Myths of the Beginning of Time. From the Demiurge and Chaos to the Giant Ymir and the Serpent Ancestress

How did the world come into being? It was created by God's word. Born from a silver egg laid by the goddess Night. Formed from the body of the giant who breathed out his spirit. Crafted by the god of blacksmiths or potters. And sometimes, in order to create the world, the immortal gods themselves die — they sacrifice themselves...
Human imagination has crafted thousands of stories about how this world appeared — and why it is the way it is. However, this is something more than just fabrications. Cosmogenic myths raise numerous deep, troubling questions for humanity: why is the world so complex and contradictory? Is time certain? And, most importantly: what went "wrong" at the beginning of time that made humans mortal — like all living things?
The new book by Vladimir Petrukhin is an amazing excursion into the cosmogony of dozens of cultures, both ancient and modern: from Sumer and Babylon to India and Scandinavia, from the Bible to northern shamans. You will discover many unexpected details of familiar myths, encounter new ones you may not have heard of, and see stunning intersections between seemingly unrelated mythologies.

 

Who is this book for?
- For everyone interested in folklore, myths, and their legacy in modernity.
- For collectors of the "Myths from A to Z" series.
- For those interested in culture in its unusual aspects.