Claws of the Griffin and Flying Snakes. Ancient Myths, Historical Curiosities, and Scientific Oddities

For centuries, the history and myths of the Ancient World have intrigued and inspired people. Flaubert was enchanted by Carthage – an empire that most ancient authors depicted as ruthless and barbaric. In modern times, tourists and treasure hunters flocked to the Aegean region, excited by the thought that they were walking where Pericles, Socrates, and Plato once walked. The renowned historian of Antiquity, Adrienne Mayor, explores the boundaries between science and myth, uncovering captivating historical realities beneath legends and folklore. She spent decades searching for intriguing wonders and mysterious curiosities, working with archaeological data, lesser-known sources, and surviving fragments of ancient authors. "Claws of the Griffin and Flying Snakes" is a true treasure trove of 50 of the most astonishing, and at times amusing, discoveries. Fortresses in southern Greece and Ancient China, real mammoths and a fictional dragon slain by Siegfried, Altai and Arabia – together with the author, we travel through places and epochs, discovering new amazing facts.