The stories
44 myths across 6 cultures — each told chapter by chapter with its sources, its participants, and its surviving variants.
7 stories
The Primordial Beginning and the High Plain of Heaven
In the Kojiki's opening, when 'the heavenly high plain had just come into being,' the first-born deity Takamimusubi ('the high divine origin of heavenly things') is named, and the deities of the High Plain of Heaven (Amenominakanushi) 'give birth to' or command the birth of the creator pair Izanagi and Izanami, ordering them to shape and settle the earthly islands [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. This establishes the vertical cosmology: a high heavenly realm above, an earthly realm below, with the creative pair sent from above to order the world below [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
Izanagi and Izanami Form the Islands
The creator pair Izanagi and Izanami stand on the Floating Bridge of Heaven (Ame-no-ukihashi) and, with the jeweled spear Ame-no-nuhokohe, stir the brine of the deep sea; the salt that drips from the spear forms the first island, Onogoro [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. There they wed and, in a series of 'birthings,' produce the great islands of Japan (naming them as they are formed) and then the deities (kami) who attend them [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. The sequence of islands and the sequence of kami are given in the text, though the two lists differ between the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
Izanami's Death and the Separation of the World (Izanagi's Purification)
In giving birth to the fire god Kagutsuchi, Izanami is burned and dies [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. Izanagi descends to the Land of Yomi to bring her back; finding her decayed and attended by the 'devils of rotting,' he flees, and the two are separated at the threshold—the mythic origin of the divide between the clean world of the living and the polluted realm of the dead [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. Fleeing to the world of the living, Izanagi performs a ritual purification (misogi), washing his body; from his washed body-parts a series of kami are born, and the separation is made permanent [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. This is the foundational myth of death, impurity (kegare), and purification in Japanese religion [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
The Heavenly Rock-Cave (Amaterasu and the Dark World)
After his brother Susanoo is banished from the High Plain of Heaven for his violent misconduct, Amaterasu, in grief and fear, withdraws into the Heavenly Rock-Cave (Ame-no-Ohafutsu), and the world is plunged into darkness [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. The assembled kami devise a plan to lure her out: the goddess Ame-no-Uzume performs a dance (on an upturned tub), and with the clamor of the assembled deities (including the thunder god Takemikazuchi) and a held-out mirror, they provoke Amaterasu's curiosity and joy [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. She peers out to see what the commotion is, sees her own radiance in the mirror, and is drawn back into the light, restoring the world [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. This is the mythic origin of the kagura (ritual dance) and of the 'luring back of the sun' [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
Susanoo Slayes Yamata-no-Orochi
On his way down from the banished heaven to the earthly realm (Izumo), Susanoo meets the weeping parents of a family whose daughters are being devoured by the eight-headed, eight-tailed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi; seven of the eight daughters have already been eaten, and the last, Kushinada-hime, is next [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. Susanoo asks for her hand, turns himself into a hair-comb, and has her wear it in her hair [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. He prepares eight vats of sweetened sake and sets out eight cutting-stations; when the serpent drinks and comes to drink, Susanoo slays it, and in its tail he finds the sword Kusanagi (Ame-murakumo-no-tsurugi) [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. He rescues Kushinada-hime and marries her [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. This is the archetypal Japanese monster-slaying myth and the origin of the sacred sword Kusanagi [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch.
The Subjugation of the Country (Kuniyurinshi)
When the heavenly prince Ninigi is sent down to rule the middle land, the indigenous island god Ōkuninushi and his retinue (led by the crossroads god Sarutahiko) resist the heavenly takeover [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. A contest ensues, centered on the throwing of the sword: the thunder god Takemikazuchi throws the sword (Kusanagi) from the high land to the middle land, hitting the target and demonstrating the heavenly gods' strength [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. Sarutahiko, carrying the sword, is subdued, and Ōkuninushi is defeated; he yields the land and hands over the three sacred regalia (mirror, jewel, sword) as pledge [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. Thereafter Ōkuninushi becomes a local deity of the earth, healing, and agriculture (especially in Izumo), while the heavenly line takes sovereignty [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch. This is the mythic foundation of the transfer of rule from the indigenous to the heavenly/imperial line.
