Creation Myths

Creation Myths By Ms. BrundageWhat is creation?A religious belief about how the material universe came into existence Creation Characteristics 1)where the first deity or person originated 2)a genealogy 3)an account of how things were created 4)the name of a supreme being 5)explanations of why bad things happen 6)how the earth will end SUMER: Creation story The Sumerians believed that the world was once watery chaos. The gods came to bring order, and when the mother of Chaos, an immense dragon named Tiamat, tried to stop them, she was overcome by Enlil, one of the gods. He split her body open. Half became the earth, and the other half became the sky. The gods then beheaded her husband; his blood, when mixed with clay, became the human race. QuestionsCreation myth characteristics Sumer’s Creation story 1)Where the first deity or person originated? 2)Was there a genealogy? 3) Was there an account of how things were created? 4)Name (s) of a supreme being? 1)The first God mentioned was Enlil who fought against Tiamat a fierce dragon-who was the mother of chaos 2)Yes-there was genealogy-a family history-Enlil was the first God. Chaos’s husband became the human race 3)The world started out as chaos. The gods wanted to bring order. The mother of Chaos-Tiamat fought the Gods. The Gods won and beheaded her-half of her body became the earth and the other the sky. Her husband’s blood mixed with clay to make humans. 4) Enlil was one of the Gods Egypt: Creation Story Believed that the world began as a formless watery void in darkness. When the watery mass slowly disappeared, an island remained. Here the god Atum brought forth male and female deities. From them came the populated earth. Atum had two children: a daughter who represented air and the principles of life and a son who represented rain and the principles of order. Creation Story Characteristics Egypt’s Creation Myth 1)Where the first deity or person originated? 2)Was there a genealogy? 3) Was there an account of how things were created? 4)Name (s) of a supreme being? 1)The god Atum created both male and female gods. 2)Yes; Atum created the other gods. He had 2 children. A daughter who represented air and the principles of life and a son who represented rain and the principles of order. 3)The world started as a shapeless watery mass that was very dark. Slowly the darkness went away and an island appeared. Then the god Atum created life. 4)Autm-the god who created life Babylon: Creation Story The Babylonians believed the god Marduk was created to defend beings from the dragon goddess, Tiamat. Marduk defeated her and created the earth and sky by splitting her body in two. He then created the calendar, stars, planets, and movements of the moon and sun. He created Babylon and also killed the husband of Tiamat, using his blood to create humans 1)Where the first deity or person originated? 2)Was there a genealogy? 3) Was there an account of how things were created? 4)Name (s) of a supreme being? 1)The God Marduk was created to defend humans from Tiamat 2)He killed Tiamat-beheaded her and killed her husband. From Tiamat’s husband’s blood the human race was created 3)Marduk killed the evil Tiamat and her husband to save the humans 4)Marduk-supreme being Greece: Creation Story The Greeks believed that chaos existed in the beginning. Chaos gave birth to Nyx (the darkness of night), Eros (desire), Gaia (the earth), and Tartarus (underworld).Gaia brought forth many children, one of whom was Cronos. Cronos in turn had 6 children-three of whom were Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. When their father turned evil, they overthrew him. Zeus became the god of heaven, Hades the god of the underworld, and Poseidon the god of the sea. QuestionsGreek Myths Questions to consider 1)Where the first deity or person originated? 2)Was there a genealogy? 3) Was there an account of how things were created? 4)Name (s) of a supreme being? 1)Chaos-called Nyx. Had Children-Eros, Gaia, and Tartarus 2)Yes-gives the family background for the gods 3)Chaos had children; Gaia had 6 more to keep the line going. Gaia’s children overthrew him when he turned evil and became Gods of the earth, sea, and underworld. 4)Nyx, Eros, Gaia, Tartarus, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon China: Creation Story Historically there is no creation myth or story in China as far as ancient records are concerned. However, the Tao religion does express one. In it, Tao is the power behind creation. Tao gave matter from nothing and from nothing came yin and yang. Yin is a negative source and Yang is a positive source, and the control of energy comes from their interaction. The universe was a black egg in which Pan Ku slept. When Pan Ku awoke, the egg broke into two. The top part became the heaven and the bottom part became the earth. Pan Ku created the sky and land with the help of a tiger, phoenix, dragon, and tortoise. His breath made the wind and clouds. His flesh (body) became the soil and his blood made the rivers and oceans. From his sweat came rain an d his eyes became the moon and sun. Small creatures on his body became humans. QuestionsChina creation Myth Questions to consider 1)Where the first deity or person originated? 2)Was there a genealogy? 3) Was there an account of how things were created? 4)Name (s) of a supreme being? 1)Pan Ku helped to create the universe; Tao was the power behind the story 2)Yes-Pan Ku helped to create humans 3) Describes how Pan Ku had a black and white egg (represents Ying and Yang) and how that became the heavens and the earth 4) Pan Ku; help from a tiger, bear, phoenix, dragon, tortoise