Works of uncertain authorship or authenticity, originally referring to religious texts not included in the biblical canon. In broader cultural use, it describes any collection of stories or writings of doubtful or spurious origin.
From Greek 'apokryphos' meaning 'hidden' or 'secret,' from 'apokryptein' (to hide away). Originally described religious texts kept hidden from general readership, later applied to any work whose authenticity or canonical status was questionable.
The Gnostic Gospels are Christian apocrypha that offer radically different versions of Jesus's story - imagine if the Gospel of Mary Magdalene had made it into the Bible! Shakespeare has his own apocrypha of disputed plays that scholars still debate, showing how questions of authorship can reshape our understanding of cultural heritage.
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