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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Goddess Ishtar on an Akkadian Empire seal, 2350–2150 BCE. She is equipped with weapons on her back, has a horned helmet, places her foot in a dominant posture upon a lion secured by a leash and is accompanied by the star of Shamash.

Inanna is the ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with sensuality, procreation, divine law, and political power. Originally worshipped in Sumer, she was known by the Akkadian Empire, Babylonians, and Assyrians as Ishtar (and occasionally the logogram 𒌋𒁯). Her primary title is "the Queen of Heaven".

She was the patron goddess of the Eanna temple at the city of Uruk, her early main cult center. In archaic Uruk she was worshipped in three forms: morning Inanna (Inana-UD/hud), evening Inanna (Inanna sig) and princely Inanna (Inanna NUN), the former two reflecting the phases of her associated planet Venus. Her most prominent symbols include the lion and the eight-pointed star. Her husband is the god Dumuzid (later known as Tammuz), and her sukkal (attendant) is the goddess Ninshubur, later conflated with the male deities Ilabrat and Papsukkal. (Full article...)

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... that Tamil Hindu parents dedicate their one-month-old children to the goddess Periyachi (pictured), who is depicted ripping a woman's womb?

... that in Inuit mythology, an Angakkuq, or shaman, is told to be able to fly with the assistance of a spirit companion, or tuurngaq?

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

... that Xiuhtecuhtli (mask pictured), the Aztec god of fire, was one of the nine Lords of the Night even though he was a solar deity?

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In Greek mythology, sirens (Ancient Greek: singular: Σειρήν, Seirḗn; plural: Σειρῆνες, Seirênes) are humanlike beings with alluring voices; they appear in a scene in the Odyssey in which Odysseus saves his crew's lives. Roman poets place them on some small islands called Sirenum scopuli. In some later, rationalized traditions, the literal geography of the "flowery" island of Anthemoessa, or Anthemusa, is fixed: sometimes on Cape Pelorum and at others in the islands known as the Sirenuse, near Paestum, or in Capreae. All such locations were surrounded by cliffs and rocks.

Sirens continued to be used as a symbol for the dangerous temptation embodied by women regularly throughout Christian art of the medieval era. "Siren" can also be used as a slang term for a woman considered both very attractive and dangerous. (Full article...)

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

General images

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

Image 1Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6Ancient 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 7The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 9Opening 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 10The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 11Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 14Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15Amenonuhoko (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 16Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 17 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 18Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20The 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 21Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23Sampo, 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 24Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 25"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 27Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 31Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3214th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 35Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 36Lord 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 37"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 39Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 42Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 43Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47This 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 48Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 49Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 51The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 521929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 53Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54Prometheus (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 55Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57The 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 58Image 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 59A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61As 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 62The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Heracles 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 65The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 68Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 70Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76Väinämöinen, 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 77Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78The 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 79Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 81Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 83The 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 84Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)