Gamayun

Gamayun (representation in a painting by Viktor Vasnetsov).

Gamayun is a prophetic bird of Russian folklore. It is a symbol of wisdom and knowledge, and lives on an island in the mythical east, close to paradise. Like the Sirin and the Alkonost, other creatures likewise deriving ultimately from the Greek myths and siren mythology,^[1][2] the Gamayun is normally depicted as a large bird with a woman's head.

Popular culture

In his esoteric cosmography Roza Mira (1997), Daniil Andreev maintains that Sirins, Alkonosts, and Gamayuns are transformed into Archangels in Paradise.

In a telephone call between the characters the Duke of York and Queen Elizabeth in the 10th episode of the first season of the Netflix television series, The Crown,^[3] the situation of the royals is analogized as being like the Gamayuns, creatures a fusion of two beings, never succeeding in being either.

References

1. Boguslawski, Alexander (1999). "Religious Lubok". Winter Park, FL | via Rollins College: self-published. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
2. [Unknown author] (2009). Персонажи славянской мифологии (in Russian). Retrieved 16 April 2009.
3. Singh, Anita (19 August 2015). "£100m Netflix Series Recreates Royal Wedding". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.

Further reading

• [Surname withheld], Janey (2008). "Slavic Creation Myth: Translated from Songs of the Bird Gamayun" (blog). self-published. Retrieved 18 November 2016 – via Wordpress.
• [Unknown author] (2008). "Песни птицы Гамаюн" [Songs of the Bird Gamayun] (in Russian). Retrieved 18 November 2016.
• Koryikova M. & Epimakhov A. (2007). The Urals and Western Siberia in the Bronze and Iron Ages (Cambridge World Archaeology). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521829281.

• Torpie, Kate (2007). Groovy Tubes: Mythical Beasts. Groovy Tube Books (children's illustrated ed.). Norwalk, CT: InnovativeKids. p. 23. ASIN B002YX0E8Y. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
• Matthews, John & Matthews, Caitlin (2010). The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A–Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic (children's illustrated ed.). London: HarperCollins UK. p. 16. ISBN 0007365055. Retrieved 18 November 2016.