But the myths that have come down to us from ancient times have deep roots and hold a magical significance that still flourishes in our own lives today. The word mythos in Greek means story or speech.
Myths exist in every culture in the world.
Even earlier, we had allegories, parables and fables, which were created in order to teach a lesson or a moral value. The origins of myth are far older, and serve a very different purpose than any of these. The earliest myths we know of were those that described the creation of the universe, of men, animals and spirits, and told us of the origins of the gods. The first records of such stories appear on the walls of canyons and of caves like those in Australia, Spain, France, and North Africa. Scholars have long observed that dance itself may be the oldest form of prayer, the way in which prehistoric humans were able to invoke the gods and bring magical powers down from the heavens to aid them in hunting, or to help them prevail over uncontrollable forces of nature.