Mythology Final Study Guide

HS 110-10

What is mythology? Myths are sacred stories that tell the creation of the world; the emergence of gods and the first men and women; nature of heaven and the underworld; passed from one generation to the next.

Examples of myths Greek, Romans, Celtic, Ancient Egyptians, Native Americans

Supernatural Attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or laws of nature.

Psychopomps (Guide of souls) A person who conducts spirits or souls to the other world, as Hermes or Charon.

Polytheism vs. Monotheism Mono- one god, poly- multiple gods.

Aetiology Explaining the origin or cause of a custom or a fact of the physical universe/ explain the unexplained.

Cosmology The universe as understood by the best science available at the time.

Metaphysics What it means to be human-typical characteristics and limitations of humans; their relationship to a larger reality or principle.

Animism The attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena, 'The belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.'

Kwakwaka'wakw Thunder bird, Pacific Northwest.

Wendigo Evil spirit, Algonquin, cannibalism; greed, murder, insatiable hunger.

Dzoavits Ogre Demon, Shoshone; child kidnapper, volcanoes, cannibalism, insatiable hunger.

Unhcegila Horned Serpent, Lakota; unexplained disappearances, most likely insatiable hunger.

Dawanoenyent Flying demon head, Iroquois; Insatiable hunger, murder, chaos; Appeared after young men killed elders.

Taboo Cancel culture, public nudity, something we don't do.

Amaguq Trickster god; spirit of the wolf.

Qalupalik Looks like Squidward; kidnapper of bad children.

Ahliyyini Dancing Skeleton who plays drums with human arm bones; dancing creates massive vibrations that causes tidal waves and shipwrecks.

Issitoq Punisher of those who break taboos; floating eyeball.

Aztec Empire Alongside the Inca in South America, the Aztecs created the most powerful Pre-Columbian Empire in the Western Hemisphere.

Ometecuhtli Creator God, Lord of abundance and fertility.

Tezcatlipoca Trickster god, god of the night sky, animal disguise Jaguar.

Huitzilopochtli God of sun and war.

Xipe Totec God of spring, gold, vegetation, and life cycle.

Quetzalcoatl God of cultivation, wind, rain, and wisdom.

Mictlantecuhtli God of death and lord of Mictlan, the main Aztec underworld.

Humans as a prey species Humans are considered a 'prey species'.

Surveillance function A propensity to be always on the lookout for potential dangers in our environment.

Fear Responses Fight, Flight, Freeze.

Better to be safe than sorry A principle emphasizing caution.

Hyper-vigilance The importance of being overly alert to potential dangers.

False alarm vs. miss A false alarm is INFINITELY better than a miss.

Fearless hominin A fearless hominin would soon be a dead hominin.

Biocultural fear Fear is both biological and cultural.

Universally hard wired fears We are universally 'hard wired' for certain fears.

Learned fears Fears that are acquired through experience.

Prepared fears Genetically transmitted but requires environmental input for their activation.

Atavistic Relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral.

Emotional Contagion Humans have an adaptive capacity to mirror the emotional states of other humans.

Learning about dangers Learning about dangers in one's environment via narrative is preferable to learning by personal experience.

Universal fascination A universal fascination with the occult and the supernatural.

Universal Fears Predation, Hostility, Contagion/Contamination, Disgust, Isolation, Lack of meaning, Environment-Specific, Unknown or Uncertainty, Death.

Predation Fears of predators such as sharks, spiders, snakes, insects, etc.

Hostility Fears of predators, monsters, people, etc.

Contagion/Contamination Fears associated with vomit, maggots, worms, sweat, etc.

Disgust Fears related to pathogens and moral taboos.

Isolation/ostracization Fears of wandering off, getting lost, starving to death, being attacked, getting kicked out of society, betrayal.

Lack of meaning The need for meaning and purpose is a human universal.

Environment-Specific fears Fears related to heights, quicksand, deep and/or dark water, specific predators.

Unknown or Uncertainty An unpredictable enemy is much more dangerous than a well-known one.

Death A universal fear of mortality.

Human evolutionary advantage Large and developed brains are our human evolutionary advantage.

Physical limitations of humans Humans have no claws, no fangs, no poison, no super strength.

Uncanny Valley A concept related to the discomfort people feel towards humanoid robots or figures.

What is a specific phobia? An intense irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger.

