Gorgons

In Greek mythology, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa are monstrous sisters whose gaze could turn people to stone. Medusa alone was mortal.

Connect

Medusa: A mortal Gorgon in Greek mythology whose gaze turned people to stone; Perseus killed her. She is the best-known sister and the only mortal Gorgon.
Hesiod: An ancient Greek poet traditionally dated to the late eighth or early seventh century BCE. His Theogony gives an early account of the Gorgons’ lineage.
Petrification: The transformation of a living being into stone, whether in myth, fiction, or geology. The Gorgons’ gaze is a mythic cause of bodily petrification.
Apotropaic magic: Practices and images intended to ward off harm or evil. Gorgon faces were displayed to repel danger through their frightening power.
Stheno: An immortal Gorgon sister of Medusa and Euryale in Greek mythology. She is one of the two immortal sisters in the trio.
Theogony: An ancient Greek poem by Hesiod that narrates the origins of the gods and the cosmos. It names the Gorgons as daughters of Phorcys and Ceto.
Perseus and Medusa: A Greek myth in which Perseus kills Medusa without looking directly at her face. The reflected image allows Perseus to approach the Gorgon safely.
Ancient Greek pottery: Ceramic vessels produced in ancient Greece, often decorated with mythological scenes and figures. Gorgons appear on vessels as both narrative figures and protective images.
Euryale: An immortal Gorgon sister of Medusa and Stheno in Greek mythology. Her immortality distinguishes her from Medusa.
Phorcys: A primordial Greek sea god, paired with Ceto and father of several monstrous beings. He is named as the Gorgons’ father in Hesiod’s account.