Portal:Myths

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Myth is a genre of folklore or theology consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that simply refers to something that is not true. Instead, the truth value 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 true accounts of their remote past. In particular, creation myths take place in a primordial age when the world had not achieved its later form. Other myths explain how a society's customs, institutions, and taboos were established and sanctified. There is a complex relationship between recital of myths and the enactment of rituals. (Full article...)

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Zeus holding a thunderbolt. Zeus de Smyrne, discovered in Smyrna in 1680.

Zeus (/zjuːs/, Ancient Greek: Ζεύς) is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. His name is cognate with the first syllable of his Roman equivalent Jupiter.

Zeus is the child of Cronus and Rhea, the youngest of his siblings to be born, though sometimes reckoned the eldest as the others required disgorging from Cronus's stomach. In most traditions, he is married to Hera, by whom he is usually said to have fathered Ares, Eileithyia, Hebe, and Hephaestus. At the oracle of Dodona, his consort was said to be Dione, by whom the Iliad states that he fathered Aphrodite. According to the Theogony, Zeus' first wife was Metis, by whom he had Athena. Zeus was also infamous for his erotic escapades. These resulted in many divine and heroic offspring, including Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Persephone, Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, Helen of Troy, Minos, and the Muses. (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 in Hindu mythology, the demoness Putana (pictured, centre) tried to kill the infant-god Krishna by breastfeeding him poisoned milk?

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

...that in Greek mythology, Antiope was the only Amazon known to have married?

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

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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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A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighbourhoods which they inhabited while they were alive. They wore shrouds and were often described as bloated and of ruddy or dark countenance, markedly different from today's gaunt, pale vampire which dates from the early 19th century. Vampiric entities have been recorded in cultures around the world; the term vampire was popularized in Western Europe after reports of an 18th-century mass hysteria of a pre-existing folk belief in Southeastern and Eastern Europe that in some cases resulted in corpses being staked and people being accused of vampirism. Local variants in Southeastern Europe were also known by different names, such as shtriga in Albania, vrykolakas in Greece and strigoi in Romania, cognate to Italian 'Strega', meaning Witch.

In modern times, the vampire is generally held to be a fictitious entity, although belief in similar vampiric creatures (such as the chupacabra) still persists in some cultures. Early folk belief in vampires has sometimes been ascribed to the ignorance of the body's process of decomposition after death and how people in pre-industrial societies tried to rationalize this, creating the figure of the vampire to explain the mysteries of death. Porphyria was linked with legends of vampirism in 1985 and received much media exposure, but has since been largely discredited. (Full article...)

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Fenrir Ala (demon) Sharabha Ratatoskr Huginn and Muninn Keshi (demon) Nuckelavee Sea Mither Boobrie Stoor worm Mermaid 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 1"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 7Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 9Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 1314th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 14Väinämöinen, 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 15Opening 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 16Sampo, 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 17Image 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 18The 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 19Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 25Prometheus (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 26Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 27Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28Ancient 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 29Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32The 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 33Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 35Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 37Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 38Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 39Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 42The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (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 44The 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 45This 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 46Lord 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 47Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 48Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 49Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 51Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 58Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 59Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Heracles 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 63"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 70Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71Amenonuhoko (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 72The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 78Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 79Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 81Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 83The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85As 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 861929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 87Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)