The Owl in Mythology

The owl is one of the few birds to have been found in prehistoric cave paintings. Owls have been both revered and feared throughout many civilisations over the centuries.

In ancient Greece, owls were often seen as a symbol of good fortune. The idea of the 'wise old owl' may have come from being associated with the Little Owl of the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena.

The Romans on the other hand, saw owls as omens of impending disaster. Hearing the hoot of an owl indicated an imminent death, To ward off evil caused by an owl, they believed that the offending owl should be killed and nailed to the door of the affected house.

Beliefs about owls varied between ancient American Indian tribes. Some tribes viewed owls as harbingers of sickness & death. Other tribes saw them as protective spirits, others believed them to be the souls of living or recently departed people and should be treated with respect. Some tribes even saw the owls as earthly incarnations of their gods,