The Islands of the Sirens
Three small islands off Italy's Amalfi Coast were said to be home to the Sirens, whose song lured sailors onto the rocks.
What was reported
Li Galli are three small islands off the Amalfi Coast, known in ancient times as the Sirenuse, the islands of the Sirens. In Greek myth, the Sirens' irresistible singing drew passing sailors to wreck on the rocks.
In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus has his crew plug their ears with wax and tie him to the mast, so he can hear the song and live. In the 20th century the islands were owned by the choreographer Léonide Massine and later by the dancer Rudolf Nureyev.
Explanations offered
The Sirens are creatures of myth, and several places around the Mediterranean claimed them. Some suggest the stories reflect the real dangers of rocky coasts, and the sounds of wind and waves among the rocks. The islands are private and can be seen only from the sea.
- When
- Ancient legend
- Where
- Li Galli, off Positano, Amalfi Coast, Italy
- Witnesses
- Ancient Greek poets, and the sailors of their stories
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.