Kashmiri Pandit
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Throughout history, tales have been told to explorers about mythical places that no-one has ever seen – cities of gold, valleys of milk and honey, a Baskin-Robbin’s which really does carry all 32 flavors. Many people have gone in search of these places, but none have succeeded and some have not come back at all. The cities of gold may still be out there if you look hard enough – pick up all the clues you need in our Top 10 Mythical Places.
10. El Dorado
This South American legend is possibly the most famous city of gold, thanks to the Disney adaptation of the story, and the failed British soap opera that used its name. But it’s also the most misinterpreted myth, as El Dorado was never a place, but a person. It was apparently the name given to the rulers ofMuisca society, who would cover themselves in gold every morning, and bathe in a sacred lake to wash it off again (the Muisca people saw gold as spiritually valuable rather than materially valuable). But when this legend reached the ears of greedy Spanish conquistadors, all they noted was the abundance of gold…and the story grew so that it was an entire city made of gold rather than an individual. The Muisca people did have amazingly intricate pieces of gold artwork, so looters would not be disappointed, but there was never a city called El Dorado that fitted the legend.
9. Shangri-La
The name Shangri-La itself is a fairly modern invention, originating in a 1933 novel called “Lost Horizon” by James Hilton. It tells of a mystical valley somewhere in Tibet, in the shadow of a tall mountain, where modern ways are rejected and the Earth is enjoyed in all its natural purity. It is also the place where all the wisdom of the world is kept. But this idea did not originate in 1933 – according to documents from a 16th century Monghul court, the Emperor there told of a mystical kingdom where all religions originated and where communities of Christians lived. This was passed on to a Portuguese missionary named Antonio Andrade, who went in search of this kingdom, found Tibet but did not find the Christians. However, the idea inspired Hilton’s novel, as did a similar idea in Buddhism where the valley is known as Shambala. It’s an appealing idea, but almost certainly a work of fiction.
8. Thule
This next place comes from Norse mythology and is an island that was said to be between Scandinavia and Iceland, around 6 days’ north of Great Britain. As you can imagine, it was fairly cold and they had months without sunlight due to the extreme north latitude, and yet Thule has still taken on the guise of an idyllic place, with a Greek commentator of the 4th century describing it thus: “the people (of Thule) live on millet and other herbs, and on fruits and roots; and where there are grain and honey, the people get their beverage, also, from them”. This land of fruit and honey in the frozen Arctic has continued to fascinate people, with some devoting hours of time to pinpointing exactly where Thule is. Others dismiss it as just an ancient name for Norway. But who knows? The blue-painted people of Thule could be out on their island farming their fruit right now….and we just haven’t found them yet.
7. Cockaigne
But forget the honey of Thule for a second…if you want a mythical land that’s really going to delight your inner gourmet, head for Cockaigne – the land of plenty where food never runs short. There are houses topped with pie, and cheese-trees for all to feast on. The idea comes from medieval mythology – in a Europe that had been swept by war, plague and poverty, the idea of a land where you could lie back and let an entire roast fowl fly into your mouth was inspirational. It probably originates from Islamic mythology originally, as the Muslim idea of Heaven from the Qur’an is luxurious and contains plenty of food, including “the flesh of fowls that they desire.” So it may be less of a mythical land and more of a final destination…for some.
6. Quivira
Similar to the El Dorado legend, but a few thousand miles further north, this was a legendary province that was said to contain seven cities of gold. It was around 1540 that Spanish explorers in New Mexico heard of the legend, and set out to find it. Sadly, all they found was some copper and iron. The exact location of Quivira has never been established, with several states claiming it, including Kansas. But that only fuels the legend, and Quivira has appeared in many works of literature and the name has been used for a vineyard, among other things.
10. El Dorado
This South American legend is possibly the most famous city of gold, thanks to the Disney adaptation of the story, and the failed British soap opera that used its name. But it’s also the most misinterpreted myth, as El Dorado was never a place, but a person. It was apparently the name given to the rulers ofMuisca society, who would cover themselves in gold every morning, and bathe in a sacred lake to wash it off again (the Muisca people saw gold as spiritually valuable rather than materially valuable). But when this legend reached the ears of greedy Spanish conquistadors, all they noted was the abundance of gold…and the story grew so that it was an entire city made of gold rather than an individual. The Muisca people did have amazingly intricate pieces of gold artwork, so looters would not be disappointed, but there was never a city called El Dorado that fitted the legend.
9. Shangri-La
The name Shangri-La itself is a fairly modern invention, originating in a 1933 novel called “Lost Horizon” by James Hilton. It tells of a mystical valley somewhere in Tibet, in the shadow of a tall mountain, where modern ways are rejected and the Earth is enjoyed in all its natural purity. It is also the place where all the wisdom of the world is kept. But this idea did not originate in 1933 – according to documents from a 16th century Monghul court, the Emperor there told of a mystical kingdom where all religions originated and where communities of Christians lived. This was passed on to a Portuguese missionary named Antonio Andrade, who went in search of this kingdom, found Tibet but did not find the Christians. However, the idea inspired Hilton’s novel, as did a similar idea in Buddhism where the valley is known as Shambala. It’s an appealing idea, but almost certainly a work of fiction.
8. Thule
This next place comes from Norse mythology and is an island that was said to be between Scandinavia and Iceland, around 6 days’ north of Great Britain. As you can imagine, it was fairly cold and they had months without sunlight due to the extreme north latitude, and yet Thule has still taken on the guise of an idyllic place, with a Greek commentator of the 4th century describing it thus: “the people (of Thule) live on millet and other herbs, and on fruits and roots; and where there are grain and honey, the people get their beverage, also, from them”. This land of fruit and honey in the frozen Arctic has continued to fascinate people, with some devoting hours of time to pinpointing exactly where Thule is. Others dismiss it as just an ancient name for Norway. But who knows? The blue-painted people of Thule could be out on their island farming their fruit right now….and we just haven’t found them yet.
7. Cockaigne
But forget the honey of Thule for a second…if you want a mythical land that’s really going to delight your inner gourmet, head for Cockaigne – the land of plenty where food never runs short. There are houses topped with pie, and cheese-trees for all to feast on. The idea comes from medieval mythology – in a Europe that had been swept by war, plague and poverty, the idea of a land where you could lie back and let an entire roast fowl fly into your mouth was inspirational. It probably originates from Islamic mythology originally, as the Muslim idea of Heaven from the Qur’an is luxurious and contains plenty of food, including “the flesh of fowls that they desire.” So it may be less of a mythical land and more of a final destination…for some.
6. Quivira
Similar to the El Dorado legend, but a few thousand miles further north, this was a legendary province that was said to contain seven cities of gold. It was around 1540 that Spanish explorers in New Mexico heard of the legend, and set out to find it. Sadly, all they found was some copper and iron. The exact location of Quivira has never been established, with several states claiming it, including Kansas. But that only fuels the legend, and Quivira has appeared in many works of literature and the name has been used for a vineyard, among other things.
