"Originally told to explain the mysteries of the world - such as creation, divine will, fertility, death, and love - myths are a major part of many cultures throughout the world, and each area has its own myths. This book is organized by geographic region, and each myth is placed within the civilization's history and context. The key elements of world mythology, such as the hero, his divine connection, the labyrinth, the initiation, and the transformation,are explored in boxes and features throughout the book." Available to members of Thrall.
Creation StoriesCreation Myths - Accounts of the Origin of the World
Animated editions of creation myths. Requires the Adobe Flash plugin. After the introduction, click on a region on the map to view the creation myth for that region.
"This folklore site contains retellings of folktales, myths, legends, fairy tales, superstitions, weatherlore, and ghost stories from all over the Americas." Includes United States, Mexico, Canada, African-American, Asian-American, European-American, Latin American and Native American. Created as part of a graduate study at Rutgers.
Articles include "9 Legends of American Folklore" and others such as "How Conspiracy Theories Work," "How Friday the 13th Works," and "Why Is April 1 a Day to Celebrate Foolishness?" Provided by How Stuff Works.
"This is a collection of South African folklore collected during the 19th century. It includes many great animal tales with classic African wisdom." From Sacred-Texts.com.
Online edition of book by Thomas Bulfinch. Search or browse. Sections include: Stories of Gods and Heroes, King Arthur and his Knights, The Mabinogeon, Hero Myths of the British Race, and Legends of Charlemagne. Provided by Bartleby.com.
Nearly 20,000 entries about various words and their origins, literary and Biblical characters, myths, legends, symbols, literature and literary allusions, folklore, history, and more.
A vast archive of original Medieval and Modern texts as well as scholarly works about King Arthur, Arthurian lore, Camelot, and the Holy Grail. Provided by the University of Rochester.
"This dictionary contains words and expressions that have their origin in mythological characters and events, for example, common words such as ocean and museum and expressions such Achilles heel and Pandora's box." From Encylopedia Mythica.
This expansive database of myths and legends contains entries on various mythological stories and characters from Aboriginal, African, Aztec, Basque, Celtic, Chinese, Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Haitian, Hindu, Inca, Islamic, Japanese, Judaic, Korean, Latvian, Mayan, Mesopotamian, Native American, Norse, Persian, Polynesian, and Roman mythologies. Search or browse by a specific mythology.
Browse or search. Information on African, Australian, Aztec, Caribbean, Celtic, Chinese, Egyptian, Finnish, Greek, Incan, Indian, Japanese, Mayan, Mesopotamian, Middle-Eastern, Native American, Norse, Oceanic, Roman, Slavic And Baltic, South-East Asian, South American, and Tibetan gods and goddesses, as well as Christian Saints.
Sections include: American Folklore, Ancient Greek Literature and Mythology, Egyptian Mythology, Greek and Roman Mythology, Heroes in Greek Mythology, Monsters in Greek Mythology, Norse Mythology, The Nine Muses, The Olympian Gods and Goddesses, and The Twelve Labors of Hercules.
"In this beloved 1988 PBS series, mythologist and storyteller Joseph Campbell joins Bill Moyers to explore what enduring myths can tell us about our lives. In each of six episodes - 'The Hero's Adventure,' 'The Message of the Myth,' 'The First Storytellers,' 'Sacrifice and Bliss,' 'Love and the Goddess,' and 'Masks of Eternity' - Moyers and Campbell focus on a character or theme found in cultural and religious mythologies. Campbell argues that these timeless archetypes continue to have a powerful influence on the choices we make and the ways we live." Full transcript of Campbell and Moyer's six-part documentary with select video clips. From BillMoyers.com.
The official website of the most famous contemporary scholar and writer of mythology. Includes information about the author's life and works (in and out of print), themes such as "the hero's journey" and "follow your bliss," the MythNow blog, quotes and selections from interviews. Free registration also extends access to an online community, the Mythological Resources databases, essays by the author, and other downloads at this website.
"Greek and Egyptian mythology, the story of the Lion King, and the legend of King Arthus are just some of the ways these resources explore the different cultural interpretations of heroes. Then learn the stories of Cinderella, as well as American legends Paul Bunyan, John Henry and Pecos Bill." From the Kennedy Center.
"Since long ago, people around the world have associated the heavens, objects in the sky, and aspects of the world around us with their gods and goddesses. Links from this page will take you to descriptions of and stories about selected gods and goddesses in various cultures." From Windows to the Universe.
This website, provided by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, examines mythology and the use of mythical symbols (symbolism) in art from around the world and throughout history. You can browse by theme or culture. Photographs of actual artifacts and artistic pieces are provided along with explanations. Also included: "What is Myth?", a glossary, suggested titles for further reading, and downloadable curriculum materials for teachers.
