I’m casually doing some research for a project that might or might materialize many moons from now, and I’m hoping you guys can give me some better places to start than random Google searches.
Specifically, I’m looking for tales from real-world mythology that involve flying ships/vessels. I’m already aware that some such tales exist in Indian and Irish myth; I’m looking for others. Almost any culture is acceptable, with one caveat; it has to come from a religion that’s more or less extinct by the modern world. (I don’t mean forgotten, I just mean no longer actually worshiped/followed by anyone, or at least more than a handful of people. That’s one of the reasons the Indian myths of flying ships aren’t viable for what I’m looking at.)
Vessels that mortals can pilot are preferred, but tales of vessels of the gods are acceptable. Similarly, both magic and old timey "science" are equally viable. And I’m trying to avoid any treatises on "gods as ancient astronauts/aliens," thanks. 😉 (Such sites are why Google is proving less than helpful to me.)
Thanks muchly.
Clarification: I’m looking for actual vessels used as vessels. Things like Apollo’s/Helios’s Chariot of the Sun aren’t really that close a fit, though Ra’s barge–which serves more or less the same purpose–would be. I guess, if you’re not sure if something fits, go ahead and suggest it anyway. It’s easier for me to whittle the options down than to look into something I haven’t thought of. And thanks again. 🙂
