13. What is the first purpose of a myth?

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The first purpose mythology was used in ancient cultures was to explain that which couldn't be explained using the knowledge they had. Things such as the seasons, the rain, and the phases of the moon could be explained with mythology, as well as more broad questions such as the origin and purpose of the human race. Because of all of these unanswered questions, many different types of myths of creation, resurrection, and theism began to evolve in different societies to explain them. These myths were then played out in the lives of these cultures. People with myths would worship and perform different rituals for different purposes. For example, things that were not explained such as the rise and set of the sun often involved rituals that were performed out of worship of these symbols in order to continue their cycle. At the time that early humans during the Neolithic period lived, many questions remained unanswered, and myth played an important role in the lives of these people, the first of which was to serve as an explanation for the forces of nature that human life revolves around

Charlie Neuhaus

Sources: Manual Chapter 3