What is Mythology?
Using mythology as a source of history
Etymology of the word “Mythology”
The word “mythology” comes from the Greek word “mythologia” (μυθολογία), which is a compound of two words:
Mythos (μῦθος): means story, myth, legend, or fiction.
Logos (λόγος): means word, speech, discourse, or account.
The word “mythos” refers to the traditional stories and legends of a particular culture, especially those concerning the gods and other supernatural beings. The word “logos” refers to the study or discourse of a particular subject.
many different cultures have their own unique mythologies, which are known by different names. For example, Japanese mythology is known as Shinto (神道), Hindu mythology is known as Veda (वेद), and Mayan mythology is known as Popol Vuh.
The names of mythologies in their own cultures reflect the language and beliefs of that culture. These names show that mythologies are not just stories, but also an important part of that culture’s identity and worldview.
Why Mythology is Important
Many people think of mythology as nothing more than fictional stories, but for ancient people, this was not the case. In Anatolia, there are hundreds of temples and theaters (theatres are fundamentally a Dionysian cult). This shows how much importance people actually attached to mythology, i.e. their religion. One of the Seven Wonders of the World is also the Temple of Artemis.
Furthermore, mythology helps us understand ancient people. For example, it is said that Heracles had 10 tasks in his first labors, which later somehow turned into 12. This is often associated with the Sumerians and the zodiac. The fact that the number of Heracles’ tasks increased from 10 to 12 may actually indicate a discovery made at that time, but since mythology is based on oral tradition, it is difficult to say whether this information is true or false.
Another example is Prometheus giving fire to humans and Zeus getting angry with humans and taking fire back from them. Why would a god get angry with humans and take fire away from them? Many researchers say that this is related to the extinction of a sacred fire in ancient times. In other words, when the sacred fire went out, such a story was invented to keep people together, and we still see this story in books as Greek mythology.
The arrival of spring is celebrated in every culture because spring is sacred. Spring brings abundance and fertility because Demeter’s daughter Persephone is released from Hades for 6 months and returns to her mother, thus bringing abundance and fertility to the world. This story is only valid for ancient Greece and Anatolia, Nowruz, Holi, Setsubun (節分), Ostara, and Beltane are the names of spring celebrations in other cultures.
Mythology is one of the oldest and most important bodies of knowledge of humanity. It helps us understand the past, shape our cultural identity, and explore universal themes.
To learn more about Mythology and Folklore, you can follow Mythology Journal.
