Minute Mythology

Atenism reigned as a prominent religion in Ancient Egypt for 20 years, becoming its official faith for 11 of those years. The religion…

Nuwa is a legend in Chinese mythology, credited with both the creation of humanity and rescuing Earth from being crushed by the sky. She…

The ancient Greek religion had at least three gods representing conceptions of time: Chronos, Aion, and Kairos. Chronos (not to be confused…

Tiangou is a creature — depicted as a dog or meteor — in Chinese folklore that ate the moon or sun during an eclipse. Its name translates…

The concept of the Vaitarna river in Indian mythology will be familiar to those in the West. On its surface, it bears a resemblance to the…

The Wandjina are worshipped under the Dreamtime mythology. Popular culture rarely references Dreamtime — at least in comparison to any…

While a handful of stories and poems contain references to Gefjon (Gefion), her exact role within the Norse mythos is still a debate. It…

The Akitu festival goes back around 4,000 years, and it is considered the oldest New Year’s celebration. Initiated within the Babylonian…

Chenrezig is both the protector of Tibet and the founding father of the Tibetan people. He is the pure embodiment of compassion and falls…

Lilith (Lili, Lilitu) was a demon of chaos, sexual seduction, and general ungodliness. Her appearance in global mythology is somewhat…

“Abaddon” was originally a term used by the Hebrews to describe something akin to a place of destruction or a bottomless pit (usually…

The ancient Greeks considered Momus to be the personification of satire and mockery. Stories tell of Momus’s exile from the company of the…

Dreamtime is a complex concept that anthropologists coined to refer to the various beliefs that stretched across ancient Australia and…

Pangu is the central character in one of a few creation myths within Chinese mythology. Within that folklore, Pangu is the first living…

Although mostly known as Odin’s brothers, Ve and Vili played a vital role in the Norse mythos. They were the bringers of cognition…

Fjorgynn and Fjorgyn are believed to be a male/female divine pair within Norse mythology, something common throughout Indo-European…

Nu (Nun) was the personification of the dark watery abyss that existed at the beginning of time, which contained the potential for all…

Aswangs are shapeshifting, human-hunting monsters that sometimes bear similarities to vampires, ghosts, witches, and werewolves. Like a…

Eshu goes by many names across the world — from West Africa to Brazil — and is associated with many things. Chiefly, beyond being a…

Inanna was worshiped in Sumeria at least as far back as 6,000 years ago. She was considered the queen of heaven and earth, as well as the…

In general, bears represented power in the ancient European world (and beyond). The name “Arthur” — as in King Arthur — likely stemmed…