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 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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In Hinduism, Pūtanā (lit. 'putrefaction') is a rakshasi (demoness), who was killed by the infant-god Krishna. Putana disguises as a young, beautiful woman and tries to kill the god by breast-feeding poisoned milk; however Krishna sucks her milk as well as her life via her breasts. Putana is also considered as a foster-mother of Krishna as she breast-fed him. By offering her milk, Putana had performed "the supreme act of maternal devotion", in the shadow of her evil motives. The legend is told and retold in Hindu scriptures and some Indian books, which portray her variously as an evil hag or a demoness who surrendered herself to Krishna, though she initially came with evil motives.

Putana is interpreted as an infantile disease or bird, symbolizing danger to an infant or desire respectively, and even as a symbolic bad mother. She is included in a group of malevolent Hindu mother goddesses called the Matrikas and also in the group of Yoginis and Grahinis (Seizers). Ancient Indian medical texts prescribe her worship to protect children from diseases. A group of multiple Putanas is mentioned in ancient Indian texts. (Full article...)

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... that the self-decapitated Hindu goddess Chhinnamasta (pictured) standing on a copulating couple signifies that life, death and sex are interdependent?

... that in Inuit mythology, an Angakkuq, or shaman, is told to be able to fly with the assistance of a spirit companion, or tuurngaq?

...that Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli (pictured) was the god of the planet Venus in Aztec belief?

... that in Maya mythology, wayob were the powerful spirit forms of lords, priests and gods?

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The nuckelavee ( /nʌklɑːˈviː/) or nuckalavee is a horse-like demon from Orcadian folklore that combines equine and human elements. British folklorist Katharine Briggs called it "the nastiest" of all the demons of Scotland's Northern Isles. The nuckelavee's breath was thought to wilt crops and sicken livestock, and the creature was held responsible for droughts and epidemics on land despite being predominantly a sea-dweller.

A graphic description of the nuckelavee as it appears on land was given by an islander who claimed to have had a confrontation with it, but accounts describing the details of the creature's appearance are inconsistent. In common with many other sea-monsters, it is unable to tolerate fresh water, therefore, those it is pursuing have only to cross a river or stream to be rid of it. The nuckelavee is kept in confinement during the summer months by the Mither o' the Sea, an ancient Orcadian spirit, and the only one able to control it. (Full article...)

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Vampire Fenrir Ala (demon) Sharabha Ratatoskr Huginn and Muninn Keshi (demon) 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 1As 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 2Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 5Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8Sampo, 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 9Image 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 10Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12The 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 13Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 14seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 151929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 16Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 17A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22The 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 23Amenonuhoko (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 24The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 25Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26This 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 27Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29Prometheus (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 30Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32The 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 33Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34Opening 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 35Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36The 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 37The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 39The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 42The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 43Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 46Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 47Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 48Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 49Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5114th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 58Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 59Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Ancient 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 61Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 70Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Heracles 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 73"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 78Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80Lord 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 81Väinämöinen, 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 82Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 83Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)