Myth and Mythologies. Myths can be classified as origin myths, cultural myths and political myths and mythology is a collection of myths belong to a time period, region or religion

A flood myth also known as deluge myth is a narrative in which great flood, usually sent by a deity or deities to destroy civilizations as an act of divine retribution. Flood myths are common across a wide range of cultures, extending back to Bronze Age and Neolithic prehistory.

Every mythology has its own version of creation myths, or other wise commonly known as how the world came in to existence. In Egyptian Mythology, the creation myth starts with an egg in the ocean. There was a single egg floating in the ocean and the egg hatched and the son of Ra was born. According to the Indian Mythology, the universe was created by Lord Brahma out of himself.

The idea of an unimaginable war that threatens to tear apart the cosmos connects with us so deeply that it still powers our epic stories. The Lord of the Rings, Avengers, Hobbits, and countless others all feature this age-old trope. It can be found in the legends of almost every ancient culture.

We all know the myth of Atlantis: a utopian city wiped out in a single night thanks to an unearthly cataclysm. But Atlantis is only the most famous of mythical lost cities. Near-identical stories crop up with such regularity that it’s tempting to think they must be somehow related.Take Iram (also known as Ubar). A fabled city in the deserts of modern Saudi Arabia, Iram is said to have been wiped out in a single night when Allah buried it under a flood of sand. In other words, it’s the Atlantis myth translated to a world without water. Then you have Ys off the coast of France, which was supposedly flooded around the 5th century by a mythical warrior king. And that’s before we get onto the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and the Hindu myth of Tripura, which both involve gods wiping out immoral cities in a rain of fire.In short, the idea of a city obliterated overnight is so powerful it seems to show up everywhere. Are these half-remembered tragedies with some basis in fact (like Pompeii) or just stories that play to the apocalyptic fantasist in all of us? We’ll leave it to you to decide.

Jesus’s resurrection is the big selling point of Christianity, a unique moment that established Christ as the one true savior. At least that’s the idea. In reality, the idea of a dying deity or important human who is later resurrected has been around for millennia.Most famously, this includes the story of Osiris, the ancient Egyptian god whose birth was heralded by a star, who was betrayed by a friend, was murdered, and was later resurrected. But there are less explicit versions too. The Greek cult of Dionysus had their figurehead killed off every two years, only to rise again at a later date. Persephone also died regularly, and many pagan traditions from Scandinavia to Central America involved gods dying and returning to life or men dying and coming back as deities.Perhaps most interestingly of all, a historical tablet known as “Gabriel’s Revelation” allegedly tells the story of a Jewish rebel known as Simon who was killed by the Romans, only to be resurrected three days later. The catch? It was written in 4 BC, over 30 years before Jesus allegedly pulled off the same trick. Either it’s a mistranslation, or the Son of God was building on centuries of groundwork by other deities.

Dragons are likely the most traveled creature in all of mythology. Even more than vampires, they have a habit of turning up in societies and cultures so far apart in time and space you’d think it was impossible. There are ancient Sumerian tablets that record the act of dragon-slaying, Greek tales of dragons cavorting with other monsters, and an entire science built around the uses of their bones in China. In Central America, the Mayans worshipped the feathered snake Quetzalcóatl, while both Norse and Christian mythologies specifically mention dragons.As late as 1886, Victorian scientists still held that dragons had once existed but had gone extinct. Not until dinosaurs became firmly established in the public mind did people see the probable link between ancient fossils and dragon myths. Currently, our best guess is that various cultures all stumbled over dino bones at some point and translated them into gigantic mythological beasts.

Thanks to the occasional self-indulgent movie adaptation, most of us probably have a vague knowledge of the poems of Homer. Considered the earliest examples of Western literature, his Iliad and Odyssey are epic myths of tortured heroes fighting their way across oceans and continents in search of metaphorical salvation—and they appear in near-identical form in almost every culture.It’s called the “hero’s journey,” and just about all epic stories throughout history have followed the specific model. Famously, George Lucas deliberately based the first Star Wars on it, and you can find its influence in The Lord of the Rings, the Oz books, and even Harry Potter. But this archetypal myth was around even before fancy-pants anthropologists handed it over to lazy scriptwriters.The Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, the story of Sinbad the Sailor in the 1,001 Nights, the legend of King Arthur, the tale of the Argonauts . . . all of these and plenty more fit the structure of the hero’s journey just like Homer’s awesome poems above. In fact, nearly every single culture in recorded history has myths that fall into this category. Even Moses’s epic wanderings in the Bible fit this model. We as a species truly are lazy storytellers.