What percentage of people fear heights? 34.7%

What is the chance of falling off a ladder? 1-2%

What percentage of people fear sharks? 34.6%

What is the chance of being killed by a shark? 1 out of 3.75 million

What percentage of people fear murder by a stranger? 33.3%

What are the odds of being murdered by a stranger? 5.54 out of 100,000 (0.00006% chance)

What percentage of people fear dying? 31.6%

What is the chance of dying? 100% chance

What percentage of people fear public speaking? 29.0%

What percentage of people fear deep lakes and oceans? 27.9%

What percentage of people fear insects and arachnids? 26.3%

How many people died from insect and spider bites between 2003-2010? 83 people

What percentage of people fear reptiles? 25.2%

How many venomous snake bites occur in the U.S. annually? 7,000-8,000 with 5 deaths

What percentage of people fear strangers? 16.6%

What percentage of people fear ghosts? 10.6%

What percentage of people fear blood sight? 9.3%

What are the odds of dying in a plane crash? 1 in 11,000,000

What are the odds of dying in a car crash? 1 in 93 (1.02%)

What is the threat simulation theory? It provides opportunities for rehearsal of the neurocognitive mechanisms essential for threat recognition and avoidance behavior.

What are some examples of threat simulation devices? Horror films, mythology, dreams, and play behaviors.

Unifying upper and lower Egypt Leader of Upper Egypt, defeated Ruler of Lower Egypt before being killed in action

3100 BCE First war known in History

Pschent Combines crown of both upper and lower Egypt

Pharaohs Approximately 170-190 total Native Pharaohs (3150 BCE - 332 BCE)

The term 'Pharaoh' Not used until the 1200s BCE

Nemes Headdress worn by Pharaohs

Flail and Crook Symbols of Leadership and power

Amun (Amen) 'The Hidden One', King of the Gods and wind, Protector of the weak and poor, Upheld justice

The Ankh Immensely powerful symbol of Eternal Life and Protection

Isis 'She of the throne', Goddess of healing, magic, protection, and Marriage

Osiris God of the Earth, Vegetation, and Judgement, Gave Egypt civilization

Horus Son of Isis and Osiris, God of the sky, kinship, war, and hunting

Wadjet The Eye of Horus, Symbol of Good Health, Royal Power, and Protection

Ra 'The uncreated Creator', God of Creation and The Sun

Ba (soul) The head of the deceased and the body and wings of a hawk that flew free of the body after death

Seth Brother of Osiris, Trickster God of storms, chaos, the desert, and foreign lands

Thoth God of wisdom, learning, time, science, and the Moon

Anubis Jackal-headed God of Mummification (Embalming), and the Funerary process

The weighing of the Heart Ceremony Conducted in the hall of Ma'at

Nut Sky goddess, Mother of Isis, Osiris, Nephthys, and Seth

Geb Earth God, Nut's Husband

Tefnut Goddess of rain, dew, and moist air

Shu God of dry air, Father of Geb and Nut

Bast Defender of Pharaohs, Goddess of sexuality, fertility, and warfare

Hathor Wife of Horus, Goddess of Motherhood, joy, love, and fertility

Sobek God of Nile Crocodiles

Ptah 'Creator God', God of builders, architects, guilds, and craftsmen

Madjed 'The Smiter', Shoots rays of light (lasers) from his eyes

What is the time period of the Early Dynastic Period? 3150 BCE - 2686 BCE

What is the time period of the Old Kingdom? 2686 BCE - 2181 BCE

What is the time period of the First Intermediate Period? 2181 BCE - 2040 BCE

What is the time period of the Middle Kingdom? 2040 BCE - 1782 BCE

What is the time period of the Second Intermediate Period? 1782 BCE - 1570 BCE

What is the time period of the New Kingdom? 1570 BCE - 1070 BCE

What is the time period of the Third Intermediate Period? 1069 BCE - 525 BCE

What is the time period of the Late Period? 525 BCE - 332 BCE

What is the time period of the Ptolemaic Period? 330 BCE - 30 BCE

What is the time period of the Roman Period? 30 BCE - 641 CE

What is the significance of the Old Kingdom? Known as the 'Pyramid Age' with over 500 years of technological and cultural sophistication.

Who was the architect of the pyramids during Djoser's reign? Imhotep

What is the size of the pyramid built by Djoser? 37 acres

What is the height of Khufu's pyramid? 146 meters

What is notable about Khafre's pyramid? It still has casing stones and is responsible for the famous sphinx.

What is the height of Menkaure's pyramid? 215 ft

What was discovered in the cemetery for workers? More than 250 additional graves arranged according to status.

