Research Guides: Religion Research Guide: Mythology

Mythology

Dictionary of African Mythology
This collection of tales captures the diversity of African mythology. The stories touch on virtually every aspect of belief: gods and goddesses, epic heroes and divine tricksters, along with epics of the world's origins, the struggle between the human and the divine, and much more. Entries cover the entire continent, from the mouth of the Nile to the Cape of Good Hope.
Dictionary of Asian Mythology
This dictionary features stories of revered deities, sacred places, key events and epics, with many recurring themes and traditions. Entries address the key mythologies of India, China, Tibet, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Japan, and broad overviews of specific cultures and their mythic traditions round out the coverage.
Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
A survey of the whole of Celtic mythology, legend, saga, and folklore. It covers the people, themes, concepts, places, and creatures of Celtic mythology, from both ancient and modern traditions, in 4,000 entries ranging from brief definitions to short essays.
Dictionary of Creation Myths
Covering thousands of years of creation tales, this is a work devoted to creation myths from cultures throughout the world. It provides quick access to information on the beliefs of ancient civilizations from Sumeria and Babylonia to Egypt, Greece, and ancient Rome, from India and China to Japan and Indonesia, as well as the rich mythological history of Native Americans, the indigenous peoples of Australia, and many other cultures.

A dictionary of Irish mythology
Includes an invaluable introduction that places the subject in historical context, tracing the influence of Irish mythology through the ages. From the attempts of early Christians to make it conform to New Testament tenets, through the revival of interest among the Romantics of the early 19th century, to the poems of W.B. Yeats a century later and the fantasy literature still popular today ("Conan the Barbarian" is a direct descendant of the Irish tradition), Ellis reveals Irish mythology in all of its rich and varied manifestations
Dictionary of World Mythology
Written by a leading scholar of ancient civilizations, this dictionary presents the gods of Greece, Rome, and Scandinavia, the deities of Buddhist and Hindu India, and the spirits of the African and American continents. Drawing upon hundreds of myths from around the globe, it not only reveals the vast differences in these civilizations, but also demonstrates the unity of mankind in its fundamental need for explanations of the unknown.
Oxford Companion to World Mythology
Covering all aspects of mythology, this Companion includes essays on the world's major mythological traditions (Greek, Native American, Indian, Japanese, Sumerian, Egyptian), along with retellings of better-known myths, and entries on mythological types, motifs, and figures (such as the Descent to the Underworld, the Hero, Creation, Odysseus, Spider Woman, and Inanna), and related subjects (such as fairly tales and legends).