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Mythology: Home

This image shows Hine nui te Po, the

Hine nui te Po, Goddess of Death, Maori

Adam overlooks the garden of Eden in this art piece inspired by the Christian tale of Genesis. Adam stands naked in his earthly garden, gesturing dramatically, surrounded by a flock of various animals captured in various postures, suggesting life. Most notable are the many birds depicted which seem to just be taking flight. On the Horizon the sun seems to be rising.

Adam overlooks the Garden of Eden, J.E. Ridinger, Christian

This image shows The Birth of the Aztec tribes from the womb of mount Chicomoztoc. This significant mountain is rendered very stylistically, taking on a spherical nature, and containing seven

Birth of Aztec tribes from the womb of Mount Chicomoztoc, Aztec

This image shows Ranginui (the sky) and Papatūānuku (the earth) of Maori mythology, coming together in order to conceive the rest of the Gods in darkness. Their children, it is said, later separated them from one another so that there could be light. After this, their children became gods of various parts of the natural world.

Primal Parents, Maori

This image depicts the myth of Hero and Leander, a pair of star-crossed lovers from Greek Mythology. Leander has just drowned attempting to swim the straight which separated the two lovers, losing his way after a winter wind blew out the light which usually guided Leander's way through the waters.

Hero and Leander, Peter Paul Rubens, Greek

This Image shows a partial View of the Book of Day and Book of Night from Egyptian mythology. Most prominent is the figure of Nut, the sky goddess arching over the material world, vaulted up to become the night sky.

Partial View of Book of Day and Book of Night, Nut, Egypt

The god Odin returns in eagle form from the realm of the giants, Muspelheim, carrying with him the mead of wisdom in his gullet. As he flies back to Asgard, some of the mead dribbles out from his lips and lands in Midgard, the realm of humans.

Odin in Eagle form, Prose Edda, Scandinavia

This image shows the goddess of love and beauty arriving on land, on the island of Cyprus, born of the sea spray and blown there by the winds, Zephyr and, perhaps, Aura. The goddess, Venus, is standing on a giant scallop shell, as pure and as perfect as a pearl. Roman Mythology

Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli, Roman

This image is from the Book of Hours, a Christian devotional popular in the Middle Ages. This image depicts the story of Genesis, focusing on Adam and Eve and the events leading up to their expulsion from the garden of Eden.

The Book of Hours, Christian

This image is a picture of a sculpture of the Water Spirit Mami Wata, a popular deity in West, Central, and Southern Africa, and in the African diaspora in the Americas. She is depicted holding a snake in either hand while a third snake enwraps her body from below.

Mami Wata or "Mother of Waters", Central/West Africa

This image depicts some folks hiding behind some baskets and fishing equipment on a dock. The figures are surrounded by a ring of luminous individuals which, despite the fearful postures of the main figures, seem to be benevolent.

Patupaiarehe: night fairies who were generally kind and helpful to mankind, Maori

This image depicts a vase illustrating the Mayan creation myth. It shows the God L (right) presiding over six deities at the creation of the present universe.

Pot of the Seven Gods, Maya

Welcome to Mythology

This guide was created by Daniel August in Spring 2021.

 

Myth (noun) /miTH/

 "A story of the gods, a religious account of the beginning of the world, the creation, fundamental events, the exemplary deeds of the gods as a result of which the world, nature and culture were created together with all parts thereof and given their order, which still obtains. A myth expresses and confirms society's religious values and norms, it provides a pattern of behavior to be imitated, testifies to the efficacy of ritual with its practical ends and establishes the sanctity of cult." - Lauri Honko

Selected Works

 

"The most important question anyone can ask is: What myth am I living?" - C.G. Jung

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