Culture

A (fictional) interview with a man who has remained forever young, thanks to his penchant for drinking a certain red fluid. Tomasz Wiśniewski

A poem in the style of the ancient eponymous epic, describing the mythical Mesopotamian hero’s pursuit of immortality. Grzegorz Uzdański

In his latest book “The Last White Man,” novelist Mohsin Hamid crafts a meditation on how external transformation can lead to an internal metamorphosis. Paulina Wilk

Scholar of religion Mircea Eliade observed that myths help similar customs and behaviors to develop in both religious and secularized societies. Tomasz Wiśniewski

The capital of North Macedonia was reconstructed as an ancient city in the 21st century—an expensive project that was backwards looking and ignored its inhabitants’ needs. Stach Szabłowski

In 1947, a trio of Bedouin shepherds came across a remarkable find near the Qumrān ruins in Palestine—or so the sensational story goes. Aleksandra Woźniak-Marchewka

From glass balls to ancient skulls, the transparent variety of the mineral quartz was for centuries believed to be imbued with mystical powers. Tomasz Wichrowski

White Tara is a mother deity who represents love and compassion—and can grant believers health and longevity. Aleksandra Woźniak-Marchewka

Some unsolved mysteries—especially those made from flour, sugar, butter, and eggs—can end up being remarkably delicious. Matthew Coachinger

On the existential despair of a supercomputer, which is forced to play tournaments again and again—and never lose. Matthew Coachinger

The 19th-century collection of fantastical tales “Nobleman Zavalnya” helped popularize Belarusian literature and folk culture—150 years after it was published. Mikołaj Gliński

The Polish pedagogue and children’s author developed an interest in the religions and culture of India and beyond, which informed his worldview amid the brutality of war. Agnieszka Witkowska-Krych

The great Bengali polymath was an intellectual giant; a poet, thinker, social reformer, and much more, who reshaped the culture of his homeland. Paulina Wilk

Fossilized tree resin has been valued for thousands of years, not only because of its yellowy-orange hue, but also for its supposed ritual and medical properties. Tomasz Wichrowski

Shapeshifting trickster foxes are part of Chinese and Japanese folklore. Often portrayed as women, their mythological presence reveals social attitudes and anxieties. Maciej Świetlik

A selection of illustrated short poems, written by the great modernizer of Bengali art and culture. Rabindranath Tagore