Portal:Myths

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Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the veracity 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 factual accounts of their remote past. In particular, creation myths take place in a primordial age when the world had not achieved its later form. Origin myths explain how a society's customs, institutions, and taboos were established and sanctified. National myths are narratives about a nation's past that symbolize the nation's values. There is a complex relationship between recital of myths and the enactment of rituals. (Full article...)

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In Norse mythology, Veðrfölnir (Old Norse "storm pale", "wind bleached", or "wind-witherer") is a hawk sitting between the eyes of an unnamed eagle that is perched on top of the world tree Yggdrasil. Veðrfölnir is sometimes modernly anglicized as Vedrfolnir, Vedurfolnir or Vetrfolnir.

The unnamed eagle is attested in both the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, while Veðrfölnir is solely attested in the Prose Edda. In both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, the squirrel Ratatoskr carries messages between the unnamed eagle and Nidhöggr, the worm that resides below the world tree. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the birds. (Full article...)

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... that Reeri Yakseya, who is believed to be the most cruel and powerful demon in Sinhalese folklore, can assume 18 different apparitions?

...that Ugaritic culture hero Danel may have been a model for the Biblical Daniel of Ezekiel?

... 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 Deluge or "flood myth" is a widespread theme in religion and mythology, with examples such as the story of Noah in the Torah or Gilgamesh flood myth?

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17th-century woodcut depiction of a unicorn

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- 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 1The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 2Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 4Sampo, 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 5Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8Lord 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 9Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 1114th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Heracles 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 14Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 16Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 17King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19As 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 20Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22The 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 23Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24Ancient 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 25Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 27Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 28Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32This 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 33Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 35Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 37Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 39The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 42Opening 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 43Väinämöinen, 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 44Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 48Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 51Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 52Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53The 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 54Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Amenonuhoko (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 57Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 581929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 59Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66Giza pyramids (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 68"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 70 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 71Prometheus (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 72Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 81Image 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 82Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 83Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84The 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 85The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)