The Descent of Ninigi (Tenson Kōryō)
The heavenly prince Ninigi, grandson of Amaterasu, is sent down from Takamagahara to take rule of the middle land (Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni) [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. His descent (Tenson Kōryō) alights at Takachiho in Hyūga (Kyūshū) [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. Guided by the crossroads god Sarutahiko, he is confronted by Ōkuninushi's side (the Kuniyurinshi), after which the land is yielded [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗. Ninigi takes the earthly bride Konohanasakuya-hime and later the heavenly bride Toyotama-hime (Amaterasu's daughter); their son Hooroni (Ōyahata) is the ancestor of the emperors [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗[S2]S2 · *Nihon Shoki* ('Chronicles of Japan', 720 CE) — PRIMARY TEXT (annalistic + mythographic) — (translation: G. Cameron, 1968; see Internet Arch. The 'birth at sea' of Hooroni (Toyotama-hime giving birth in a hut at sea, whence the sea is born) is part of this descent narrative [S1]S1 · *Kojiki* ('Records of Ancient Matters', 712 CE), trans. Basil Hall Chamberlain (1882/1933) — PRIMARY TRANSLATION — https://sacred-texts.com/Open source ↗.
11 stories
The Hesiodic Creation (Cosmogony)
In the Theogony, the first thing is Chaos, from which come Gaia (Earth), Tartarus, Eros, and Nyx. Gaia bears Ouranos (Sky), and the union of Gaia and Ouranos produces the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the Hecatoncheires [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
The Overthrow of Ouranos
Ouranos imprisoned his children in Tartarus. Gaia, grieving, forged a flint sickle and set Cronus to castrate and overthrow him; the Erinyes and (in the Theogony) Aphrodite arose from his severed parts [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
The Titanomachy (War of the Titans)
Zeus, grown, forced Cronus to disgorge his siblings, freed the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires, and led them to war against the Titans. After a great battle, the Titans were defeated and cast into Tartarus [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
The Birth of Athena
Zeus swallowed Metis, pregnant with their child, to avert the prophecy that the child would overthrow him. Athena was born fully formed and armored from Zeus's head [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Athena and Poseidon for Athens
Athena and Poseidon each offered a gift to the city: she the olive tree, he the sea (or a horse). The city chose Athena's gift, and she became its patron [S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text[S6]S6 · Pausanias, Description of Greecec. 150–180 CEtext.
The Birth of Aphrodite (Two Accounts)
In the Theogony, Aphrodite is born from the sea-foam around Ouranos's severed member at Cythera. In the Iliad, she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. Both accounts are canonical and incompatible [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Homer, Iliadc. 750 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
The Abduction of Persephone and the Seasons
Hades abducted Persephone to be his queen. Demeter's grief withheld the earth's fertility until a compromise: Persephone spends part of the year on earth (spring/summer) and part in the underworld (autumn/winter), because she ate pomegranate seeds below [S4]S4 · Homeric Hymnsc. 700–300 BCEtext[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Perseus and Medusa
Sent to fetch Medusa's head, Perseus was aided by Athena (mirror-shield) and Hermes (winged sandals, sickle); he beheaded the Gorgon, and Pegasus and Chrysaor sprang from her blood [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Typhon and Zeus
Typhon, the greatest monster, warred against the gods and wounded Zeus, who was cut and fell. Zeus recovered, regained his thunderbolt, and buried Typhon under Mount Etna [S1]S1 · Hesiod, Theogonyc. 700 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
The Twelve Labors of Heracles
Driven to madness by Hera, Heracles killed his children and was set to perform the twelve labors for Eurystheus as penance — including the Nemean lion, the Lernaean Hydra, and the capture of Cerberus. After his death he was raised to Olympus [S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Odysseus and the Cyclops
On his way home from Troy, Odysseus was trapped by the Cyclops Polyphemus, whom he blinded and escaped by calling himself 'Nobody' (Outis), so the other Cyclopes did not come when they heard 'Nobody is doing this' [S3]S3 · Homer, Odysseyc. 725 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
7 stories
The Creation of the World from Ymir
Between the ice of Niflheim and the fire of Muspelheim, in the void of Ginnungagap, the rime formed the giant Ymir and the cow Auðhumbla. From the salt Auðhumbla licked came the first god, Búri. His descendants — Odin, Vili, and Vé — killed Ymir and made the world from his body: his blood the seas, his flesh the earth, his bones the mountains, his skull the sky [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Odin and the Runes
To win the runes, Odin hung himself on the world-tree Yggdrasil for nine nights, pierced by his own spear, until the runes revealed themselves to him [S1]S1 · Poetic Edda (Codex Regius)c. 1270 (preserves earlier oral poetry)textOpen source ↗. The runes are the source of wisdom and of the poetic art, and Odin is their patron [S1]S1 · Poetic Edda (Codex Regius)c. 1270 (preserves earlier oral poetry)textOpen source ↗[S3]S3 · Skaldic poetry (various)9th–13th c. CEtext.
