Mythology and Religion

Gods, goddesses, and monsters were part of everyday life in many ancient civilizations. Find information on mythology and ancient religions, including polytheistic pagan religions in these profiles and study guides.

  • Ancient runes and a pentagram marking the ancient Celtic festival days
    Irish Mythology: Festival and Holidays
  • Scythian kurgan anthropomorphic stone sculptures in Izyum, Eastern Ukraine
    Dazbog, Slavic God of the Sun
  • God Svarog
    Svarog, God of the Sky in Slavic Mythology
  • Slavic home altar with portrait of Veles
    Veles (Volos), Slavic God of Cattle and the Underworld
  • Modern sculpture of domovoi
    Domovoi, House Spirit of Slavic Mythology
  • Russian painter Maximilian Presnyakov's (b. 1968) depiction of Lada, part of his Slavic cycle.
    Lada, Slavik Goddess of Spring and Love
  • Michelangelo's Delphic Sibyl (1508–1512), Detail of Vault in the Vatican Museum.
    Pythia and the Oracle at Delphi
  • Modern day Zorya: Three generations of women represent past, present and future.
    Zorya, Slavic Goddess of Light
  • Modern wooden cult figure of Mokosh
    Mokosh, Slavic Mother Earth Goddess
  • Burning of Marzanna during Maslenitsa
    Marzanna, Slavic Goddess of Death and Winter
  • "The Leshy" by P. Dobrinin, 1906.
    Leshy, Slavic Spirit of the Forest
  • Ancient sacred tomb in Ireland
    Irish Mythology: History and Legacy
  • Narcissus and Echo (1903), a Pre-Raphaelite interpretation by John William Waterhouse
    Narcissus: Classic Greek Icon of Extreme Self-Love
  • TOPSHOT-BELARUS-HOLIDAY-IVANA-KUPALA-FESTIVAL
    Introduction to Slavic Mythology
  • Theseus and Ariadne
    Theseus, Great Hero of Greek Mythology
  • Ancient wooden slavic pagan idol of god. Heathen temple in the forest
    The 10 Most Important Slavic Gods
  • Osiris Judges the Deceased, New Kingdom Papyrus
    Osiris: Lord of the Underworld in Egyptian Mythology
  • Illustration of the Centauromachy, War between Lapiths and Centaurs.
    The Centaur: Half Human, Half Horse of Greek Mythology
  • Sculpture of Perseus and Medusa by Cellini (1554)
    Medusa: The Ancient Greek Myth of the Snake-Haired Gorgon
  • Theseus Fighting the Minotaur, Archaic Ceramic (6th century BCE)
    The Minotaur: Half Man, Half Bull Monster of Greek Mythology
  • The slaying of the Bull of Ishtar by Ernest Wallcousins
    The Myth of Gilgamesh, Hero King of Mesopotamia
  • Illustration of Greek heroes Hercules, Achilles, Odysseus, and Atalanta
    The 10 Greatest Heroes of Greek Mythology
  • Poseidon's Temple at Cape Sounion
    Learn More About Greek God Poseidon
  • Athens, Greece
    Fast Facts on Hades
  • Greece, Attica, Brauron, sanctuary of Artemis
    Learn About Greek Goddess Artemis
  • House of the Faun in Pompeii
    Learn About the Greek Goddess Hestia
  • Scultpures of Euterpe, Erato, and Terpischore
    5 Dancing Deities in Mythology
  • Weighing of the Heart
    Monsters and Mythical Creatures of Ancient Egypt
  • 'Sacrifice of Iphigenia', 1735. Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting, watches the preparations for the sacrifice of Iphigenia
    Cannibals in Greek Mythology
  • Perseus with the head of Medusa
    The Greek Hero Perseus
  • Sunlight Shining Through Clouds onto Hills
    What Were the Elysian Fields in Greek Mythology?
  • Thor and the Dwarves, 1878
    The Pre-Viking Legend of Ragnarök
  • Heracles, Nessus and Deianira
    How Did the Greek Hero Hercules Die?
  • Pandora laying over her box
    Understanding the Significance of Pandora's Box
  • Portrait of Helen of Troy
    Overview of the Children of Helen of Troy
  • 5th Century BC Greek Sculpture of Poseidon, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis
    Table of Roman Equivalents of Greek Gods
  • Moon Gods and Moon Goddesses
    Moon Gods and Moon Goddesses
  • Hera Suckling Hercules
    Who Were the Parents of the Greek Hero Hercules?
  • Close up of Apollo Statue, Campanile of St. Mark's, Venice, Italy
    Symbols of the Greek God Apollo
  • Centaur
    Half Human, Half Beast: Mythological Figures of Ancient Times
  • The statue of Apollo at his temple in Pompeii
    The Wives, Mates, and Children of the Greek God Apollo
  • Hades Abducting Persephone
    A Biography of the Greek God Hades
  • Eurystheus hiding in a jar as Heracles brings a boar
    Why Hercules Had to Perform the 12 Labors
  • statue of Calliope
    Who Were the 9 Greek Muses?
  • Plato, from Scuola di Atene fresco, by Raphael Sanzio. 1510-11.
    The Myth of Er From the Republic of Plato
  • Medusa
    The Curse of Medusa From Greek Mythology
  • Statue of Mars, historic Old Town, Poznan, Poland, Europe
    Mars and Venus Caught in a Net
  • Temple of Hephaestus, Athens
    Birth of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses
  • Engraving of Prometheus being eaten by eagle
    Prometheus: Fire Bringer and Philanthropist
  • Full color painting of water nymphs frolicking.
    Who Are the Nymphs in Greek Mythology?
  • feng shui dragon phoenix marriage symbol
    The Legend of the Phoenix
  • Dispute between Achilles and Agamemnon, fulcrum of cycle with Stories of Iliad, by Felice Giani (1758-1823), fresco, vault of Feast Hall or Achilles' Gallery, main floor, Palazzo Milzetti, Faenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, 19th century
    Plot Summary of "Agamemnon" by Aeschylus
  • Jason and Medea
    Top Worst Betrayals in Greek Mythology
  • Colossal marble head of Athena
    Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom
  • Adonis and Aphrodite
    Adonis and Aphrodite
  • Lee Lawrie's Atlas Statue In Front Of The International Building, Rockefeller Center, NYC, New York, United States
    What Is Myth?
  • Jupiter and Semele
    The Story of Semele
  • 5th Century BC Greek Sculpture of Poseidon, Athena, Apollo, and Artemis
    Genealogy of the First Gods
  • Chiaroscuro medallion portrait woodcut of Roman Emperor Julian
    Julian and the Fall of Paganism
  • statue of Cerberus
    Mythical Creatures: The Monsters from Greek Mythology
  • Lupercalia
    How Did the Month of February Get Its Name?
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