Introducing the ancient Seven Sisters story and its global presence.

• The Seven Sisters myth is one of the oldest known stories, featuring young women transformed into stars to escape a hunter.
• It is prevalent around the world, with the Greek version being the most famous, involving Orion chasing the daughters of Atlas.
• Mysteries include why the Pleiades are called the Seven Sisters when only six stars are visible and the myth's widespread nature.

Examining the Pleiades constellation's astronomical significance and historical records.

• The Pleiades, young stars that appeared during the time of dinosaurs, have been recorded in human history since 2357 BCE.
• The earliest visual representation is thought to be on the Nebra disk, dated around 3600 years ago, found in Germany.
• The stars are surrounded by a blue nebula, indicative of their youth, and named after Greek mythological figures.

Detailing the Greek myth involving Orion, the Pleiades, and Zeus's intervention.

• Orion, a giant hunter, chased the daughters of Atlas, leading them to seek Zeus's protection.
• Zeus turned the women into doves and then stars, placing them in the constellation of Taurus.
• Despite Zeus's aid, he seduced four sisters, and Orion was placed in the sky, perpetuating the chase in mythology.

Exploring the myth's variations and common motifs in different cultures.

• Over 90 motifs incorporate the Seven Sisters in global mythology, collected and analyzed through a new database.
• Australian myths refer to the story as the Seven Sisters of Dreamtime, with their own unique cultural aspects and rituals.
• Despite varying names and details, the core elements of hunters chasing the women, often linked to Orion, remain consistent.

Narrating the Australian Dreamtime story of the Seven Sisters and its connection to rituals.

• The sisters, made of ice, were pursued by the Belly Belly, who gifted them honey, and by an old ancestor who kidnapped two of them.
• The sisters' melting ice extinguished the ancestor's fire, prompting him to place them in the sky, where some shine brightly.
• This story is deeply ingrained in Australian culture, with rituals such as the coming of age ceremony tied to the Pleiades' appearance.

Explaining the diverse names and stories of the Seven Sisters across Australian tribes.

• Different tribes have their own names and versions of the Seven Sisters myth, commonly involving elements of water like frost or ice.
• The stories are thought to date back to when humans first arrived in Australia, encapsulating cultural narratives and rituals.
• Despite the variations, the similarity to the Greek myth persists, including the association with Orion.

Analyzing the likelihood of a shared origin for the myth between Greek and Australian cultures.

• Theories suggest a common origin for the myth if it is not a coincidence due to the shared motifs of the Pleiades and Orion.
• The possible ancient source of the myth predates European contact with Australia, implying a potential age of at least 70,000 years.
• The myth's widespread nature and the seven stars' visibility in the past lend some support to this hypothesis.

Investigating why the Pleiades are called the Seven Sisters and the lost star phenomenon.

• Historical records suggest there were once seven visible stars, with many cultures developing myths to explain the now missing seventh.
• Astronomical evidence indicates the stars are variable in brightness and may have appeared differently in the past.

Exploring the relationship between the Pleiades' historical visibility and human migration patterns.

• Astronomical mapping suggests that the cluster's stars may have been seen as seven separate stars up to 100,000 years ago.
• The timing correlates with the dispersal of humans from Africa, indicating that the myth could be very ancient.
• However, skepticism exists about the data's accuracy, and the myth's continuity over such a long time is debatable.

Final thoughts on the evidence for the Seven Sisters myth's origin and its historical significance.

• The likelihood of a shared origin for the Greek and Australian myths is challenged by academic skepticism and the need for stronger evidence.
• While the motif of the Pleiades changing from seven to six stars may be ancient, the full narrative's origin remains uncertain.
• The question of whether the Seven Sisters story is the oldest in the world or over 50,000 years old cannot be conclusively answered with current evidence.