Creation stories are symbolic narratives that explain how the world began and how people first came to inhabit it. They are often considered sacred accounts and can be found in nearly all known religious traditions. Creation myths are of central importance for the valuation of the world, for the orientation of humans in the universe, and for the basic patterns of life and culture. Here are some key features of creation stories:
- They are stories with a plot and characters who are either deities, human-like figures, or animals, who often speak and transform easily.
- They are often set in a dim and nonspecific past that historian of religion Mircea Eliade termed in illo tempore (at that time) .
- Creation myths act as a cornerstone for distinguishing primary reality from relative reality, the origin and nature of being from non-being.
- They provide the basis of a worldview that reaffirms and guides how people relate to the natural world, to any assumed spiritual world, and to each other.
- Creation myths are not literal explications, but they do serve to define an orientation of humanity in the world in terms of a birth story.
Creation myths can be found in just about every culture and mythological tradition. They differ tremendously, but also have several patterns and ingredients seemingly in common. These similarities can be traced down to how human speculation about the birth of the world was likely to begin and what inspired it. Creation stories can be important clues for historians and students of history who want to understand and explain the formation of group identity, social relationships, definitions of ethical behavior, and the construction of gender roles and class hierarchies.
