"A creation myth or cosmogonic myth is a type of cosmogony, a symbolic narrative of how the world began and how people first came to inhabit it."
Stories of how the world and everything in it came into existence.
Religious beliefs and practices: Understanding the religious context of creation myths is essential when studying mythology. It includes the study of religious practices, traditions, and rituals.
Mythological characters: Each culture has its own unique set of mythological characters. Understanding their significance, roles, and attributes is vital.
Creation stories: Creation stories explain how the world came into being. These stories provide insights into the ancient culture and its cosmological beliefs.
Oral traditions: Learning about oral traditions, including storytelling, songs, and chants, is helpful in understanding how these myths were passed down from one generation to the next.
Archetypes: Archetypes are common motifs or characters that can be found in various cultures' mythologies. An understanding of these archetypes is critical to comprehending the myths' motifs and patterns.
Cosmology: Cosmology involves the study of the universe and its creation. Creation myths usually have cosmological themes that are well worth studying.
Symbolism: Symbolism is the use of symbols to convey complex ideas or meanings. Creation myths often contain symbols that reveal deep cultural and spiritual beliefs.
Comparative study: Comparing creation myths from various cultures can reveal common themes and motifs, as well as highlight differences and nuances.
Rituals: Rituals are an essential part of religious life in many cultures. Understanding the rituals associated with different cultures' creation myths can provide insight into the cultures' beliefs and practices.
Anthropology: Anthropology, the scientific study of human societies and cultures, can help us understand how creation myths played a role in shaping cultures across history.
Ex nihilo: These myths describe the creation of the world from nothingness. In this kind of myth, the universe, humans, and everything else are formed from chaos and nothingness.
Earth diver: In earth diver myths, a deity or creature descends from the sky or a high place into the water or onto the earth. The creature then creates the world out of mud or other substances.
Emergence: The emergence tales focus on how the mythological beings that inhabit the world came into being. This type of myth describes the emergence, birth, or creation of the first human or gods.
Cosmic egg: This type of story describes how the world sprouted from an egg, which an entity in the story could have created.
Sacrifice: In sacrifice myths, the universe, as well as the gods and humans, are created through a ritualistic sacrifice of some entity, such as a deity or primal animal.
World parent: These myths feature the world, the universe, or the gods being created by a parental figure, such as a mother goddess or father god.
Originator: Origin myths tell the story of a specific culture or tribe's creation, including the creation of humans, gods, and animals, as well as the origin of certain traits and features unique to that people.
Structural: Structural myths present the origins of the world and the beings who inhabit it as descriptions of universal or fundamental truths.
Dueling gods: In these myths, two or more gods fight or compete with one another, and from their struggle, something new is created.
Trickster: These myths feature a mischievous or foolhardy character who creates the world through cunning and often humorous means, regardless of what others want.
"While in popular usage the term myth often refers to false or fanciful stories, members of cultures often ascribe varying degrees of truth to their creation myths."
"In the society in which it is told, a creation myth is usually regarded as conveying profound truths – metaphorically, symbolically, historically, or literally."
"They are commonly, although not always, considered cosmogonical myths – that is, they describe the ordering of the cosmos from a state of chaos or amorphousness."
"Creation myths often share several features. They often are considered sacred accounts and can be found in nearly all known religious traditions."
"They are all stories with a plot and characters who are either deities, human-like figures, or animals, who often speak and transform easily."
"They are often set in a dim and nonspecific past that historian of religion Mircea Eliade termed in illo tempore ('at that time')."
"Creation myths address questions deeply meaningful to the society that shares them, revealing their central worldview and the framework for the self-identity of the culture and individual in a universal context."
"Creation myths develop in oral traditions and therefore typically have multiple versions."
"Found throughout human culture, they are the most common form of myth."
"Members of cultures often ascribe varying degrees of truth to their creation myths."
"A creation myth is usually regarded as conveying profound truths – metaphorically, symbolically, historically, or literally."
"Creation myths address questions deeply meaningful to the society that shares them, revealing their central worldview and the framework for the self-identity of the culture and individual in a universal context."
"They are all stories with a plot and characters who are either deities, human-like figures, or animals, who often speak and transform easily."
"They often are considered sacred accounts and can be found in nearly all known religious traditions."
"They are often set in a dim and nonspecific past that historian of religion Mircea Eliade termed in illo tempore ('at that time')."
"Creation myths develop in oral traditions and therefore typically have multiple versions."
"Creation myths address questions deeply meaningful to the society that shares them, revealing their central worldview and the framework for the self-identity of the culture and individual in a universal context."
"A creation myth is usually regarded as conveying profound truths – metaphorically, symbolically, historically, or literally."
"Found throughout human culture, they are the most common form of myth."