Images and Stories of the Origins of the World and of Humankind

Creation stories about the origins of the world and humankind are among the oldest narratives known in many parts of the world. Not only texts but also many works of art and architecture depict the various stages of creation. While not scientifically accurate, these myths and images of the beginnings of Earth and of life on it have played an important role in shaping cultural knowledge and traditions. In this volume, eighteen experts on the history of art and architecture, anthropology, religious, textual and literary studies focus on traditional creation mythologies associated with regions in South Asia, China, Japan, Greece, the Near and Middle East, the Islamic world, and South America as well as on North American indigenous traditions. By juxtaposing these with modern and contemporary literary approaches to the subject, novel connections and parallels are revealed for the first time.