Electronic Publication/s

Medieval Origin Myths in Eurasian Comparison - Volume 24. 2026

medieval worlds Volume 24. 2026

Stories are at the core of our summer 2026 volume. The thematic cluster, which gives this volume its title and cover illustration, presents origin narratives from 8th-century Japan all the way to early medieval Europe (guest editor: Reinier Langelaar). Its introductory article provides methodological approaches that allow these myths to be read as valuable evidence of historical identity formation. The ensuing seven case studies illustrate the variations and narrative strategies found in early medieval origin stories across Eurasia. Their recurring themes are outlined in the concluding comparative article, which also reflects on the narrative change of these tales.
In the individual article section Christian Gastgeber opens the discussion of practical texts such as prognostics and handy tables for daily use, which circulated widely in the early Middle Ages and were regularly translated. Giving an overview of extant Greek and Latin material, he also provides text editions and translations.
Using the example of the Sinbad/Seven Sages of Rome tradition, Emilie van Opstall develops a new tool for literary comparison to examine shared narratives in different cultural and linguistic contexts. Drawing on the metaphor of a kaleidoscope, her comparison of Greek, Hebrew, Arabic and Latin versions yields new insights into the similarities and differences between the societies that shaped these narratives.
Medieval Origin Myths in Eurasian Comparison - Volume 24. 2026

Details

ISSN Online2412-3196
ISBN-13978-3-7001-5407-5
ISBN-13 Online978-3-7001-5407-5
Subject AreaMedieval Studies
Quality reviewrefereed - online
doi10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026
Walter Pohl, Nina Mirnig, guest editor: Reinier Langelaar

Medieval Origin Myths in Eurasian Comparison - Volume 26. 2026 - complete volume

Frontmatter

Ingrid Hartl ORCID

Table of Contents

page 1

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s1

Ingrid Hartl ORCID, Walter Pohl ORCID

Editorial

page 3

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s3

Individual Articles

Emilie van Opstall

Stories in Motion. The Kaleidoscope as Metaphor in Comparative Studies of The Book of Sindbad the Philosopher/ The Seven Sages of Rome

page 4

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s4

Christian Gastgeber ORCID

Translations from Greek into Latin in the Middle Ages. Some Minor Texts and Diagrams

page 25

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s25

Medieval Origin Myths in Eurasian Comparison
Guest Editor: Reinier Langelaar

Walter Pohl ORCID, Pavlína Rychterová ORCID, Helmut Reimitz ORCID

Origin Myths: Challenges of Interpretation

page 86

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s86

Bernhard Scheid ORCID

Deities of Heaven, deities of Earth, and two aspects of foreignness in Japanese origin myths

page 108

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s108

Walter Pohl ORCID, Pavlína Rychterová ORCID

Ethnic Origin Narratives in Early Medieval Europe

page 129

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s129

Daniel Ziemann ORCID

Bulgarian Origin Legends

page 164

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s164

Sandra Wabnitz

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in the Eurasian Steppe: The Beast Motif in Origin Stories of Eurasian Steppe Peoples, 4th-9th Centuries

page 184

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s184

Joo-Yup Lee

The Origin Myths of the Turkic Peoples: From the Wolf Tale of the Gaoche to the Kazakh Legend of Alasha Khan

page 202

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s202

Julia C. Schneider

Southern Tungusic origin myths in Chinese and Manchu sources

page 221

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s221

Naoíse Mac Sweeney ORCID, Eleni Kopanaki ORCID

Ancient Greek Origin Myths

page 253

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s253

Reinier Langelaar ORCID

Stranger-kings, Animal Guides, and Sibling Trios: Comparative Reflections on Medieval Origin Myths in Eurasia

page 277

doi: 10.1553/medievalworlds_no24_2026s277