CREATION MYTHS OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Here are some short summaries of ancient creation stories of how the world and mankind (or the gods who produced mankind) came to be. These creation myths all seemed to start from chaos, a primordial soup, an egg, womb, or other object. Generally, chaos in some form, precedes the separation of Heaven (Spirit/unseen) from earth (matter/form). An transition from chaos to order. Let’s begin.

Greek Creation

In the beginning was Chaos. Then came Earth which produced Sky. Covering Earth each night, Sky fathered children upon her. Earth was personified as Gaia/Terra and sky was Ouranos (Uranus). Their children included the Titan parents of most of the Olympian gods and goddesses, as well as many other creatures, including the Cyclopes, Giants, Hecatonchires, Erinyes, and more. Aphrodite was the offspring of Ouranos.

Norse Creation

In Norse mythology, there was only a chasm, Ginnungagap, in the beginning (somewhat like the Greeks' Chaos) bounded on either side by fire and ice. When fire and ice met, they combined to form a giant, named Ymir, and a cow, named Audhumbla, to nourish Ymir. She survived by licking the salty ice blocks. From her licking emerged Bur, the grandfather of the Aesir.

Bible Creation

The first book of the Old Testament is the Book of Genesis. In it is an account of the creation of the world by God in 6 days. God created, in pairs, first the Heaven and the Earth, then day and night, land and sea, flora and fauna, and male and female. Man was created in the image of God, and Eve was formed from one of Adam's ribs [side] (or man and woman were created together). On the seventh day God rested. Adam and Eve were eventually expelled from the Garden of Eden.

Rig Veda Creation

Here is the one most like the preceding myths. Before the Divine pair of Earth and Sky, who created the gods, was another god, Tvastr, the “first fashioner.” Tvastr created Earth and Sky, as a dwelling place, and many other things. Tvastr was a universal impregnator who made other things reproduce. It is said that although Tvastr was the first dynamic force, before him were the inanimate, inactive Cosmic Waters.

Chinese Creation

The Chinese creation story comes from the end of the 3 Kingdoms period. Heaven and Earth were in a state of chaos or cosmic egg for 18,000 years. When it broke apart, the high and clear formed Heaven, the dark formed Earth, and P'an-ku (coiled-up antiquity) stood in the middle supporting and stablilizing. P'an-ku kept growing for another 18,000 years during which time Heaven also grew. Another version of the P'an-ku (the first-born) story tells of it becoming earth, sky, stars, moon, mountains, rivers, soil, etc. Parasites feeding on P’an-ku’s body, impregnated by wind, became human beings.

Mesopotamian Creation

The Babylonian Enuma Elish tells an ancient Mesopotamian story of creation. Apsu and Tiamat, fresh and salt water, mixed together, created the great and too noisy gods. Apsu wished to kill them, but Tiamat, who wished them no harm, prevailed. Apsu was killed, so Tiamat sought revenge. Marduk killed Tiamat and divided her, using part for earth and part for the heavens. Mankind was made out of Tiamat's second husband.

Egyptian Creation

There are various Egyptian creation stories and they changed over time. One version is based on the Ogdoad of Hermopolis, another on the Heliopolitan Ennead, and another on the Memphite theology. One Egyptian story of creation is that the Chaos Goose and the Chaos Gander produced an egg that was the sun, Ra (Re). Also, the Book of the Dead, describes how the world was created by Atum, the god of Heliopolis, the centre of the sun-god cult in Lower Egypt. In the beginning, the world appeared as an infinite expanse of dark and directionless waters, named Nun.

Zoroastrian Creation

In the beginning, truth or goodness fought lies or evil until lies got worn out. Truth created a world, basically from a cosmic egg, then lies awoke and tried to destroy creation. It was largely successful, but the seed of the cosmic man escaped, was purified and returned to earth as a plant with stalks growing from either side that were to be the first man and woman. Meanwhile, lies was locked inside the capsule of creation.

And here we have eight of the creation myths that were so deeply believed in ancient times. There are many similarities, as we see mankind doing the best that it can to describe and define its existence here in this world of matter. Perhaps one day, we will know the complete story of creation, and the details of its journey, along with the final goal to be attained by the entirety of the Universe. Until then, we search, and we continue to question all of existence.

Just a thought ...

Justin Taylor, ORDM.