Kurdish Epics and Legends

Kurdish mythology includes Kurdish and Yazidi myths and legends. The Kurds have a very rich folklore, which until recent times has been transmitted mainly through songs, tales or oral histories, from one generation to another. Even if some stories of great Kurdish authors were famous throughout Kurdistan, most of the stories recited and sung were only written in the XXe and XXIe centuries. Many of these, however, are traditionally centuries old.Very varied, Kurdish folklore denotes a great diversity of stories about nature, anthropomorphic animals, chimeras, love, heroes and villains, mythological creatures and everyday life. Some of these mythological figures can be found in other cultures, such as the simurgh, the kaveh from Iranian mythology, and Shahmeran stories from Anatolia. In addition, some stories may have the sole aim of educational or religious teaching.