Portal:Myths

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The Myths Portal

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 folklorists, historians, philosophers or theologians this is very different from the use of "myth" simply indicating that something 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

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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Aravan worshipped at Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore. A cobra hood is sheltering Aravan's head.

village deity and is known as Aravan. He is also a patron god of well-known transgender communities called Alis (also Aravani in Tamil, and Hijra

throughout South Asia).
The Mahabharata portrays Iravan as dying a heroic death on the 8th day of the 18-day Kurukshetra War (Mahabharata war), the epic's main subject. However, the South Indian traditions have a supplementary practice of honouring Aravan's self-sacrifice to the goddess Kali to ensure her favour and the victory of the Pandavas in the war. The Kuttantavar tradition focuses on one of the three boons granted to Aravan by the god Krishna in honour of this self-sacrifice. Aravan requested that he be married before his death. Krishna satisfied this boon in his female form, Mohini. In Koovagam, Tamil Nadu, this incident is re-enacted in an 18-day festival, first by a ceremonial marriage of Aravan to Alis and male villagers (who have taken vows to Aravan) and then by their widowhood after ritual re-enactment of Aravan's sacrifice. (Full article...)

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Sól (Norse mythology)
Njörðr
Satyr
Iliad

Did you know? - show different entries

... that on every Wednesday and Saturday, the demons of Sri Lanka assemble to give an account of their activities to their king?

... that, in the lives of saints, the appearance of roses (example pictured) sometimes announces the presence or activity of God?

... that
temple
?

...that Luwian deity of Wilusa (Troy) attested among gods in a treaty inscription, ca. 1280 BCE, is a likely precursor of Apollo of Greek mythology
?

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Thor in Hymir's boat battling the Midgard Serpent, by Henry Fuseli (1788)

The stoor worm, or Mester Stoor Worm, was a gigantic evil sea serpent of Orcadian folklore, capable of contaminating plants and destroying animals and humans with its putrid breath. It is probably an Orkney variant of the Norse Jörmungandr, also known as the Midgard Serpent, or world serpent, and has been described as a sea dragon.
The king of one country threatened by the beast's arrival was advised to offer it a weekly sacrifice of seven virgins. In desperation, the king eventually issued a proclamation offering his kingdom, his daughter's hand in marriage, and a magic sword to anyone who could destroy the monster. Assipattle, the youngest son of a local farmer, defeated the creature; as it died its teeth fell out to become the islands of Orkney, Shetland and the Faroes, and its body became Iceland. (Full article...)

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Serpent (symbolism)
Anzû
Cerberus

General images

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

Image 1Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)

Image 2Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)

Image 3Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)

Image 4Opening 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 5The 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 6Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)

Image 7The 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 8Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)

Image 9Heracles 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 10Ancient 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 11Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)

Image 12Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)

Image 13Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)

Image 14Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)

Image 15A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)

Image 161929
Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth
)

Image 17Amenonuhoko (天沼矛 or 天之瓊矛 or 天瓊戈, "heavenly jeweled spear") is the name given to the spear in
Onogoro-shima, from the sea (from List of mythological objects
)

Image 18Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)

Image 19The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)

Image 20The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)

Image 21Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)

Image 22Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)

Image 23Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)

Image 24Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)

Image 25The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)

Image 26Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)

Image 27Symbolic power: a
Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature
)

Image 28King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)

Image 29Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)

Image 30 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)

Image 31An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)

Image 32Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)

Image 33"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)

Image 34"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)

Image 35Ancient Sumerian
Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology
)

Image 36Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)

Image 37Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)

Image 38Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)

Image 39Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)

Image 40Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)

Image 41Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)

Image 42The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)

Image 43Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)

Image 44
Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology
)

Image 45Rectangular tablets passed down by the
Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects
)

Image 46Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)

Image 47
Prometheus Pyrphoros), Prometheus is bound and tortured for giving fire to humanity. (from Myth
)

Image 48Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)

Image 49Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)

Image 50Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)

Image 51Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)

Image 5214th century
Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects
)

Image 53seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)

Image 54Sampo, 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 55Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)

Image 56Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)

Image 57Image showing the sacred tree to the right of the temple, from
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 58Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)

Image 59Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)

Image 60Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)

Image 61Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)

Image 62Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)

Image 63Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)

Image 64Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)

Image 65The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)

Image 66Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)

Image 67Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)

Image 68Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)

Image 69Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)

Image 70Joan of Arc with her famous sword (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 72Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)

Image 73Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)

Image 74Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)

Image 75Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)

Image 76The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)

Image 77The Dispute of
founding myth of Athens (from National myth
)

Image 78Lord 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 79This 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 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 81The 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 82Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)

Image 83As 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 84
The Kalevala (Väinämöinen's Play, Robert Wilhelm Ekman, 1866) (from Myth
)

Image 85Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)

Image 86The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)

Image 87The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)

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