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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Statue of Shiva, Murudeshwara Temple, Karnataka

Shiva (/ˈʃɪvə/; Sanskrit: शिव, lit. 'The Auspicious One', IAST: Śiva [ɕɪʋɐ]), also known as Mahadeva (/məˈhɑː ˈdeɪvə/; Sanskrit: महादेव:, lit. 'The Great God', IAST: Mahādevaḥ, (Full article...)

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... that Reeri Yakseya, who is believed to be the most cruel and powerful demon in Sinhalese folklore, can assume 18 different apparitions?

...that Ewale a Mbedi may have been the first Duala leader to trade with Europeans in Cameroon?

... that in Mesoamerican folklore, it is believed that a dog (mythical dog pictured) carries the newly deceased across a body of water into the afterlife?

...that in Ovid's Metamorphoses, the love between Acis and Galatea ended when a jealous suitor named Polyphemus killed Acis with a boulder?

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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 1Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 3"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 5Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 6Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 9A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10Heracles 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 11Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 14Lord 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 15Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 16This 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 17The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 25"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 27seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28Väinämöinen, 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 29Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 35Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36The 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 37Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 39Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 42The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 43The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45Image 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 46Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 48Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 51Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56The 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 57The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 58Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 59Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 60Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 63Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Ancient 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 65Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66Prometheus (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 67The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 68The 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 69Amenonuhoko (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 70King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 73Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75The sheyd אַשְמְדּאָי (Ašmodai) in bird-like form, with typical rooster feet, as depicted in Compendium rarissimum totius Artis Magicae 1775 (from Comparative mythology)
Image 76Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78The 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 79Sampo, 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 80Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 81Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8314th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Opening 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 88As 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)