Portal:Myths

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The Myths Portal

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 scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that simply refers to 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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Sól (Old Norse: [ˈsoːl], "Sun") or Sunna (Old High German, and existing as an Old Norse and Icelandic synonym: see Wiktionary sunna, "Sun") is the Sun personified in Germanic mythology. One of the two Old High German Merseburg Incantations, written in the 9th or 10th century CE, attests that Sunna is the sister of Sinthgunt. In Norse mythology, Sól 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.

In both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda she is described as the sister of the personified moon, Máni, is the daughter of Mundilfari, is at times referred to as Álfröðull, and is foretold to be killed by a monstrous wolf during the events of Ragnarök, though beforehand she will have given birth to a daughter who continues her mother's course through the heavens. In the Prose Edda, she is additionally described as the wife of Glenr. As a proper noun, Sól appears throughout Old Norse literature. Scholars have produced theories about the development of the goddess from potential Nordic Bronze Age and Proto-Indo-European roots. (Full article...)

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... that the Engkanto, a Philippine mythical creature, might be based on early encounters with European friars?

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

... that the origin of the Postclassic K'iche' Maya patron deity Jacawitz has been traced back to a historical event at the city of Seibal?

...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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The gentle and pensive maiden has the power to tame the unicorn, fresco by Domenichino, c. 1604–1605 (Palazzo Farnese, Rome)

The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead.

In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years or so been depicted as a white horse-like or goat-like animal with a long straight horn with spiralling grooves, cloven hooves, and sometimes a goat's beard. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it was commonly described as an extremely wild woodland creature, a symbol of purity and grace, which could be captured only by a virgin. In encyclopedias, its horn was described as having the power to render poisoned water potable and to heal sickness. In medieval and Renaissance times, the tusk of the narwhal was sometimes sold as a unicorn horn. (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 Siren (mythology) Hippocampus (mythology) Phoenix (mythology) Centaur Serpent (symbolism) Anzû Cerberus

General images

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

Image 1Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 4The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 6Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 9Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Prometheus (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 12The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 14Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 16Väinämöinen, 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 17Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20Hand of God (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 22Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 23Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 24Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 25An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26The 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 27Opening 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 28Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Sampo, 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 31Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 35Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 37Image 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 38Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 39"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 42Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 43The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44The 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 45The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 48Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Heracles 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 51Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5214th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53This 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 54The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 561929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 57Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 58Lord 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 59King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65Ancient 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 66Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67The 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 68The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 69The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 70Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72As 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 73Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 81Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 83Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Amenonuhoko (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)