geomythology means the study of myths concerning geological features and events that may refer to verifiable geological phenomena. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Why “geomythology” is a great word
GEOMYTHOLOGY — [Noun] The study of myths that describe or explain geological features and events, interpreting them as reflections of actual prehistoric phenomena. From the prefix geo- (of or relating to the earth) + mythology (the study or collection of myths), coined in 1968 by geologist Dorothy Vitaliano. Unlike mythology (which charts the cosmologies of gods and heroes) or geology (which analyzes physical processes through data), geomythology is the liminal science where both intersect. It is a fossilized memory of a tsunami in a legend of a vengeful sea-god, a volcanic eruption preserved in a story of a mountain breathing fire, and the slow uplift of a range in a tale of a buried giant. This discipline listens for the tremor of truth in the bedrock of a tale, finding in the earth's scars the evidence of a story lived.
Etymology
From geo- + mythology, coined in 1968 by Dorothy Vitaliano, a geologist at Indiana University.
noun
- The study of myths concerning geological features and events that may refer to verifiable geological phenomena.