traditional narratives explaining origins, natural phenomena, social order, and human purpose
creation myths: cosmogonic stories of how the world began (Genesis, Enuma Elish, Pangu, Dreamtime)
hero narratives: the monomyth (Joseph Campbell): departure, initiation, return
trickster figures: Prometheus, Loki, Coyote, Anansi -> agents of chaos and cultural innovation
archetypes: recurring patterns across unrelated cultures (Carl Jung): shadow, anima, wise old man, great mother
mythology encodes pre-scientific knowledge: ecological cycles, social norms, psychological truths
Greek, Norse, Hindu, Egyptian, Mesoamerican, Japanese, Aboriginal mythologies each map a distinct worldview
religion institutionalizes mythological narratives into ritual, doctrine, and community
myths are the earliest form of knowledge graph: linked stories encoding a culture's model of reality