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The Myths Portal

1929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus

Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is popularly used to describe stories that are not objectively true, the identification of a narrative as a myth can be highly controversial. Many religious adherents believe that the narratives told in their respective religious traditions are historical without question, and so object to their identification as myths while labelling traditional narratives from other religions as such. Hence, some scholars may label all religious narratives as "myths" for practical reasons, such as to avoid depreciating any one tradition because cultures interpret each other differently relative to one another. Other scholars may abstain from using the term "myth" altogether for purposes of avoiding placing pejorative overtones on sacred narratives.

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.

The main characters in myths are usually non-humans, such as gods, demigods, and other supernatural figures. Others include humans, animals, or combinations in their classification of myth. Stories of everyday humans, although often of leaders of some type, are usually contained in legends, as opposed to myths. Myths are sometimes distinguished from legends in that myths deal with gods, usually have no historical basis, and are set in a world of the remote past, very different from that of the present. (Full article...)

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"Hœnir, Lóðurr and Odin create Askr and Embla" (1895) by Lorenz Frølich.

In Norse mythology, Ask and Embla (Old Norse: Askr ok Embla [ˈɑskz̠ ok ˈemblɑ])—male and female respectively—were the first two humans, created by the gods. The pair are 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. In both sources, three gods, one of whom is Odin, find Ask and Embla and bestow upon them various corporeal and spiritual gifts. A number of theories have been proposed to explain the two figures, and there are occasional references to them in popular culture. (Full article...)

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Zeus Ancient Egyptian literature Greek mythology Vampire folklore by region LGBT themes in Hindu mythology Orion (mythology) Kitsune Ganesha Vithoba Zduhać Iravan Prithu Tuisto Kangiten Varahi Myrrha Gerðr Veðrfölnir and eagle Mythology of Carnivàle List of valkyrie names Ahalya Trojan War Prester John Bhikshatana Blue men of the Minch Dali (goddess) List of Mesopotamian deities Aphrodite Athena Thor Shiva Inanna Chamunda Anu Enlil Gilgamesh Valkyrie Dagr Putana Hlín Eye of Ra Chhinnamasta Sól (Norse mythology) Njörðr Satyr Iliad

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...that the Tigmamanukan, a Philippine mythological bird, can be a good or bad omen depending on the direction of its flight?

... that in Chinese mythology, Wu Gang had to chop down a tree on the moon that always healed itself, forcing him to keep trying forever?

...that according to Muisca mythology, Bochica (statue pictured) saved his people from a flood by creating the Tequendama Falls with a strike from his staff?

...that the Ancient Greeks credited Broteas, the ugly son of Tantalus, with an ancient rock-cut cliff-face carving of the Great Mother of the Gods in modern Turkey?

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Krishna Killing the Horse Demon Keshi, Gupta period (ca. 321–500), Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In Hindu mythology, Keshi (Sanskrit: केशी; Keśi, nominative singular masculine from the root Keśin, literally "long haired") is the horse-demon, killed by Krishna, an avatar of the god Vishnu. The demon was dispatched by Krishna's evil uncle Kamsa, who was destined to die at Krishna's hands.

The tale of the slaying of Keshi is told in the Hindu scriptures of Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana and Harivamsa. Krishna is often praised as Keshava - the slayer of Keshi - in scriptures. (Full article...)

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Vampire Fenrir Ala (demon) Sharabha Ratatoskr Huginn and Muninn Nuckelavee Sea Mither Boobrie Stoor worm Mermaid Dragon Siren (mythology) Hippocampus (mythology) Phoenix (mythology) Centaur Unicorn Serpent (symbolism) Ceryneian Hind Anzû

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

Image 1Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 2Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3As 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 4Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5Bhima fighting with his famous Gada (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–15 (from Myth)
Image 8The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 9Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Sampo, 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 14The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 16Heracles 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 17Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20The 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 21Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22Prometheus (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 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 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 25Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kindercode: deu promoted to code: de (picture book for children) between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 27Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29Image 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 30Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 34Ashwatthama uses Narayanastra (from List of mythological objects)
Image 35Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 37Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38The 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 39Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 40The 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 41Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 42Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 43Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4614th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 48Lord 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 491929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 50The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 51The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57The 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 58Surya gifts Yudhishthira the Akshayapatra (from List of mythological objects)
Image 59"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 61Väinämöinen, 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 62Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 63Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65Arjuna fighting with his Gandiva (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69Opening 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 70Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 74The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 81The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 82Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 83seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 88This 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 89Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)