The Death of Baldr
Baldr, the brightest of the gods, had dreams of his death. His mother Frigg extracted oaths from all things not to harm him — except the mistletoe. Loki, disguised as an old woman, learned of this and guided Baldr's blind brother Höðr to throw a mistletoe dart at Baldr, killing him [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗. Baldr's death is the beginning of the end, setting the chain of events that leads to Ragnarök [S1]S1 · Poetic Edda (Codex Regius)c. 1270 (preserves earlier oral poetry)textOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
The Binding of Fenrir
The gods, fearing the growing wolf Fenrir, tried to bind him. The first two bindings he broke, but the third — a magic ribbon made of six impossible things (Gleipnir) — held. Only Týr placed his hand in the wolf's mouth as a pledge; when the binding held, Fenrir bit off his hand [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Loki's Children
Loki, in the form of a mare, mated with the stallion Svaðilfari and bore Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse of Odin. With the giantess Angerboa, Loki fathered the great monsters: the wolf Fenrir, the world-serpent Jörmungandr, and Hel, the ruler of the dead [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Ragnarök (The Fate of the Gods)
At the end of the world, a great winter (the Fimbulwinter) precedes Ragnarök. The bonds break: Fenrir breaks free, Jörmungandr rises from the sea, and the ship Naglfar (built from the nails of the dead) sails with the hosts of the dead. Heimdall sounds the horn Gjallarhorn; the gods ride to the field of Vígríðr. In the great battle, Odin is swallowed by Fenrir (avenged by Víðarr), Thor slays Jörmungandr but dies of his venom, Freyr is slain by Surt (having given away his sword), and Heimdall and Loki kill each other. Surt's fire destroys the world; from the ashes, a new world rises [S1]S1 · Poetic Edda (Codex Regius)c. 1270 (preserves earlier oral poetry)textOpen source ↗[S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
Thor and the Giantess (Geirðröðr)
Thor, disguised as a servant, went to the home of the giantess Geirðröðr to win her as a wife. He lifted the cat (which was actually the world-serpent Jörmungandr in disguise) and drank from a horn that was bottomless (the ocean). He was matched by the giant Utgarda-Pöki, who turned out to be the giant who had been deceiving him with illusions [S2]S2 · Snorri Sturluson, Prose Eddac. 1220–1235textOpen source ↗.
8 stories
The Heliopolitan Creation (Atum-Ra)
In the Heliopolitan tradition, the self-created god Atum-Ra rose from the primordial waters (Nun) — sometimes on a mound of earth (the benben). From his own body he created Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture), the first divine pair. Their children were Geb (earth) and Nut (sky). This is the genealogy behind the Osiris cycle [S1]S1 · Pyramid Textsc. 2400–2300 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
The Memphite Creation (Ptah)
In the Memphite tradition (preserved in the 'Memphite Theology'), Ptah is the self-created first god. He created the world 'in his heart and with his mouth' — by thought (the heart) and by speech (the mouth), naming things into existence [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic. This is a distinct creation account from the Heliopolitan and Hermopolitan traditions [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
The Hermopolitan Creation (the Ogdoad)
In the Hermopolitan tradition, creation begins with the Ogdoad — eight primeval deities representing the conditions of the primordial state: the waters (Nun/Naunet), infinity (Heh/Hehet), mystery (Khenunu/Khenunit), and duration (Sat/Satet). From these primeval conditions, the world (and the sun) comes into being [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
The Murder of Osiris
Set, jealous of his brother Osiris (the rightful king), lured him to a banquet. Set brought a coffin that he had measured to Osiris's exact size; when Osiris lay down in it, Set seized him, wrapped him in the coffin, sealed it with lead, and threw it into the Nile. The chest washed down-river and out to sea, washing up in Byblos, where a tamarisk tree grew around it [S3]S3 · Plutarch, On Isis and Osirisc. 79 CEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
Isis Restores Osiris
Isis (with the help of Nephthys) searched for the scattered pieces of Osiris's body. She found all the pieces except the genitals (which had been eaten by a fish in the Nile). She reassembled the body, used her magic to restore Osiris to life, and through their union conceived Horus [S3]S3 · Plutarch, On Isis and Osirisc. 79 CEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic. Anubis mummified the body, making Osiris the first mummy [S3]S3 · Plutarch, On Isis and Osirisc. 79 CEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
