Top 10 Myths and Legends That Shaped Ancient Cultures

by World's Top Insider Team
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Every culture in the world has a way of telling stories, both myth and legend have been around for thousands of years. Not just stories, but the development maps of old civilizations—containing a people’s culture, religion, and dreams. Realizing myths and legends had always been an important way of giving meaning to things and realities, these narratives defined and discussed ways of conquering space, time, and meaning to the point of becoming a frame of reference for studying heroes in world history.

9) The Dreamtime Aboriginal Australia

In Aboriginal Australian culture and spirituality, the Dreamtime is most important. It commemorates the period when the spirits of Ancestors formed the land, animals, and people. Telling such stories is done orally since bringing attention to the indigenous people’s relationships to the land is their way of remembering.

Why It Matters: 

The Dreamtime myths are not simple fables; these stories are the instructions for how a culture can coexist with the environment.

Legacy: 

Most of these myths are still evident today in Aboriginal art, music, and the doing of spiritual activities.

Dreamtime - World History Encyclopedia

8) The Ramayana – Ancient India

This paper proposes to analyze one of the oldest epics of Indian literature, the Ramayana which reveals the adventures of prince Rama in the forest, and his abduction of wife Sita by the demon king Ravana. And it is mostly the story of military duty, honor, and loyalty.

Why It Matters: 

To elaborate, let us consider the fact that the Ramayana, as a great Indian epic, focuses on simple virtues, such as loyalty and physical courage, on duty as the last sacred thing.

Legacy: 

Hinduism influenced its philosophy and gave rise to stunning masterpieces in art, dance, and drama in Southeast Asia.

Ramayana - World History Encyclopedia

7) Popol Vu – Mayan Civilization

The Popol Vuh is an ancient creation myth and the story of the two cultural heroes of the Maya culture; the Hero Twins, known as Hunahpu and Xbalanque. It combines gods, people, and the universe as a single story that is presented in Gores’s novel.

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Why It Matters: 

It reveals information about the cosmos and gods in which the Mayans believed, how those Mayans sustained themselves through crop cultivation, and it shows evidence of the spiritual side of Mayan life.

Legacy: 

As such it remains an invaluable source of information regarding the Maya people’s history and their religion and is frequently alluded to in the present culture of Central America.

Popol Vuh - World History Encyclopedia

 

6) The Epic of Gilgamesh – Mesopotamia

Also known as the earliest known work in history, the Epic of Gilgamesh has its origin in Mesopotamia. This is the story of a hero-king Gilgamez who embarked on a journey in an attempt to achieve immortality and work captures favorite, death, friendship, and everything in between.

Why It Matters: 

This epic formed the basis of so many plot points that exist in modern literature including the hero’s journey.

Legacy: 

Because of the various elements that it portrays, it was used as a reference point in later storytelling in Western and Middle Eastern literature.

File:The Newly Discovered Tablet V of the Epic of Gilgamesh, The Sulaymaniyah Museum, Iraq.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

 

5) Presenting the storyline of the Norse Ragnarok – Scandinavia

Ragnarok is mentioned within the context of Norse mythology: it is the end of this world and the death of the gods with the renewal after that. It is a tragedy, an enshrinement of the destructive force, anarchy, and subsequently regeneration.

Why It Matters: 

The name Ragnarok may be translated as, ‘The end of the ages’, which portrays, the cycloid theory of life among the Vikings.

Legacy: 

It has been a source of putting down stories that include the Viking sagas and the modern myths that include the likes of the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Ragnarök - World History Encyclopedia

 

4) The Story of the Minotaur – Ancient Greek Mythology

There was also a story of the Minotaur, which was a man from the waist down and had the head of a bull; he lived in a play that was built by Daedalus. This legend is oriented on a victory of the human mind: a hero, Theseus, overcomes the monster and escapes from the labyrinth.

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Why It Matters: 

It is a story of bravery, intellect, and good old pride that goes before the fall kind of stuff.

Legacy: 

The story was responsible for framing later Greek art and architecture, as well as Western understandings of the hero, though with many changes.

Minotaur - World History Encyclopedia

3) The Creation Myth of the Iroquois –North American Peoples

In the Iroquois’s account, the origin of the world takes its beginning when Sky Woman slides through a hole in the sky world and lands on the back of a great turtle. Using animals, she forms the earth from a turtle, on which it is based.

Legacy: 

Even today, it survives in the Native American religious and ecological system.3. The Egyptian Osiris Myth – Ancient Egypt

APO: 

The Egyptian myth having Osiris, Isis as well and Set is well known. The son of both Nut and Geb, Osiris ruled the afterlife kingdom; however, his brother Set tricked him and killed him Osiris was later reborn by his wife Isis. This story is a representation of death, rebirth, and the eternal cycle of life.

Why It Matters: 

Therefore it influenced Egyptian understanding of the hereafter/afterlife and right behavior.

Legacy: 

It can also be seen throughout Egyptian burials and their adoration of the idea of ma’at.

Ten Native American Legendary Creatures You Need to Know - World History Encyclopedia

 

2) The Tale of Maui – Polynesia

One of the most important characters of Polynesian myths is Maui, a demigod. These include pulling islands from the sea and ‘killing’ the sun to make it move slowly across the sky. Tricked and lied, Maui shows his cleverness and persistence in obtaining the great trickster god’s favorite fish.

Why It Matters: 

In the Polynesian context, the real spirit of Maui is totally exploration and adaptation where man challenges mighty power to make life more enjoyable for all.

Legacy: 

This kind of folktale has been an oral tradition, and people in Polynesian countries to this day celebrate these stories.

Hine Nui Te Po by Maui-Empire on DeviantArt

 

1) The Greek Myth of Prometheus – Ancient Greece

The first one is the of Prometheus, the Titan who in a way rebelled against Zeus for stealing the fire and bringing it to people. His punishment of eternal torment for this transgression stands then as a reification of progress as well as the tenacity of humanity’s spirit.

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Why It Matters: 

It is an example of the function of the humanist concept of Greek culture that focuses on the spirit that dares fools against resources, abilities, or scope.

Legacy: 

Prometheus has emerged as a figurehead for rebellion and creativity and thus shaped literature, arts, and philosophy over centuries.

Prometheus - World History Encyclopedia

Conclusion

To put it in simple terms, myths are not just ancient stories, they are a cross-section of the culture of a society. These stories have an impact giving people valuable lessons, explaining the phenomenon of nature, and evoking imagination. Through those myths, it is easier to comprehend the common roots of the people.

FAQs

1. What functions did myths and legends have in ancient cultures?

They serve the purpose of ethical beacons, describe phenomena encountered in nature, and act as agents of maintaining cultural heritage.

 

2. To what extent are these myths still of value today?

A lot of contemporary fables, ideologies, and even films exist about these early myths.

 

3. Of these myths, which has the highest literary impact?

The ancient facts of the myth of Gilgamesh have influenced literature and philosophy along with the myth of Prometheus.

 

4. My question is, where can I get more information about these myths?

Doing a historical survey, learning cultural studies, or savoring its literary works may help.

 

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5. Are there contemporary adaptations of these myths?

A lot of myths and legends were depicted in books, films, and shows like Disney’s Moana tells the story of Maui or multiple Greek/Norse myth adaptations.

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