Cultural myths don’t just entertain us and record historical events. They also serve to explain why the world is the way it is. Hence the prevalence of stories designed to give a reason for some mystery of existence.In the Bible, we have the Tower of Babel, which explains why we have different languages. God’s speech prior to expelling Adam and Eve from Eden is another example, giving a reason for both the agony of childbirth and why ancient man had to toil all day in the fields. Wander across traditions into the stories of the Ancient Greeks and the legend of Prometheus demonstrates why fire is so valuable, while the story of Pandora gives a reason for the existence of disease and suffering.Start looking for them and you’ll find these explanatory myths scattered across every culture in history. There are myths that explain why rhinoceroses have no hairs, why incest is forbidden, and how medicine came into existence. Anything you can think of has some poetic explanation somewhere. In an unscientific age, poetry was often all we had.

Everything that begins has an end, and our ancient ancestors knew that as simply as we do. No surprise then that most cultures carry an End of Times myth to counter their creation story—a sort of consolation prize for those who won’t live to see the actual end (i.e. everyone).For Christians, this apocalypse is a gigantic epic that plays out over many, many years and involves so many disasters, wars, and calamities that it’s hard to keep track. Same with the Norse Ragnarok, which is a collection of disasters and battles that results in the Earth being drowned and recreated afresh. In Hinduism, it’s another epic battle followed by a rebooted universe, while Buddhism annihilates the world in a pyrotechnic fireworks display so amazing it deserves its own Michael Bay film.In other words, most humans throughout history have lived with their own personal vision of the end of everything, one that makes sense in the context of their lives and cultures. And that’s all these myths really are: ways for us humans to make sense of the world we live in, no matter when or where we are. It’s just an added bonus that some of them make absolutely awesome stories, too.

Mythology facts.

The red clothes worn by Hindu brides are associated with "scarlet women" in Christianity

The white clothes that represent virginity and purity in the Christian mythosphere are associated with spirituality and otherworldliness in the Hindu mythosphere; are restricted to monks, priests, and widows; and do not form part of household rituals.

The goat, the symbol of virility that is sacrificed to the Hindu Goddess, is the symbol of the devil in the biblical worldview.

The yoginis of Hinduism, who are handmaidens of the Goddess and are wild erotic creatures, recall the witches coven of the Christian mythosphere.

The pentagram is the symbol of Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of wealth, and Shukra, guru of demons, and is associated with Venus, wealth, fertility, creativity, and erotic power in Hindu astrology, but is considered the mark of the devil in Christianity.

'described in Western literature as the "dark drinker of blood" and is associated with witchcraft.

The serpent, which is associated with earth's fertility and occult wisdom in Hinduism, is considered a manifestation of the devil in biblical traditions.

To the Western eye the swastika is the symbol of Hitler and the Holocaust. To Hindus it is associated with auspiciousness and fertility.

Demon in Judeo-Christian-Islamic Paradigm is Evil being who opposes God but in Hindu Paradigm Demon is a Being who lives under-ground in bejeweled cities, fights gods, and possess the secret of rejuvenation

Gods in Judeo-Christian-Islamic Paradigm False deities worshipped by nonbelievers and pagans whereas in Hindu Paradigm Celestial beings who live above ground or in the skies, fight demons, and have consumed the elixir of immortality

Tumbuka has many myths that constitute part of the Tumbuka cultural heritage.

These myths, told around fires at night, often to the accompaniment of drumming and choral responses, aim to teach children moral behavior and to entertain. The Tumbuka people are an ethnic group that live primarily in northern Malawi and eastern Zambia. Tumbuka mythology is rich with stories, myths and legends which are passed down from generation to generation through oral tradition. Some of the famous myths from Tumbuka mythology include:

The story of Mbulu:

Mbulu is the supreme being and creator of the Tumbuka people. He is often depicted as a powerful and benevolent god who watches over the Tumbuka people.

