Creation Myth Motif

Motifs in Creation Myths

There are many different motifs in creation myths. Creation myths can be so similar but so different at the same time. As I studied through the different creation myths I noticed that some might use organic materials to make humans or some might have one creator and another have 2 creators or some might even create humans for the same reason(s). Regardless of the similarities and differences, each creation myth is unique in its own special way. All together, almost every creation myth the creators are trying to reach the same end goal.

One motif that a lot of the creation myths have in common is, the creators of the humans used organic materials to make them. For a few examples, in the Greek creation myth Prometheus and Epimethius used clay, in the Hebrew and Chinese creation myth God and Nuwa used dirt, dust, and clay, and in the Inuit creation myth Raven used a pea-pod plant, in the Norse creation myth Odin used trees growing out of the mud, and in the Mayan creation myth Tepeu and Gucumatz used clay, wood, and corn to make the people. I think so many creation myths have this motif because back then it was super easy to get their hands on the materials that came from the earth. The creators used their resources around

For example in the Greek creation myth there are three creators, Gaia (the world), Prometheus and Epimethius, but in the Chinese, Incan, and Mayan creation myths there are two creators. In the Chinese creation myth the creators are Pan-gu and Nuwa. In the Incan creation myth the creators are Patchacana and Patchamama. Lastly, in the Mayan creation myth the creators are Tepeu and Gucumatz. I think many creation myths used this motif because most times the creators wanted shared power. Both creators wanted power so they decided to split it, and they would rather share the power rather than there being one creator with ultimate