What was a significant activity of the workers in the cemetery? They baked a lot of bread.

What are the nine worlds of Yggdrasil? The Norse cosmological plane.

What is the Norwegian language? The Norwegian language, especially in its medieval form.

What is the Scandinavian language group? A group of languages spoken in Scandinavia.

Who were the Vikings? Scandinavian seafaring pirates and traders who raided and settled in northwestern Europe from the 8th to 11th centuries.

What did the Viking raiders become famous for? Ruthless attacks on coastal areas.

Who was Thorvald Asvaldsson? Exiled from Norway in 960 CE, he moved to Iceland with his son, Erik the Red.

What happened in 982 involving Erik Thralls? Erik Thralls caused property damage, leading to his death and Erik's retaliation.

What did Erik the Red do after being exiled? He became the first to permanently settle Greenland.

Who were Leif and Thorvald Erikson? They became the first Europeans to set foot on North America around 1000 CE.

What settlement did Leif Erikson found? A settlement in Vinland (Newfoundland, Canada).

What was Vinland used for? A waystation or shipping port.

What was the Battle of Vinland? A conflict that occurred in 1003 CE.

What is a Volva? A Scandinavian seeress (witch).

What does Seior mean? Cord, string, or snare.

What are Runes? Letters of the Scandinavian alphabet, each with magical powers and symbolism.

Ginnungagap Magically charged gap

Ymir The first being

Audhumla The Primordial Cow

Ask and Embla Created by Vili, Ve, and Odin from ash and elm trees

Yggdrasil An ash tree that supports all 9 worlds of the Norse cosmological plane

The Norns Similar to 'the fates' in Greek mythology but NOT final and unalterable

Urd What once was

Verdandi What is coming into being

Skuld What shall be

Asgard Enclosure of the Aesir

Freya Preeminent goddess in Norse mythology, goddess of love, fertility, and beauty

Freyr God of bountiful harvests, ecological fertility, and wealth

Jotunheim Home of the devourers (giants)

Alfheim Homeland of the light elves

Svartalfheim Home of the (black) elves (dwarves)

Niflheim World of fog and mist

Muspelheim Home of fire giants

Helheim Home of Hel, goddess of the underworld

Valhalla The hall where Odin and his valkyries hand select brave warriors

Odin God of war, wisdom, and poetry; chief of the Aesir Gods

Thor God of protection, comfort, courage, and honor

Tyr God of justice, honor, oaths, and truthfulness

Idun Owns apples that provide the gods with youth and immortality

Bragi Bard/musician of the gods

Gefjun Goddess of agriculture, abundance, and fertility

Loki Crafty trickster God, father of Hel, Fenrir, and Jörmungandr

Ragnarök The cyclical destruction of the universe

Taíno People Began inhabiting the Caribbean around 5000 BCE and sailed from South America.

Goeiza Spirits of the Living in Taíno religion.

Hupia Spirits of the Dead in Taíno religion, looked like bats and seduced/kidnapped women at night.

Cemís The Gods in Taíno religion.

Yúcahu/Yukiyú God of the Sea and Spirit of Cassava, helped farmers and loved peace.

Atabey Goddess of fertility and fresh water in Taíno religion.

Juracán God of Storms and Hurricanes in Taíno religion.

Syncretism The amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.

Vodou A worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion, where everything is spirit.

Iwa Spirits in Vodou.

Mystè Mysteries in Vodou.

Anvizib The invisibles in Vodou.

Zanj Angels in Vodou.

Ginen A mythic land in Vodou, referred to as a cosmic 'Africa.'

Fetish An inanimate object worshiped for its supposed magical powers or because it is considered to be inhabited by a spirit.

Papa Ghede Ancient Haitian God of love, sex, and fertility, also the God of both Death and Fertility in Vodou.

Baron Samedi Chief of the Ghede Spirits who waits at crossroads to guide dead souls to the Underworld.

Maman Brigitte Consort of Baron Samedi, Loa of Death, and essentially the female version of Ghede.

Loa Important ancestral spirits in Vodou who symbolize and influence specific aspects of the natural world.

Jumbees Spirits that embraced all kinds of beings, including spirits that lived in rivers and malevolent animals.

Hoodoo Ancestor-based folk magic practice, a denomination or subset of Voodoo, not a distinct religion.

Who were the Polynesian Wayfinders? Groups of settlers from the Philippines who traveled to various islands of Polynesia by canoe.

