Portal:Myths

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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 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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A contemporary image of Varahi

Varahi (Sanskrit: वाराही, IAST:Vārāhī) is one of the Matrikas, a group of seven mother goddesses in the Hindu religion. Bearing the head of a sow, Varahi is the shakti (feminine energy) of Varaha, the boar avatar of the god Vishnu. In Nepal, she is called Barahi. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, she is venerated as Dandini.

Varahi is more commonly venerated in the sect of the Goddess-oriented Shaktism, but also in Shaivism (devotees of Shiva) and Vaishnavism (devotees of Vishnu). She is usually worshipped at night, using secretive Vamamarga Tantric practices. The Buddhist goddesses Vajravārāhī and Marichi have their origins in the Hindu goddess Varahi. (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 the most popular deity worshipped by the Duala peoples of Cameroon is a mermaid called a jengu?

...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 Xiuhtecuhtli (mask pictured), the Aztec god of fire, was one of the nine Lords of the Night even though he was a solar deity?

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The hippocampus or hippocamp, also hippokampos (plural: hippocampi or hippocamps; Ancient Greek: ἱππόκαμπος, from ἵππος, 'horse', and κάμπος, 'sea monster'), often called a sea-horse in English, is a mythological creature shared by Phoenician, Etruscan, Pictish, Roman and Greek mythology, though its name has a Greek origin. The hippocampus has typically been depicted as having the upper body of a horse with the lower body of a fish. (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) Phoenix (mythology) Centaur Unicorn Serpent (symbolism) Anzû Cerberus

