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 folklorists, historians, philosophers or theologians this is very different from the use of "myth" which simply meaning 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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Dagr (Old Norse: [ˈdɑɣz̠], "day") is the divine personification of the day in Norse mythology. He appears 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. In both sources, Dagr is stated to be the son of the god Dellingr and is associated with the bright-maned horse Skinfaxi, who "draw[s] day to mankind". Depending on manuscript variation, the Prose Edda adds that Dagr is either Dellingr's son by Nótt, the personified night, or Jörð, the personified Earth. Otherwise, Dagr appears as a common noun simply meaning "day" throughout Old Norse works. Connections have been proposed between Dagr and other similarly named figures in Germanic mythology. (Full article...)

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...that according to Hindu mythology, the deity Revanta (pictured) was born from the union of the sun-god Surya and his wife Saranya in the form of horse and mare?

... that, in the lives of saints, the appearance of roses (example pictured) sometimes announces the presence or activity of God?

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

... that the worshippers of Xipe Totec (pictured), the Aztec god of renewal, wore the flayed skins of their sacrificial victims?

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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. (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 1The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 9Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 14The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15This 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 16Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 17A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21Heracles 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 22The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 25Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Image 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 27Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 30An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Sampo, 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 34Väinämöinen, 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 35Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36Amenonuhoko (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 37The 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 38Prometheus (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 39The 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 40Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Lord 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 42Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greel and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 43The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 44Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 48Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50As 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 51The 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 52Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 58Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 59Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6314th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 68The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 70The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 73Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 76Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 77Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 781929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 79"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80Ancient 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 81The 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 82Opening 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 83Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)