The Contendings of Horus and Set
Horus (the son of Osiris) and Set (the murderer) fight for the throne of Egypt. The 'Contendings' is a long, episodic struggle in which the two cousins fight, each claiming the throne, and the Ennead (the nine gods) judges between them. Horus ultimately wins, and becomes the king of the unified Egypt [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
Ra's Journey Through the Duat (the Night)
Each night, the sun god Ra enters the Duat (the underworld) in his 'Night Barque' and travels through the twelve hours of the night. At the hour of greatest danger (around midnight), the chaos serpent Apep strikes; Thoth and other gods help Ra defeat Apep. Ra rises again at dawn [S2]S2 · Book of the Dead (e.g., Papyrus of Ani)c. 1250 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic. The justified dead 'sail with Ra' through the night [S2]S2 · Book of the Dead (e.g., Papyrus of Ani)c. 1250 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
The Eye of Ra (Hathor/Sekhmet)
Ra's eye (variously identified with Hathor, Tefnut, or Sekhmet) was sent out to punish humanity for plotting against Ra. The eye became enraged and was transformed into Sekhmet, the warrior lioness, who slaughtered the rebels. To calm her, Ra (or Thoth) devised a trick: he brewed a potion dyed red with beet juice (to look like blood) and flooded the land with it; Sekhmet, thinking she had drunk the blood of her victims, became drunk and calm, and returned as Hathor [S3]S3 · Plutarch, On Isis and Osirisc. 79 CEtextOpen source ↗[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
5 stories
The Slavic Cosmology (the three-layered world)
The Slavic cosmos is three-layered: the Sky (Nebo) above, the Earth (Zemlya) in the middle, and the Underworld (Nav/Cherd) below. A world-axis (the world-tree, the 'axis mundi') connects the three layers. The Sky is the realm of Nebo and Perun; the Earth is the realm of the human world and the earth-gods; the Underworld is the realm of the dead (Nav/Cherd) and Veles [S4]S4 · Vsevolod Miller, 'Slavic God-Concepts' (Slavjanskije bozhestvennye predstavl'enija)1860 (19th c. ethnographic)academic[S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
The Perun-Veles Conflict (reconstructed)
In the reconstructed 'Perun-Veles' conflict, the sky-thunder-god Perun and the underworld-serpent-god Veles are in opposition. This is a scholarly reconstruction (Ivanov & Toporov) of an Indo-European 'sky-father vs. underworld-serpent' duality, not a single attested Slavic myth [S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic. The 'conflict' is expressed in folk belief as the opposition of the thunder (Perun) and the serpent (Veles) [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
The Seasonal Cycle (Jarilo vs. Morana, reconstructed)
In the reconstructed seasonal cycle, Jarilo (spring/youth) and Morana (winter/death) are in opposition. The cycle is expressed in folk ritual: the 'drowning of Marzanna' (the winter-goddess) in spring, and the 'Kupala' night (the midsummer fire-and-water festival) in the height of summer [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic. The 'spring kills winter, summer peaks, winter returns' is the reconstructed annual cycle [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
The Kupala Night (the midsummer fire-and-water festival)
The 'Kupala' night (the midsummer solstice, around June 23/24) is a well-attested folk fire-and-water festival across Slavic lands: bonfires are lit, people leap over the fire, the 'Kupala' flower (the fern-flower) is sought, and the water is blessed [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic. The 'Kupala' is associated with Jarilo (the spring/youth/sun god), though the relationship is debated [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
The Destruction of the Idols at Kiev (980 CE)
In 980 CE, the pagan ruler Vladimir of Kiev (later baptized as Vladimir) ordered the destruction of the pagan idols. The great wooden idol of Perun (with a golden head and beard) was dragged from its hill by the Dnieper, beaten, and thrown into the river [S1]S1 · Primary Chronicle (Povest' vremennykh let / Latopis povest' vremen'nykh let)c. 1113 CE (describes 10th c.)textOpen source ↗[S3]S3 · 'Tale of the Destruction of the Idols' (Skazanie o razrushenii idolov)16th-18th c.textOpen source ↗. This is the oldest attested event in the Slavic pantheon's history — the moment of the Christianization of Kiev [S1]S1 · Primary Chronicle (Povest' vremennykh let / Latopis povest' vremen'nykh let)c. 1113 CE (describes 10th c.)textOpen source ↗[S3]S3 · 'Tale of the Destruction of the Idols' (Skazanie o razrushenii idolov)16th-18th c.textOpen source ↗. The 'Tale of the Destruction of the Idols' (a later retelling) describes the event in detail [S3]S3 · 'Tale of the Destruction of the Idols' (Skazanie o razrushenii idolov)16th-18th c.textOpen source ↗.