General images

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

Image 1Image 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 2The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3Ahimelech giving the sword of Goliath to David, by Aert de Gelder. (from List of mythological objects)
Image 4Symbolic power: a dragon in the Imperial City, Huế, Vietnam (from Legendary creature)
Image 5The Ash Yggdrasil by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (from List of mythological objects)
Image 6King Svafrlame Secures the Sword Tyrfing (from List of mythological objects)
Image 7Tissot Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 8Joan of Arc with her famous sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 9Golem and Loew (from List of mythological objects)
Image 10The Argo (c. 1500 – 1530), painting by Lorenzo Costa (from List of mythological objects)
Image 11Jason returns with Golden fleece (from List of mythological objects)
Image 12Shield of Achilles (illustration) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 131929 Belgian banknote, depicting Ceres, Neptune and caduceus (from Myth)
Image 14Thor wearing the magic belt Megingjörð (from List of mythological objects)
Image 15Achilles wearing his armor (from List of mythological objects)
Image 16 Odysseus Overcome by Demodocus' Song, by Francesco Hayez, 1813–1815 (from Myth)
Image 17The Honest Woodcutter, also known as Mercury and the Woodman and his famous Golden Axe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 18The famous sword of Excalibur painted by Howard Pyle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 19Jug from Lydian Treasure Usak (from List of mythological objects)
Image 20The Celestial Chariot, Pushpaka Vimana from Ramayana (from List of mythological objects)
Image 21Hop-o'-My-Thumb stealing the Seven-league boots from the Ogre, by Gustave Doré (from List of mythological objects)
Image 22Myths and legends of Babylonia and Assyria (1916) (from Myth)
Image 23Houyi, the God of Archery (from List of mythological objects)
Image 24A 19th-century drawing of Sun Wukong featuring his staff (from List of mythological objects)
Image 25Goetia seal of solomon (from List of mythological objects)
Image 26Sampo, 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 27Edith Hamilton's Mythology has been a major channel for English speakers to learn classical Greek and Roman mythology (from Myth)
Image 28The 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 29Rectangular tablets passed down by the Hand of God in the 10th century Byzantine Leo Bible (from List of mythological objects)
Image 30This 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 31The Flying Dutchman (from List of mythological objects)
Image 32An angel (Camael) expelling Adam and Eve with a flaming sword (from List of mythological objects)
Image 33Claíomh Solais on an Ireland stamp printed in 1922 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 34Perillos being forced into the brazen bull that he built for Phalaris (from List of mythological objects)
Image 35Prometheus (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 36As 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 37Opening 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 38Veronica holding her veil, Hans Memling, c. 1470 (from List of mythological objects)
Image 3914th century Goryeo painting of Ksitigarbha holding a cintamani (from List of mythological objects)
Image 40Väinämöinen, 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 41Ancient Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing the god Dumuzid being tortured in the Underworld by galla demons (from Comparative mythology)
Image 42seven angels with seven trumpets (from List of mythological objects)
Image 43Fortune Wheel (from List of mythological objects)
Image 44Azoth, a universal medicine or universal solvent sought in alchemy. (Medieval legend) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 45Lord 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 46Hand of God (from List of mythological objects)
Image 47Yama with his famous Yama Pasha (from List of mythological objects)
Image 48Fig trees often represent talismans with the udumbara (from List of mythological objects)
Image 49Pied piper (from List of mythological objects)
Image 50Greek God Kronos/Saturnus with sickle (from List of mythological objects)
Image 51Giza pyramids (from List of mythological objects)
Image 52Jacob blesses Joseph and gives him the coat of many colors (from List of mythological objects)
Image 53Several mythical creatures from Bilderbuch für Kinder (lit. 'picture book for children') between 1790 and 1822, by Friedrich Justin Bertuch (from Legendary creature)
Image 54"The Fall of Man" by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Tree of Knowledge is on the right (from List of mythological objects)
Image 55The 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 56Riding a Flying Carpet, an 1880 painting by Viktor Vasnetsov (from List of mythological objects)
Image 57Ancient 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 58The 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 59Holy Robe in Trier (from List of mythological objects)
Image 60"Tizona", the sword attributed to El Cid, on exhibit in the Army Museum of Madrid (from List of mythological objects)
Image 61Voodoo doll with pins in it, Museum of Witchcraft (from List of mythological objects)
Image 62The Crown of Immortality, held by the allegorical figure Eterna (Eternity) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 63Fountain of Youth (from List of mythological objects)
Image 64Artist's impressions of the (unseen) Imperial Regalia of Japan (from List of mythological objects)
Image 65Snake and world egg of the inhabitants of Tyre (from List of mythological objects)
Image 66Thor kicks Litr onto Baldr's Hringhorni, illustration by Emil Doepler (ca. 1905) (from List of mythological objects)
Image 67Vishnu with his Panchajanya (from List of mythological objects)
Image 68Longinus with his famous Spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 69The 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 70Erlang Shen (二郎神), or Erlang is a Chinese God with his spear (from List of mythological objects)
Image 71Shiva with his Trishula (from List of mythological objects)
Image 72Golden cosmic egg Hiranyagarbha by Manaku (from List of mythological objects)
Image 73Amenonuhoko (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 74Aura, a field of luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (from List of mythological objects)
Image 75Ballads of bravery (1877) part of Arthurian mythology (from Myth)
Image 76Heracles 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 77Lichas bringing the garment of Nessus to Hercules (from List of mythological objects)
Image 78The Fall of the Titans (1596–98) by Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (from Comparative mythology)
Image 79Killing of Ravana Painting by Brahmstra of Arrow of Brahma (from List of mythological objects)
Image 80The Dispute of Minerva and Neptune (c. 1689 or 1706) by René-Antoine Houasse, depicting the founding myth of Athens (from National myth)
Image 81Early Hebrew Conception of the Universe (from List of mythological objects)
Image 82Surya on His Celestial Chariot (from List of mythological objects)
Image 83Hanuman fetches the herb-bearing mountain, in a print from the Ravi Varma Press, 1910's (from List of mythological objects)
Image 84Adam's Bridge also called as Rama Setu (from List of mythological objects)
Image 85Dietrich von Bern and Hildebrand fight against dragons (from List of mythological objects)
Image 86Vishnu holding his legendary sword Nandaka (from List of mythological objects)
Image 87The fall of Icarus (from List of mythological objects)