Portal:myths

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The Myths Portal

Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the veracity of a myth is not a defining criterion.

Myths are often endorsed by secular and religious authorities and are closely linked to religion or spirituality. Many societies group their myths, legends, and history together, considering myths and legends to be factual accounts of their remote past. In particular, creation myths take place in a primordial age when the world had not achieved its later form. Origin myths explain how a society's customs, institutions, and taboos were established and sanctified. National myths are narratives about a nation's past that symbolize the nation's values. There is a complex relationship between recital of myths and the enactment of rituals. ( Full article...)

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In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse: valkyrja, lit. 'chooser of the slain') is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become einherjar ( Old Norse "single (or once) fighters"). When the einherjar are not preparing for the cataclysmic events of Ragnarök, the valkyries bear them mead. Valkyries also appear as lovers of heroes and other mortals, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty, sometimes accompanied by ravens and sometimes connected to swans or horses.

Valkyries are attested in the Poetic Edda (a book of poems compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources), the Prose Edda, the Heimskringla (both by Snorri Sturluson) and the Njáls saga (one of the Sagas of Icelanders), all written—or compiled—in the 13th century. They appear throughout the poetry of skalds, in a 14th-century charm, and in various runic inscriptions. ( Full article...)

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... that the self-decapitated Hindu goddess Chhinnamasta (pictured) standing on a copulating couple signifies that life, death and sex are interdependent?

... that some modern K'iche' Maya revere rival syncretised forms of the pre-Columbian Moon goddess Awilix that are said to be the lovers of St. James?

...that Maximón, a saint venerated in the highlands of Guatemala, drinks whiskey, smokes cigarettes and grants prayers for revenge?

...that the Ancient Greeks credited Broteas, the ugly son of Tantalus, with an ancient rock-cut cliff-face carving of the Great Mother of the Gods in modern Turkey?

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Featured Articles: Ahalya, Ancient Egyptian literature, King Arthur, Ganesha, Iravan, Orion (mythology), Vampire, Vithoba

Featured Lists: List of valkyrie names in Norse mythology

Good Articles: 2012 phenomenon, Æsir–Vanir War, Ala (demon), Anu, Aphrodite, Athena, Ardhanarishvara, Battle of Barry, Bhikshatana, Catalogue of Women, Chamunda, Chhinnamasta, Consorts of Ganesha, Cú Chulainn, Dhumavati, Dumuzid, Einherjar, Eir, Enlil, Fairy Flag, Fenrir, Gerðr, Hel (being), Huginn and Muninn, Iðunn, Ila (Hinduism), Inanna, Kabandha, Kali, Kamadhenu, Kangiten, Keshi (demon), Khandoba, Kratos (mythology) Krishna, Kubera, LGBT themes in Hindu mythology, Manasa, Mandodari, Matangi, Matrikas, Maya Sita, Mohini, Myrrha, Mythology of Carnivàle, Naraka (Hinduism), Ninurta, Prester John, Prithu, Putana, Rati, Ratatoskr, Revanta, Satyavati, Satyr, Sharabha, Shashthi, Shiva, Sif, Tara (Ramayana), Troilus, Tuisto, Valhalla, Valkyrie, Vampire folklore by region, Varaha, Varahi, Veðrfölnir and eagle Zduhać

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John William Waterhouse, A Mermaid (1900).

In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Mermaids are sometimes associated with perilous events such as floods, storms, shipwrecks, and drownings. In other folk traditions (or sometimes within the same traditions), they can be benevolent or beneficent, bestowing boons or falling in love with humans. ( Full article...)

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Vampire Fenrir Ala (demon) Sharabha Ratatoskr Huginn and Muninn Keshi (demon) Nuckelavee Sea Mither Boobrie Stoor worm Dragon Siren (mythology) Hippocampus (mythology) Phoenix (mythology) Centaur Unicorn Serpent (symbolism) Anzû Cerberus

General images

The following are images from various myth-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2 Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 3King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4This panel by Bartolomeo di Giovanni relates the second half of the Metamorphoses. In the upper left, Jupiter emerges from clouds to order Mercury to rescue Io. (from Myth)
Image 5Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 9The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13The Stone of Destiny (Lia Fáil) at the Hill of Tara, once used as a coronation stone for the High Kings of Ireland (from List of mythological objects)
Image 14Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 16The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 17"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19Lord Vishnu took the form of Beauty Mohini and distributed the Amrita (Ambrosia, Elixir) to Devas. When Rahu (snake dragon) tried to steal the Amrita, his head was cut off (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21Amenonuhoko (天沼矛 or 天之瓊矛 or 天瓊戈, "heavenly jeweled spear") is the name given to the spear in Shinto used to raise the primordial land-mass, Onogoro-shima, from the sea (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 25The Giving of the Seven Bowls of Wrath / The First Six Plagues, Revelation 16:1–16. Matthias Gerung, c. 1531 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2614th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 27Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28 The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 29The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune ( c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 32Ancient Roman relief from the Cathedral of Maria Saal showing the infant twins Romulus and Remus being suckled by a she-wolf (from Comparative mythology)
Image 33 Prometheus (1868) by Gustave Moreau. In the mythos of Hesiodus and possibly Aeschylus (the Greek trilogy Prometheus Bound, Prometheus Unbound and Prometheus Pyrphoros), Prometheus is bound and tortured for giving fire to humanity. (from Myth)
Image 34Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 35Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 37Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 39Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40 Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 411929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 42"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 43The third gift — an enormous hammer (1902) by Elmer Boyd Smith and the ring Draupnir is visible among other creations by the Sons of Ivaldi (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46 Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47 Väinämöinen, the wise demigod and one of the significant characters of Finnish mythological 19th-century epic poetry, The Kalevala (Väinämöinen's Play, Robert Wilhelm Ekman, 1866) (from Myth)
Image 48An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 51Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 53The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55As is usual in bestiaries, the lynx in this late 13th-century English manuscript is shown urinating, the urine turning to the mythical stone Lyngurium (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56The Argo ( c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57Heracles would use arrows dipped in the Hydra's poisonous blood to kill other foes during his Labours, such as Stymphalian birds and the giant (from List of mythological objects)
Image 58The Deluge, frontispiece to Gustave Doré's illustrated edition of the Bible. Based on the story of Noah's Ark, this engraving shows humans and a tiger doomed by the flood futilely attempting to save their children and cubs. (from Comparative mythology)
Image 59Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder ( lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 62Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 63The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 70Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 73Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75 Sampo, a magical artifact of indeterminate type constructed by Ilmarinen that brought riches and good fortune to its holder, in the Finnish epic poetry Kalevala (The Forging of the Sampo, Joseph Alanen, 1911) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 81seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 83Opening lines of one of the Mabinogi myths from the Red Book of Hergest (written pre-13c, incorporating pre-Roman myths of Celtic gods):
Gereint vab Erbin. Arthur a deuodes dala llys yg Caerllion ar Wysc...
(Geraint the son of Erbin. Arthur was accustomed to hold his Court at Caerlleon upon Usk...) (from Myth)
Image 84Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86Image showing the sacred tree to the right of the temple, from Olaus Magnus' Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (1555). To the right of the tree is a depiction of a man being sacrificed in the spring (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)