Tracing Origins: Uncovering Shared Elements in Ancient Myths

Stories expressing and systematizing the beliefs of a given society, merging the sacred with the profane, have accompanied humanity virtually forever. They emerged before we began recording our history. Initially transmitted orally, they eventually transformed into epics describing a higher power and containing archetypes so universal that they remain the subject of numerous references and reinterpretations to this day. What function did myths serve? Below, I will address this question.

Piero di Cosimo — The Myth of Prometheus — [Photo: Piero di Cosimo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Fairy tales, fables, legends — each of these terms, often used in the context of the beliefs of ancient civilizations, clearly indicates that, as modern individuals, we often equate them with fantasy. In doing so, we display extraordinary egotism, deliberately diminishing the original significance of what we call myths.

Let’s consider for a moment what has changed in our understanding of the world since ancient times. Science is advancing, we have increasingly sophisticated research methods at our disposal, and we can find answers to a growing number of questions. Nevertheless, the belief in the existence of a higher creative force that has established the order of the world since the beginning is still present in our lives. Moreover, it plays such a significant role that it realistically impacts every sphere of life.