Many of today's traditions, customs, and beliefs are legacies derived from myths and legends our ancestors created as they first formed settlements. They arose from a need to give meaning and understanding to the natural world and to human emotions and desires. Throughout recorded history, ancient myths and legends have influenced art, literature, music, and religion and are still part of our lives today.
Mythologies of the World looks at ancient myths and legends, how they are interpreted today, and what they mean to us now. It includes features on the origins, beliefs, customs, and practices of the major centers of mythology.

Mythologies of the World introduces readers to beliefs, traditions, and customs from around the globe and throughout history. An extensive introduction highlights key themes of myths across cultures, including the origins and significance of prehistoric wonders, creation myths and cosmologies, the Earth mother, gods and goddesses, heroes and villains, warrior leaders, the interrelationship between animals and deities, and the underworld and afterlife.
Subsequent chapters, each written by an expert in the field, examine specific mythologies of different cultures, including Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian; Egyptian; Greek and Roman; Norse, Celtic, Teutonic, and Slavic; African; Indian; Chinese and Japanese; North, Central, and South American; and the Australasian and Oceanic cultures.
Coverage includes:
Living one's life in the context of a mythology
Establishment of the pantheons, or collections, of deities
Interactions between gods and goddesses
Gods of war and conquest, the elements, death and the underworld, as well as animal and household gods
Historical background of each period covered
Works of art depicting the deities, heroes, and legends
Epic stories
Location maps.