The story of Mwali:

Mwali is the god of war and is known for his strength and bravery. He is often invoked in times of conflict and is considered a protector of the Tumbuka people.

The story of Mlengi:

Mlengi is the god of fertility and is responsible for the abundance of crops and the growth of the Tumbuka people.

The story of Chaminuka:

Chaminuka is a powerful and wise ancestor who is considered to be the founder of the Tumbuka people. He is often invoked for guidance and wisdom.

The story of Mpherere:

Mpherere is the god of thunder and lightning and is known for his power and fury. He is often invoked to bring rain and is considered a protector of the Tumbuka people.

These myths, along with others, are used by the Tumbuka people to explain the origins of their people and their customs and to reinforce their traditional beliefs and values. Tumbuka people have a strong belief in traditional religion, ancestor worship and animism.

Egyptian mythology is the collection of myths from ancient Egypt, which describe the actions of the Egyptian gods as a means of understanding the world. The beliefs that these myths express are an important part of ancient Egyptian religion. Myths appear frequently in Egyptian writings and art, particularly in short stories and in religious material such as hymns, ritual texts, funerary texts, and temple decoration. These sources rarely contain a complete account of a myth and often describe only brief fragments.

Some of the most famous myths of Egyptian mythology include the story of Ra and the creation of the world, the story of Osiris, Isis, and Horus, and the story of the god Anubis and the weighing of the heart.

The story of Ra and the creation of the world describes how the sun god Ra emerged from the chaos of Nun to create the world and the gods. The story of Osiris, Isis, and Horus tells of the murder of Osiris, the god of the underworld, by his brother Set, and how Osiris's wife Isis and son Horus sought to avenge his death and restore him to power.

The story of Anubis and the weighing of the heart is a myth that describes the judgement of the dead in the afterlife. It tells how the god Anubis would weigh the hearts of the deceased against the feather of Ma'at, the goddess of truth and justice, to determine whether they were worthy of entering the afterlife.

Other notable myths in Egyptian mythology include the story of the god Horus and his battles with his uncle Seth, the myth of the goddess Hathor, and the story of the god Ra and the serpent Apep.

These myths play a central role in Ancient Egyptian religion and were widely known among the ancient Egyptians. They were often depicted in art and were performed in temple rituals. They also played a significant role in shaping the culture, beliefs, and worldview of ancient Egyptians.

Chinese mythology refers to those myths found in the historical geographic area of China: these include myths in Chinese and other languages, as transmitted by Han Chinese and other ethnic groups, which have their own languages and myths.

Chinese mythology is a collection of myths, legends, and traditional stories that have been passed down over the centuries in China. Here are a few examples of famous myths from Chinese mythology:

• The story of the Jade Emperor: The Jade Emperor is the highest god in Chinese mythology and is known as the ruler of all gods and spirits. He is often depicted as a wise and benevolent ruler who governs the universe with fairness and justice.
• The story of the Four Symbols: The Four Symbols are four powerful creatures in Chinese mythology, each representing a different season and cardinal direction. They are the Black Tortoise, the White Tiger, the Blue Dragon, and the Red Phoenix.
• The story of Nüwa: Nüwa is a goddess in Chinese mythology and is known as the mother of mankind. She is often depicted as the creator of the world and the one who mends the sky after natural disasters.
• The story of Sun Wukong: Sun Wukong is a monkey king and a powerful figure in Chinese mythology. He is known for his intelligence, strength, and his ability to shape-shift. He is one of the most important characters in the classic novel "Journey to the West"
• The story of the Eight Immortals: The story of the Eight Immortals in Chinese mythology is a popular legend that tells of a group of eight legendary figures who possess supernatural powers and are able to achieve immortality. Each of the eight immortals has their own unique abilities and stories, but they are all united by their quest for enlightenment and their desire to help the people.

Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia was a mix of polytheism, Christianity, Judaism, and Iranian religions. Arab polytheism, the dominant form of religion in pre-Islamic Arabia, was based on veneration of deities and other rituals.

Famous Myths of Arabian Mythology

• The myth of djinn

  The djinn are supernatural spirits in Arabian mythology that can be good or evil, they are often associated with fire and can take human form.

• The myth of Al-Khidr

  Al-Khidr is a mysterious figure in Islamic mythology, also known as the "Green Man." He is believed to have knowledge of all things and is often associated with water and the afterlife.

• The myth of Harut and Marut

  Harut and Marut were two angels in Islamic mythology who were sent to Earth to test the faith of the people. They were tempted by the devil and ultimately fell from grace.

• The myth of Iblis

  Iblis is the Islamic equivalent of Satan. He was once an angel, but was cast out of heaven for his pride and refusal to bow to Adam.

• The myth of the seven sleepers

  The seven sleepers is a story from Islamic tradition about seven young men who sought refuge in a cave to escape persecution. They fell asleep and awoke years later, to find that the world had changed.

• The myth of Solomon

  Solomon is a prophet in Islamic and Jewish mythology, who is known for his wisdom and power. He is said to have had control over the djinn, birds, and the wind.

Malevolent spirits or demons in Arabian folklore, known for inhabiting graveyards and consuming human flesh.

Legendary heroes in Slavic tales, known for their bravery and strength in defending the people against supernatural threats.

Wurusemu is the Hittite sun goddess, symbolizing light and warmth. She is often depicted as a radiant figure bringing life to the world.

Lycurgus was the quasi-legendary lawgiver of Sparta who established the military-oriented reformation of Spartan society in accordance with the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi.

Heidrek would have the daughter Hervor and the sons Angantyr and Hlöd. When Heidrek, the king of the Goths died, Angantyr inherited and refused to give Hlöd equal share. Hlöd attacked with the Hunnish army and in an epic battle, Hlöd was slain. Angantyr would be one of the ancestors of the Swedish kings of the House of Munsö.

jord (Njorðr, originally Nerpuz) guides the course of the winds and governs sea and fire; he grants to those who call upon him good fortune at sea and in the chase, and he dispenses wealth, whether of lands or of chattels. Of old he came from Vanaheim. 3 It so befell that when the Æsir and the Vanir were engaged in concluding a treaty of peace, each race gave hostages to the other, the Æsir designating Hœnir and the Vanir, Njord; they all spat in a crock, and from the spittle they made a man, the sapient Kvasir. From that time forth Njord was reckoned among the Æsir and took rank with the foremost of them. His dwelling, called Noatun, is near the sea; outside the walls swim swans and water fowl of all sorts. Njord’s children are the god Frey and the goddess Freyja; his wife, their stepmother, is Skadi, a Giantess.

Chief god of Babylon, associated with water, vegetation, judgment, and magic. Known for his victory over the chaos goddess Tiamat.

Phalanthus of Tarentum. In Greek mythology, Phalanthos is a divine hero, the leader of the Spartan Partheniae and the founder of Taranto. He is said to have been condemned to death by the ephors.

Morrigan (also known as Morrígu) was perceived as a mysterious and rather ominous female deity among the Irish Celtic gods and goddesses, associated with both war and fate. In modern Irish, her name Mór-Ríoghain roughly translates to the ‘phantom queen’. Befitting this cryptic epithet, in the mythical narrative, Morrigan was capable of shapeshifting (who usually transformed into a crow – the badb) and foretelling doom, while also inciting men into a war frenzy. On the other hand, in contrast to these seemingly chaotic and ‘war-mongering’ attributes, Morrigan was possibly also venerated as a Celtic goddess of sovereignty who acted as the symbolic guardian of the land and its people.

In Greek mythology, Hyacinth was a very beautiful Spartan prince and lover of the god Apollo. Hyacinth was also admired by the West wind Zephyrus, the North wind Boreas and also by a mortal man named Thamyris. ... The couple indulged themselves in hunting and climbing steep, rough mountains around Sparta.

