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

Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices.

Famous Myths of Greek Mythology

• The myth of the Titans

  The Titans were the gods that preceded the Olympians, they were the children of the primordial deities Uranus and Gaia. The Titans were overthrown by Zeus and the Olympians in a ten-year war called the Titanomachy.

• The myth of the Olympians

  The Olympians were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, who lived on Mount Olympus. The most famous Olympians were Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, Dionysus, and Hestia.

• The myth of the Minotaur

  The Minotaur was a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull, that was kept in the Labyrinth, a maze built by Daedalus for King Minos of Crete. The Minotaur was eventually killed by the Athenian hero Theseus.

• The myth of the Labors of Hercules

  Hercules, also known as Heracles, was a demigod who performed twelve impossible tasks, known as the Labors of Hercules, as atonement for killing his family. These tasks included slaying the Nemean Lion, capturing the Erymanthian Boar, and cleaning the Augean Stables.

• The myth of the Argonauts

  The Argonauts were a band of heroes who sailed with Jason on the ship Argo to retrieve the Golden Fleece, which was guarded by a dragon. The Argonauts included heroes such as Heracles, Orpheus, and Castor and Pollux.

• The myth of the Trojan War

  The Trojan War was a legendary war fought between the city of Troy and the Greeks. It was said to have been sparked by the abduction of Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, by the Trojan prince Paris.

Greek Mythology Heritage Tree

This heritage tree represents some of the key figures in Greek mythology, particularly the Olympian gods and their ancestors.

• Titan Cronus
  • Zeus
    • Athena
    • Apollo
    • Artemis
    • Hermes
    • Persephone (with Demeter)
    • Dionysus
  • Hera
    • Hephaestus
    • Ares
    • Hebe
  • Poseidon
    • Triton
    • Polyphemus
  • Hades

Finnish mythology is a commonly applied description of the folklore of Finnish paganism, of which a modern revival is practiced by a small percentage of the Finnish people. Finnish mythology is the traditional belief system of the Finnish people, and it is closely related to the mythology of other Finno-Ugric peoples such as the Estonians and the Hungarians. Here are a few examples of famous myths from Finnish mythology:

The story of the creation of the world: According to Finnish mythology, the world was created by Ilmatar, a primal goddess of the air and the sky.

The story of Väinämöinen: Väinämöinen is a powerful and wise sorcerer in Finnish mythology, who is considered as one of the main characters of the Kalevala, a traditional epic poem of Finland. He is known for his wisdom and his role as a culture hero.

The story of Kullervo: Kullervo is a tragic hero of the Finnish mythology and is considered as one of the main characters of the Kalevala. He is known for his misfortune, his tragic fate and his power.

The story of Joukahainen: Joukahainen is a rival of Väinämöinen in the Kalevala, who is known for his arrogance and his defeat by Väinämöinen

The story of Lemminkäinen: Lemminkäinen is another character of the Kalevala, known for his romantic adventures and his quest to win the hand of the Maiden of the North.

These myths, along with others, are used by the Finnish people to explain the origins of their people and their customs and to reinforce their traditional beliefs and values. The Finnish traditional religion was a mixture of animism, nature worship, and ancestor worship.

The Lugbara people are an ethnic group living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. They have a rich mythology that has been passed down through generations, and their stories are a source of pride and identity for the Lugbara people.

The Lugbara people believe in a single creator, called Woot, who is responsible for the creation of the world and all its inhabitants. They also believe in a pantheon of lesser gods, each with their own sphere of influence. For example, Nyambe is the god of rain, and there is also a god of war, a god of the hunt, and a god of love.

The Lugbara people also believe in a number of supernatural beings, such as spirits and ghosts. These beings can be benevolent or malevolent, and they often take the form of animals or other creatures. It is believed that these beings can influence the lives of humans, either for good or for ill.

The Lugbara people have a number of stories and legends about their gods and supernatural creatures. One of the most famous is the story of Nyambe and the Great Snake. According to the story, Nyambe was out hunting one day when he encountered a giant snake. Nyambe managed to defeat the snake, and as a reward, the gods gave him the power to control the weather and the seasons.

The stories and legends of the Lugbara people are an important part of their culture, and they are still told and retold to this day. They provide a fascinating insight into the beliefs and values of the Lugbara people, and offer a unique window into their history and mythology.

The Maasai mythology involves several beliefs of the Maasai people, an ethnic group living in Kenya and Tanzania.

The Maasai people are a semi-nomadic ethnic group that lives in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They have a rich oral tradition that includes myths, legends, and stories that are passed down from generation to generation. Here are a few examples of famous myths from Maasai mythology:

The creation myth:

The Maasai believe that the world was created by Enkai, the god of the sky and rain. He created the first Maasai people and the animals, and he gave them all the land to live on.

The story of the rainbow:

The Maasai believe that the rainbow is a bridge between the world of the living and the world of the dead. The rainbow is said to be created by Enkai, and it is a sign that he is watching over the Maasai people.

The story of the baobab tree:

The Maasai believe that the baobab tree is sacred and that it was created by Enkai to provide food and shelter for the animals. They also believe that the tree is a source of wisdom and that it holds the secrets of the universe.

