Portal:Myths

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 totally different from the ordinary sense of the term myth, meaning a belief that is not true, as the veracity of a piece of folklore is entirely irrelevant to determining whether it constitutes a myth.

Myths are often endorsed by religious and secular authorities, and may be natural or supernatural in character. 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 Hinduism, Pūtanā (lit. 'putrefaction') is a rakshasi (demoness) in Hindu mythology, who was killed by the infant-god Krishna. Putana disguises herself as a young, beautiful woman and tries to kill the god by breast-feeding poisoned milk; however, Krishna sucks her milk as well as her life via her breasts. Putana is also considered a foster-mother of Krishna, as she breastfed him. By offering her milk, Putana had performed "the supreme act of maternal devotion", in the shadow of her evil motives. The legend is told and retold in Hindu scriptures and some Indian books, which portray her variously as an evil hag or a demoness who surrendered herself to Krishna, though she initially came with evil motives.

Putana is interpreted as an infantile disease or bird, symbolizing danger to an infant or desire, respectively, and even as a symbolic bad mother. She is included in a group of powerful and complex Hindu mother goddesses called the Matrikas and also in the group of Yoginis and Grahinis (Seizers). Ancient Indian medical texts prescribe her worship to protect children from diseases. A group of multiple Putanas is mentioned in ancient Indian texts. (Full article...)

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... that the legend of Sumbha and Nisumbha, demons from Hindu mythology, is used as a warning against the dangers of seduction in Shashi Tharoor's novel The Great Indian Novel?

... that in Hindu mythology, the demoness Putana (pictured, centre) tried to kill the infant-god Krishna by breastfeeding him poisoned milk?

...that according to Inca mythology, lunar eclipses are caused by animals attacking Mama Quilla, the goddess of the moon?

...that in Greek mythology, Arion (or Areion) was an extremely swift immortal horse that could talk?

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The phoenix, "unica semper avis" (ever-singular bird), 1583

The phoenix (sometimes spelled phenix in American English; see spelling differences) is a legendary immortal bird that cyclically regenerates or is otherwise born again. Originating in Greek mythology, it has analogs in many cultures, such as Egyptian and Persian mythology. Associated with the Sun, a phoenix obtains new life by rising from the ashes of its predecessor. Some legends say it dies in a show of flames and combustion, while others say that it simply burns to death and decomposes before being born again. In the Motif-Index of Folk-Literature, a tool used by folklorists, the phoenix is classified as motif B32.

The origin of the phoenix has been attributed to Ancient Egypt by Herodotus and later 19th-century scholars, but other scholars think the Egyptian texts may have been influenced by classical folklore. Over time, the phoenix motif spread and gained a variety of new associations; Herodotus, Lucan, Pliny the Elder, Pope Clement I, Lactantius, Ovid, and Isidore of Seville are among those who have contributed to the retelling and transmission of the phoenix motif. Over time, extending beyond its origins, the phoenix could variously "symbolize renewal in general as well as the sun, time, the Roman Empire, metempsychosis, consecration, resurrection, life in the heavenly Paradise, Christ, Mary, virginity, the exceptional man, and certain aspects of Christian life". Some scholars have claimed that the poem De ave phoenice may present the mythological phoenix motif as a symbol of Christ's resurrection. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 3Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 6The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 8Opening lines of one of the Mabinogi myths from the Red Book of Hergest (written pre-13th century, 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 9Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12Ancient 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 13Several legendary creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 14Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15alt=Spiral hieroglyphic inscriptions on the Phaistos Disc (from Comparative mythology)
Image 16Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
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 18Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 21Thor's Fight with the Giants (1872) by Mårten Eskil Winge. Thor is the god of thunder in Norse mythology. (from Myth)
Image 22Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24The 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 25The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 27Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34This 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 35Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 37Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38The 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 39Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 42King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 43Prometheus (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 44The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 48Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 51"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Lord 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 54Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 58As 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 59Yama advances to smite Ravana with the weapon of death (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65Sampo, 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 66Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 70Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, a mythological painting by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 74Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Väinämöinen, 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 76Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 78Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 81The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 82Image 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 83Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85The 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 86Heracles 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 871929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 88Amenonuhoko (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 89Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 9014th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)