The Nemean Lion in Greek Mythology

The Nemean Lion was a legendary creature in Greek mythology that symbolized the ultimate test of strength and bravery. Its story is closely linked with Hercules, one of the most famous heroes of ancient Greek tales.

Hercules and the Nemean Lion

As the first of his Twelve Labors, Hercules was tasked with killing the Nemean Lion, an almost invincible beast with golden fur impervious to mortal weapons. The lion terrorized the region of Nemea, and many warriors had fallen attempting to defeat it.

Hercules discovered that he could not penetrate the lion's impervious hide with his arrows, so he eventually trapped the lion in a cave and strangled it with his bare hands. After killing the lion, Hercules used its own sharp claws to remove its hide and wore it as a cloak, which made him nearly invincible.

The Constellation Leo

According to legend, the Nemean Lion was placed amongst the stars by Zeus, the king of the gods. It became the constellation Leo, one of the twelve signs of the zodiac. The constellation is visible in the night sky from July to October and is associated with the height of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere.

Leo is one of the most recognizable constellations, particularly known for the 'sickle' asterism that forms the lion's mane and the bright star Regulus, which represents the lion's heart.

The story of the Nemean Lion and its transformation into a constellation captures the imagination and continues to be a symbol of strength, courage, and the enduring power of mythological tales.

Queen of the gods, wife and sister of Jupiter, and goddess of marriage, women, and childbirth. Known for her jealousy and vindictiveness.

Dan Brown's controversial best-selling novel about a powerful secret that's been kept under wraps for thousands of years comes to the screen in this suspense thriller from Director Ron Howard. The stately silence of Paris' Louvre museum is broken when one of the gallery's leading curators is found dead on the grounds, with strange symbols carved into his body and left around the spot where he died. Hoping to learn the significance of the symbols, police bring in Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), a gifted cryptographer who is also the victim's granddaughter. Needing help, Sophie calls on Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a leading symbolized from the United States. As Sophie and Robert dig deeper into the case, they discover the victim's involvement in the Priory of Sion, a secret society whose members have been privy to forbidden knowledge dating back to the birth of Christianity. In their search, Sophie and Robert happen upon evidence that could lead to the final resting place of the Holy Grail, while members of the priory and an underground Catholic society known as Opus Dei give chase, determined to prevent them from sharing their greatest secrets with the world. A murder inside the Louvre, and clues in Da Vinci paintings, lead to the discovery of a religious mystery protected by a secret society for two thousand years, which could shake the...

During the Cold War, Soviet Agents watch Professor Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr. (Harrison Ford), when a young man brings him a coded message from an aged, demented colleague, Professor Harold Oxley (Sir John Hurt). Led by the brilliant Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), the Soviets tail Jones and the young man, Mutt Williams (Shia LeBeouf), to Peru. With Oxley's code, they find a legendary skull made of a single piece of quartz. If Jones can deliver the skull to its rightful place, all may be well. But if Irina takes it to its origin, she'll gain powers that could endanger the West. Aging professor and young buck join forces with a woman from Jones' past, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), to face the dangers of the jungle, Russia, and the supernatural. Written by In 1957, archaeologist and adventurer Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr. is called back into action and becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known...

In this retelling of Rick Riordans book, "The Sea of Monsters", Percy Jackson, accompanied by his friends Annabeth Chase, Clarisse La Rue and Tyson, his half brother, goes on a journey to the Sea of Monsters to retrieve the Golden Fleece and save Camp Half-Blood. Written by Michelle Stone In order to restore their dying safe haven, the son of Poseidon and his friends embark on a quest to the Sea of Monsters, to find the mythical Golden Fleece, all the while trying to stop an...

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarök, the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). Written by ahmetkozan Imprisoned on the planet Sakaar, Thor must race against time to return to Asgard and stop Ragnarök, the destruction of his world, at the hands of the powerful and ruthless villain Hela.

The warrior King Odysseus leaves his idyllic life in the kingdom of Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War. After winning the war, he now must endure a lengthy, ten-year journey to return, and with all his wits, Odysseus must overcome deadly monsters, powerful forces of nature, seductive enchantresses, and even journey into the bowels of the Underworld. Season: 1 Year: 1997