The story of the lion:

The Maasai believe that the lion is a sacred animal and that it is a symbol of strength and courage. They also believe that the lion is a messenger of Enkai and that it brings important messages to the Maasai people.

These myths, along with others, are used by the Maasai to explain the origins of their people and their customs and to reinforce their traditional beliefs and values.

God of mankind, credited with inventing fishing, hunting, and writing

Primordial goddess of the salt sea, symbolizing chaos and creation. Fought against Marduk in the Enuma Elish, the Babylonian creation myth.

In Greek mythology, Protesilaus was a hero in the Iliad who was venerated at cult sites in Thessaly and Thrace. Protesilaus was the son of Iphiclus, a "lord of many sheep"; as grandson of the eponymous Phylacos, he was the leader of the Phylaceans.

Mythical bird in Persian culture, symbolizing purity and fortune. Believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

In most ancient mythical narratives, we rarely come across divine entities that are solely associated with language. Well, Ogmios, as one of the ancient Celtic gods, goes against this ‘trend’ since he was simply considered as the god of eloquence. 2nd century Hellenized Syrian satirist and rhetorician Lucian of Samosata mentioned how Ogmios was like the older version of Hercules in appearance, with both wearing lion skins and carrying clubs and bows. However, Ogmios does one better on the ‘bling’ factor by having long chains (made of amber and gold) attached to his tongue (inside his smiling mouth) that connect him with his group of followers. Essentially, the visual scope symbolically represented how the Celtic god had the power of eloquence and persuasion to bind his followers to him.

A powerful and feared spirit in Bantu mythology, associated with strength, stealth, and protection of sacred places.

One of the most ancient and most widely worshiped of Celtic gods – who was venerated in Continental Europe, Britain and Ireland, Belenus (also known as Belenos, Bel, and Beli Mawr) was the quintessential sun god in the Celtic mythology. Known by his epithet ‘Fair Shining One’, Belenus was also associated with the horse and the wheel – and their composites tended to portray him as the effulgent Sun God gloriously riding across the sky in his horse-drawn chariot. Other representations depict Belenus as only riding his horse while throwing thunderbolts and using the wheel as his shield.

In Greek mythology, Acrisius was the king of Argos, son of Abas and Aglaea and twin brother of Proetus. When their father died, Acrisius slyly possessed all of the inheritance and expelled his brother. However, assisted by his father – in – law Iobates, Proetus managed to take his share of the kingdom and became the ruler of the city of Tiryns

In Norse mythology, the einherjar (Old Norse literally "army of one", "those who fight alone"[1][2]) are those who have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla by valkyries. In Valhalla, the einherjar eat their fill of the nightly-resurrecting beast Sæhrímnir, and valkyries bring them mead (which comes from the udder of the goat Heiðrún). The einherjar prepare daily for the events of Ragnarök, when they will advance for an immense battle at the field of Vígríðr. The einherjar are attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, the poem Hákonarmál (by the 10th century skald Eyvindr skáldaspillir) as collected in Heimskringla, and a stanza of an anonymous 10th century poem commemorating the death of Eric Bloodaxe known as Eiríksmál as compiled in Fagrskinna. An etymological connection exists between the einherjar and the Harii (a Germanic people or figures form early Germanic folklore attested in the 1st century AD), and scholars have connected the einherjar to the eternal battle of Hjaðningavíg and the Wild Hunt. The einherjar have been the subject of works of art and poetry.

Legendary king in Persian mythology, credited with the invention of wine and the establishment of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

In Greek mythology, Odysseus was the son of Laertes and Antikleia (or Anticlea) and the King of Ithaca, leader of the Kephallenians. Married to Penelope, he also had a son, Telemachos (or Telemachus). The hero was also fortunate enough to regularly receive the special aid and protection of the goddess Athena.

Powerful and malevolent spirits in Arabian folklore, often depicted as rebellious and disobedient to God.

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...

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...

Perseus is the favored son of the god Zeus, but he has unwittingly ticked off the sea goddess Thetis. Just to make things worse, Perseus falls in love with the lovely Princess Andromeda, who used to be engaged to Thetis' son. Soon Perseus is off on one quest after another, with Zeus helping, Thetis hindering, and lots of innocent bystanders getting stabbed, drowned, and squished. Written by Anthony Pereyra {hypersonic91@yahoo.com} Perseus must battle Medusa and the Kraken to save the Princess Andromeda.

Master explorer and former US Navy Seal Dirk Pitt and his wisecracking buddy Al Giordino goes on the adventure of a lifetime of seeking out a lost Civil War ironclad battleship known as the "Ship of Death" that protects a secret cargo is lost somewhere in the deserts of West Africa. But while the two cross paths with a beautiful and brilliant U.N. scientist Dr. Eva Rojas who is being hounded by a ruthless dictator. She believes that the hidden treasure may be connected to a larger problem that threatens the world around them. Hunting for a ship that no one else thinks exists, Dirk, Al, and Eva must rely on their wits and their daring heroics to outsmart dangerous warlords, survive the threatening terrain, and get to the bottom of both mysteries. Written by Anthony Pereyra {hypersonic91@yahoo.com} Master explorer Dirk Pitt goes on the adventure of a lifetime of seeking out a lost Civil War battleship known as the "Ship of Death" in the deserts of West Africa while helping a WHO doctor...

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.