17th century will never have seen any horror movies but who needs Hollywood when you have auroral displays like this one to contend with?
https://www.theaurorazone.com/holidays/harriniva-northern-lights-hunter
Image: Antti Pietikianen
Seductive Fire Dragons
One belief held in certain parts of Russia held that the Aurora Borealis was “Ognenniy Zmey”, a fire dragon.
When the menfolk were away, this dragon would come to the village looking to seduce the women.
https://www.theaurorazone.com/holidays/harriniva-aurora-escape
Image: Antti Pietikainen
Lighting the Way to the Next World
Some of our ancestors believed that the Northern Lights were torches which guided defeated warriors to the next world.
They certainly appear to be pointing the way in this image from Finnish Lapland.
https://www.theaurorazone.com/holidays/Torassieppi-lakeside-auroras
Image: Antti Pietikainen
Little Green Men from Mars
We can’t actually find any myths or legends associating the Northern Lights with alien life but look closely and you can see the archetypal depiction of a green-faced alien with huge extended eyes and a long gash where we would expect the nose to be.
https://www.theaurorazone.com/holidays/harriniva-northern-lights-quest
Image: Antti Pietikainen
Spirits in the Sky
Roman mythology held that Janus, the God of Transition had two faces one of which looked back into the past and the other to the future (rather like the faces depicted in our image below). While it’s highly unlikely that the Northern Lights would have been a frequent visitor as far south as Rome, images such as this one certainly illustrate why folk further north believed the Aurora to be spirits in the sky.
Giant Green Owls
We’ve spent a considerable amount of time researching the folklore, myths and legends that surround the Aurora Borealis but, as deep as we dug, we couldn’t find a single reference to Giant Green Owls swooping down on its unsuspecting prey.
Perhaps we need to start a Northern Lights rumour of our own............
https://www.theaurorazone.com/holidays/northern-lights-holiday-in-nellim-autumn-lights-in-lapland
Image: Markku Inkila— at www.theaurorazone.com.
For more information about the myths and legends associated with the Aurora Borealis why not visit the section of our website that is dedicated to just that subject?
https://www.theaurorazone.com/about-the-aurora/aurora-legends
To see the Northern Lights up close and personal, please have a look at our wide range of dedicated Aurora hunting trips*.
*NB. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings can never be guaranteed