What navigation methods did Polynesian Wayfinders use? They probably sailed using the sun, stars, wave patterns, and wind patterns.

Who is Tangaroa? The creator God and God of the sea in Polynesian mythology.

What did the trickster god Wolfat introduce? Tattooing, to make men more attractive to women.

Who is Tane? A son of the primal deities Rango and Papa, who planted the first trees.

Who is Hine-Hau-One? The Earth formed maiden and wife of Tane.

What happened when Hine-Titama found out Tane was her father? She fled to the underworld, dragging all living things down to Po when their time comes.

What is the significance of Tane breaking a taboo? It led to the necessity of death for all living things.

Who is Maui? A demi-god and the greatest trickster in Polynesian mythology.

What did Maui use to fish up the islands of Polynesia? A magic fish hook given to him by his mother, Hina.

Who is Pele? The goddess of the volcano who made the entire Hawaiian Archipelago.

What condition did Pele give to her sister Hi'aka? That no harm would come to her forests while she was away.

What is Rapa Nui known as? The navel of the world.

What is the purpose of the Easter Island heads? They probably honored ancestors.

What does the Cult of the Birdman represent? A man with the head and beak of a bird, representing the god Makemake.

What did Maui do to make the days longer? He lassoed the sun.

What did Maui bring to the people of Polynesia? Fire.

Who was Lohiau? A young Hawaiian chief whom Pele fell in love with.

How did Hi'aka help Pele? She caught Lohiau's spirit and brought him back to life.

What did the Polynesian settlers lack for navigation? Compasses or navigation tools.

What is the significance of tattooing in Polynesian culture? It was introduced by the trickster god Wolfat to enhance men's attractiveness.

What is mythology?

Myths are sacred stories that tell the creation of the world; the emergence of gods and the first men and women; nature of heaven and the underworld; passed from one generation to the next.

Examples of myths

Greek, Romans, Celtic, Ancient Egyptians, Native Americans

Supernatural

Attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or laws of nature.

Psychopomps (Guide of souls)

A person who conducts spirits or souls to the other world, as Hermes or Charon.

Polytheism vs. Monotheism

Mono- one god, poly- multiple gods.

Aetiology

Explaining the origin or cause of a custom or a fact of the physical universe/ explain the unexplained.

Cosmology

The universe as understood by the best science available at the time.

Metaphysics

What it means to be human-typical characteristics and limitations of humans; their relationship to a larger reality or principle.

Animism

The attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena, 'The belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.'

Kwakwaka'wakw

Thunder bird, Pacific Northwest.

Wendigo

Evil spirit, Algonquin, cannibalism; greed, murder, insatiable hunger.

Dzoavits

Ogre Demon, Shoshone; child kidnapper, volcanoes, cannibalism, insatiable hunger.

Unhcegila

Horned Serpent, Lakota; unexplained disappearances, most likely insatiable hunger.

Dawanoenyent

Flying demon head, Iroquois; Insatiable hunger, murder, chaos; Appeared after young men killed elders.

Taboo

Cancel culture, public nudity, something we don't do.

Amaguq

Trickster god; spirit of the wolf.

Qalupalik

Looks like Squidward; kidnapper of bad children.

Ahliyyini

Dancing Skeleton who plays drums with human arm bones; dancing creates massive vibrations that causes tidal waves and shipwrecks.

Issitoq

Punisher of those who break taboos; floating eyeball.

Aztec Empire

Alongside the Inca in South America, the Aztecs created the most powerful Pre-Columbian Empire in the Western Hemisphere.

Ometecuhtli

Creator God, Lord of abundance and fertility.

Tezcatlipoca

Trickster god, god of the night sky, animal disguise Jaguar.

Huitzilopochtli

God of sun and war.

Xipe Totec

God of spring, gold, vegetation, and life cycle.

Quetzalcoatl

God of cultivation, wind, rain, and wisdom.

Mictlantecuhtli

God of death and lord of Mictlan, the main Aztec underworld.

Humans as a prey species

Humans are considered a 'prey species'.

Surveillance function

A propensity to be always on the lookout for potential dangers in our environment.

Fear Responses

Fight, Flight, Freeze.

Better to be safe than sorry

A principle emphasizing caution.

Hyper-vigilance

The importance of being overly alert to potential dangers.

False alarm vs. miss

A false alarm is INFINITELY better than a miss.

Fearless hominin

A fearless hominin would soon be a dead hominin.

Biocultural fear

Fear is both biological and cultural.

