Amazons were the warrior-women in Greek myths. In the stories, they were so fierce that even the Sun was afraid and refused to visit them so their country was dark and icy. They broke the legs of all male babies, to cripple them; only females were allowed to grow up to become warriors. The Amazons cut off their right breasts to make it easier to throw spears and shoot with bows and arrows. They ate raw meat and dark mares's milk and fresh, warm blood.
To the ancient Greeks, Amazons existed only in stories. They were unreal as monsters, giants or witches.
But 2,000 years later, when the first European explorers landed in South America, they faced female and male warriors armed with arrows, spears and blowpipes. The warriors never showed themselves, vanishing into the forests before they could be caught. The Europeans thought that their enemies must be descendants of the ancient Amazons, so they called the area Amazonia, and its swirling waterway the River Amazon.
To the ancient Greeks, Amazons existed only in stories. They were unreal as monsters, giants or witches.
But 2,000 years later, when the first European explorers landed in South America, they faced female and male warriors armed with arrows, spears and blowpipes. The warriors never showed themselves, vanishing into the forests before they could be caught. The Europeans thought that their enemies must be descendants of the ancient Amazons, so they called the area Amazonia, and its swirling waterway the River Amazon.
