Portal:Myths

The Myths Portal

Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is totally different from the ordinary sense of the term myth, meaning a belief that is not true, as the veracity of a piece of folklore is entirely irrelevant to determining whether it constitutes a myth.

Myths are often endorsed by religious and secular authorities, and may be natural or supernatural in character. 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...)

Selected article -

Bhikshatana, Annamalaiyar Temple, Thiruvannamalai

Bhikshatana (Sanskrit: भिक्षाटन; Bhikṣāṭana; literally, "wandering about for alms, mendicancy") or Bhikshatana-murti (Bhikṣāṭanamūrti) is an aspect of the Hindu god Shiva as the "Supreme mendicant" or the "Supreme Beggar". Bhikshtana is depicted as a nude four-armed man adorned with ornaments who holds a begging bowl in his hand and is followed by goblin attendants and love-sick women.

Bhikshatana is considered a gentler form of Shiva's fierce aspect Bhairava and a gentle phase between Bhairava's two gruesome forms, one of which decapitates one head of the four headed god Brahma and the other of which kills the god Vishnu's gatekeeper. Bhikshatana is the form of Bhairava that Shiva assumes to atone for his sin of severing Brahma's fifth head. He wanders the universe in the form of a naked Kapali mendicant, begging for alms with Brahma's kapala (skullcup) as his begging bowl, until his sin is expiated upon reaching the holy city of Varanasi. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Did you know? -

... 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 Maximón, a saint venerated in the highlands of Guatemala, drinks whiskey, smokes cigarettes and grants prayers for revenge?

... that the white horse in mythology is associated with the sun chariot, warrior-heroes, fertility or an end-time saviour?

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Featured Articles: Ahalya, Ancient Egyptian literature, King Arthur, Ganesha, Iravan, Orion (mythology), Vampire, Vithoba

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Good Articles: 2012 phenomenon, Æsir–Vanir War, Ala (demon), Anu, Aphrodite, Athena, Ardhanarishvara, Battle of Barry, Bhikshatana, Catalogue of Women, Chamunda, Chhinnamasta, Consorts of Ganesha, Cú Chulainn, Dhumavati, Dumuzid, Einherjar, Eir, Enlil, Fairy Flag, Fenrir, Gerðr, Hel (being), Huginn and Muninn, Iðunn, Ila (Hinduism), Inanna, Kabandha, Kali, Kamadhenu, Kangiten, Keshi (demon), Khandoba, Kratos (mythology) Krishna, Kubera, LGBT themes in Hindu mythology, Manasa, Mandodari, Matangi, Matrikas, Maya Sita, Mohini, Myrrha, Mythology of Carnivàle, Naraka (Hinduism), Ninurta, Prester John, Prithu, Putana, Rati, Ratatoskr, Revanta, Satyavati, Satyr, Sharabha, Shashthi, Shiva, Sif, Tara (Ramayana), Troilus, Tuisto, Valhalla, Valkyrie, Vampire folklore by region, Varaha, Varahi, Veðrfölnir and eagle Zduhać

...Recognised content on Wikipedia

Wikiversity

Mythology portal on Wikiversity

Selected creature -

The serpent, or snake, is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological symbols. The word is derived from Latin serpens, a crawling animal or snake. Snakes have been associated with some of the oldest rituals known to humankind.

They represent dual expression of good and evil. (Full article...)

List of selected creatures

General images

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

Image 1The 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 2The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5alt=Spiral hieroglyphic inscriptions on the Phaistos Disc (from Comparative mythology)
Image 6Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Opening lines of one of the Mabinogi myths from the Red Book of Hergest (written pre-13th century, 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 8Amenonuhoko (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 9Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 13Prometheus (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 14The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15The 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 16Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 17Several legendary creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 18Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 23Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 25This 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 26The 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 27seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 28The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 29Ancient 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 30The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 31Yama advances to smite Ravana with the weapon of death (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32Heracles 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 33Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 35The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 36Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 37Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 38Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 39An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 41Väinämöinen, 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 42Sampo, 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 43The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44Lord 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 45Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 46Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 47Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 48The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 51Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 52Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, a mythological painting by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 53Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 54The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 5514th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 56Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 58Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 59Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 60Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63Thor's Fight with the Giants (1872) by Mårten Eskil Winge. Thor is the god of thunder in Norse mythology. (from Myth)
Image 64Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 65Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 67Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 70Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 74Image 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 75Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 76"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 77Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 79Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80The 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 81Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 83Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 841929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 85Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 88As 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 89The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 90Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)

Subcategories

Myths

Astronomical myths

Events in Norse mythology

Geomyths

Greek myths

Mesopotamian myths

Origin myths

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Wikiproject of Mythology
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