Portal:Myths

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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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Attic red-figure plate from Vulci, Etruria, dated c. 520–500 BC, showing an ithyphallic satyr holding an aulos, a kind of ancient Greek woodwind instrument.

In Greek mythology, a satyr (Greek: σάτυρος, translit. sátyros, pronounced [sátyros]), also known as a silenus or silenos (Greek: σειληνός, translit. seilēnós [seːlɛːnós]), and sileni (plural), is a male nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exaggerated erection. Early artistic representations sometimes include horse-like legs, but, by the sixth century BC, they were more often represented with human legs. Comically hideous, they have mane-like hair, bestial faces, and snub noses and they always are shown naked. Satyrs were characterized by their ribaldry and were known as lovers of wine, music, dancing, and women. They were companions of the god Dionysus and were believed to inhabit remote locales, such as woodlands, mountains, and pastures. They often attempted to seduce or rape nymphs and mortal women alike, usually with little success. They are sometimes shown masturbating or engaging in bestiality.

In classical Athens, satyrs made up the chorus in a genre of play known as a "satyr play", which was a parody of tragedy and known for its bawdy and obscene humor. The only complete surviving play of this genre is Cyclops by Euripides, although a significant portion of Sophocles's Ichneutae has also survived. In mythology, the satyr Marsyas is said to have challenged the god Apollo to a musical contest and been flayed alive for his hubris. Although superficially ridiculous, satyrs were also thought to possess useful knowledge, if they could be coaxed into revealing it. The satyr Silenus was the tutor of the young Dionysus and a story from Ionia told of a silenos who gave sound advice when captured. (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 the supreme god of the southern African Bushmen is Cagn, a trickster who shapeshifts into a praying mantis?

... that the cult of Kukulkan, the Yucatec Maya feathered serpent deity, was the first Mesoamerican religion to transcend earlier linguistic and ethnic divisions?

...that Apaliunas, a Luwian deity of Wilusa (Troy) attested among gods in a treaty inscription, ca. 1280 BCE, is a likely precursor of Apollo of Greek mythology?

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In Norse mythology, Ratatoskr (Old Norse, generally considered to mean "drill-tooth" or "bore-tooth") is a squirrel who runs up and down the world tree Yggdrasil to carry messages between the eagles perched atop it and the serpent Níðhöggr who dwells beneath one of the three roots of the tree. Ratatoskr is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. (Full article...)

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Vampire Fenrir Ala (demon) Sharabha 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 1The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 6Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 91929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 10The 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 11Ancient 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 12The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Opening 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 14The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 15Sampo, 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 16Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 17The 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 18Prometheus (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 19Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20Lord 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 21The 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 22Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2514th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 27"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (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 37Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38As 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 39The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Amenonuhoko (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 41The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 42An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 43Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 44Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47Heracles 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 48Väinämöinen, 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 49Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 51Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 54Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 56Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57This 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 58Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 59Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 70Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 75Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80The 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 81Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 83Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (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 87The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)