Universally hard wired fears

We are universally 'hard wired' for certain fears.

Learned fears

Fears that are acquired through experience.

Prepared fears

Genetically transmitted but requires environmental input for their activation.

Atavistic

Relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral.

Emotional Contagion

Humans have an adaptive capacity to mirror the emotional states of other humans.

Learning about dangers

Learning about dangers in one's environment via narrative is preferable to learning by personal experience.

Universal fascination

A universal fascination with the occult and the supernatural.

Universal Fears

Predation, Hostility, Contagion/Contamination, Disgust, Isolation, Lack of meaning, Environment-Specific, Unknown or Uncertainty, Death.

Predation

Fears of predators such as sharks, spiders, snakes, insects, etc.

Hostility

Fears of predators, monsters, people, etc.

Contagion/Contamination

Fears associated with vomit, maggots, worms, sweat, etc.

Disgust

Fears related to pathogens and moral taboos.

Isolation/ostracization

Fears of wandering off, getting lost, starving to death, being attacked, getting kicked out of society, betrayal.

Lack of meaning

The need for meaning and purpose is a human universal.

Environment-Specific fears

Fears related to heights, quicksand, deep and/or dark water, specific predators.

Unknown or Uncertainty

An unpredictable enemy is much more dangerous than a well-known one.

Death

A universal fear of mortality.

Human evolutionary advantage

Large and developed brains are our human evolutionary advantage.

Physical limitations of humans

Humans have no claws, no fangs, no poison, no super strength.

Uncanny Valley

A concept related to the discomfort people feel towards humanoid robots or figures.

What is a specific phobia?

An intense irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger.

What percentage of people fear heights?

34.7%

What is the chance of falling off a ladder?

1-2%

What percentage of people fear sharks?

34.6%

What is the chance of being killed by a shark?

1 out of 3.75 million

What percentage of people fear murder by a stranger?

33.3%

What are the odds of being murdered by a stranger?

5.54 out of 100,000 (0.00006% chance)

What percentage of people fear dying?

31.6%

What is the chance of dying?

100% chance

What percentage of people fear public speaking?

29.0%

What percentage of people fear deep lakes and oceans?

27.9%

What percentage of people fear insects and arachnids?

26.3%

How many people died from insect and spider bites between 2003-2010?

83 people

What percentage of people fear reptiles?

25.2%

How many venomous snake bites occur in the U.S. annually?

7,000-8,000 with 5 deaths

What percentage of people fear strangers?

16.6%

What percentage of people fear ghosts?

10.6%

What percentage of people fear blood sight?

9.3%

What are the odds of dying in a plane crash?

1 in 11,000,000

What are the odds of dying in a car crash?

1 in 93 (1.02%)

What is the threat simulation theory?

It provides opportunities for rehearsal of the neurocognitive mechanisms essential for threat recognition and avoidance behavior.

What are some examples of threat simulation devices?

Horror films, mythology, dreams, and play behaviors.

Unifying upper and lower Egypt

Leader of Upper Egypt, defeated Ruler of Lower Egypt before being killed in action

3100 BCE

First war known in History

Pschent

Combines crown of both upper and lower Egypt

Pharaohs

Approximately 170-190 total Native Pharaohs (3150 BCE - 332 BCE)

The term 'Pharaoh'

Not used until the 1200s BCE

Nemes

Headdress worn by Pharaohs

Flail and Crook

Symbols of Leadership and power

Amun (Amen)

'The Hidden One', King of the Gods and wind, Protector of the weak and poor, Upheld justice

The Ankh

Immensely powerful symbol of Eternal Life and Protection

Isis

'She of the throne', Goddess of healing, magic, protection, and Marriage

Osiris

God of the Earth, Vegetation, and Judgement, Gave Egypt civilization

Horus

Son of Isis and Osiris, God of the sky, kinship, war, and hunting

Wadjet

The Eye of Horus, Symbol of Good Health, Royal Power, and Protection

Ra

'The uncreated Creator', God of Creation and The Sun

Ba (soul)

The head of the deceased and the body and wings of a hawk that flew free of the body after death

Seth

Brother of Osiris, Trickster God of storms, chaos, the desert, and foreign lands

Thoth

God of wisdom, learning, time, science, and the Moon

Anubis

Jackal-headed God of Mummification (Embalming), and the Funerary process

The weighing of the Heart Ceremony

Conducted in the hall of Ma'at

Nut

Sky goddess, Mother of Isis, Osiris, Nephthys, and Seth