List of creation myths

A creation myth (or creation story) is a cultural, religious or traditional myth which describes the earliest beginnings of the present world. Creation myths are the most common form of myth, usually developing first in oral traditions, and are found throughout human culture. A creation myth is usually regarded by those who subscribe to it as conveying profound truths, though not necessarily in a historical or literal sense. They are commonly, though not always, considered cosmogonical myths, that is, they describe the ordering of the cosmos from a state of chaos or amorphousness.

Basic type

Creation from chaos
Main article: Chaos (cosmogony)

Earth diver
Main article: Earth-diver

Emergence
Main article: Emergence

Ex nihilo (out of nothing)
Main article: Ex nihilo

World parent
Main article: World parent

Divine twins
Main article: Divine twins

Regional

Africa

Mesoamerica

Mid North America

South America

Central Asia

East Asia

Indian subcontinent

Europe

Middle East

Pacific Islands/Oceanic

In mythopoeia

In mythopoeia, an artificial mythology created by writers of prose or other fiction, traditional mythological themes and archetypes are integrated into fiction. Some works of mythopoeia also feature creation myths:

References
  • Leeming, David Adams; Leeming, Margaret Adams (1994). Encyclopedia of Creation Myths (2nd ed.). ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-87436-739-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Leeming, David Adams; Leeming, Margaret Adams (2009). A Dictionary of Creation Myths (Oxford Reference Online ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-510275-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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