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The Enuma Elish (the Babylonian Creation Epic)
The Enuma Elish is the great Babylonian creation epic, the 'New Year' (Akitu) festival text. In it, the gods (the 'Apsu' and the 'Tiamat' generations) are in conflict; the young gods (led by Marduk) are chosen to fight Tiamat. Marduk slays Tiamat with his bow, net, and 'rakasu' winds, splits her body in two to make the sky (upper half) and the earth (lower half), and from Kingu's blood (Tiamat's general) creates humanity. Marduk takes the 'Tablet of Destinies' and becomes the king of the gods [S1]S1 · Enuma Elish (Babylonian Creation Epic)Old Babylonian version c. 18th c. BCE; standard form c. 1100-1000 BCEtextOpen source ↗.
The Sumerian Creation (An and Ki)
In Sumerian cosmology, An (the sky) and Ki (the earth) are the first pair — the 'parents' of the world. From their union (or from the separation of heaven and earth), the gods and the world emerge [S5]S5 · etcl.mca.edu — Electronic Text Corpus of cuneiform (transliterations + translations)corpus (Sumerian/Akkadian texts)corpusOpen source ↗. The 'Apsu' (the fresh water) and the 'Tiamat' (the salt water) are the two primeval waters [S5]S5 · etcl.mca.edu — Electronic Text Corpus of cuneiform (transliterations + translations)corpus (Sumerian/Akkadian texts)corpusOpen source ↗.
The Flood (Atrahasis / Gilgamesh)
In the Atrahasis and the Gilgamesh flood-story, the gods (led by Enlil) decide to destroy humanity with a flood (because humanity's noise/disturbance is too great). Enki (Ea) saves the flood-hero (Atrahasis in the Atrahasis; Utnapishtim in the Gilgamesh) by whispering to him to build a boat. The flood destroys all life, but the flood-hero (and his family) survive. The flood-hero is later made immortal (in the Gilgamesh) [S2]S2 · Epic of Gilgamesh (Standard Babylonian version)c. 1200 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S3]S3 · AtrahasisOld Babylonian c. 17th c. BCEtextOpen source ↗.
Inanna's Descent to the Underworld
The great Sumerian myth of 'Inanna's Descent to the Underworld': Inanna descends to the underworld to attend the funeral of her sister Ereshkigal (the underworld-goddess). At the seven gates of the underworld, Inanna is stripped of her powers (her crown, her weapons, her jewelry) one by one. At the bottom, Ereshkigal kills Inanna (she is hung on a peg as a corpse). Enki (the wisdom god) is moved to pity and sends a being (the 'galatur' or the 'keshig') to bring Inanna back. Inanna is restored, but must send a 'stand-in' (her consort Dumuzi) to the underworld in her place [S4]S4 · Inanna's Descent to the Underworldc. 1900-1700 BCE (Sumerian)textOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · etcl.mca.edu — Electronic Text Corpus of cuneiform (transliterations + translations)corpus (Sumerian/Akkadian texts)corpusOpen source ↗.
Inanna and Ereshkigal (the 'sisters' of the underworld)
Inanna (the 'light' goddess) and Ereshkigal (the 'dark' goddess of the underworld) are 'sisters' (in some accounts) or adversaries. The 'Descent' myth is the great conflict between the two: Inanna descends to the underworld and is killed by Ereshkigal [S4]S4 · Inanna's Descent to the Underworldc. 1900-1700 BCE (Sumerian)textOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · etcl.mca.edu — Electronic Text Corpus of cuneiform (transliterations + translations)corpus (Sumerian/Akkadian texts)corpusOpen source ↗. The 'sisters' relationship is a 'light/dark' duality: Inanna is the 'light' (the morning star, the life-giver), Ereshkigal is the 'dark' (the underworld, the death-bringer) [S4]S4 · Inanna's Descent to the Underworldc. 1900-1700 BCE (Sumerian)textOpen source ↗[S5]S5 · etcl.mca.edu — Electronic Text Corpus of cuneiform (transliterations + translations)corpus (Sumerian/Akkadian texts)corpusOpen source ↗.
Enlil and the 'Erosion' of the World (the flood-decree)
In the Atrahasis and the Gilgamesh flood-story, Enlil (the king of the gods) decrees the flood because humanity's noise/disturbance is too great. The 'erosion' of the world (the flood) is Enlil's decree to destroy humanity [S2]S2 · Epic of Gilgamesh (Standard Babylonian version)c. 1200 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S3]S3 · AtrahasisOld Babylonian c. 17th c. BCEtextOpen source ↗. Enki (Ea) saves the flood-hero against Enlil's will [S2]S2 · Epic of Gilgamesh (Standard Babylonian version)c. 1200 BCEtextOpen source ↗[S3]S3 · AtrahasisOld Babylonian c. 17th c. BCEtextOpen source ↗.