What is myth? This complex question has been answered by many different people in many different ways. Myth is frequently defined as an accepted belief that is unsubstantiated by fact or as any body of stories that explain the way things are. Myth is also sometimes characterized as stories belonging to cultures that no longer exist. Some people consider any belief system that is not their own to be myth. For many, myth may just be the stories of the ancient Greeks and Romans. None of these definitions, however, is satisfactory.

Myths, as conveyors of information, are imaginative vehicles for making the inexplicable clear. Even though they deal with things that are not literally true, they are nevertheless truths in some higher sense-spiritual, philosophical, or social.

Myths can fall anywhere on a continuum ranging from nearly pure historical account to pure imagination. The content and form of a myth can change to suit the needs of the teller, the audience, and the purpose for which it is being told. A myth can thus take on a life of its own. The nature of the Egyptian god Osiris, for example, changed tremendously over centuries; once considered only a god of vegetation, he came to be the god of the underworld, the god of the moon, a divine pharaoh, and much, much more.

Art is often an integral part of mythmaking and telling. Like the writers and poets who give written form to myths long passed on through oral tradition, artists provide visual forms. An artist's representation provides a concrete mental picture of a myth or mythological character, as in the Antimenes painter's image of Athena meeting Herakles with her chariot. In some instances, as with the memorial tusk from Benin , a work of art can trigger a story. While some representations, such as the Egyptian statue of Thoth, are largely dictated by tradition, others such as Maurice Denis's painting of Orpheus and Eurydice, are more personal. Regardless of why or how it was created, each image contributes an added dimension to our understanding or interpretation of that myth.

Many of the images in this collection represent myths that explain a practice, belief, institution, or natural phenomenon. The Yoruba king's crown, the Roman furniture decoration, and the abstract designs on the Navajo ketoh and the Lakota dress refer to creation stories. The Bamana antelope headdress symbolizes Chi Wara, who taught the Bamana people how to plant, and the pig carved on a pole evokes a story that explains the traditional social organization of the people of New Ireland.

Other images refer to myths based on known people and events. These are often called legends or sagas to distinguish them from explanatory stories. Some of the myths interpreted by artists in this collection are clearly rooted in documentable reality. For example, the story of Nebuchadnezzar is based on the life of a ruler of the ancient Babylonian empire, and the story recounted on the carved tusk from Benin is based entirely on established personalities and events. Often, the historical details of a story are sacrificed for fictional, more entertaining ones. Grant Wood's painting depicts the birthplace of a well-known U.S. president while also making wry commentary on the process of mythmaking itself.

Hero myths, tales of adventure filled with fantastic beings and superhuman feats, are also represented in this collection. The stories told through the images of Isis, Theseus, the Nio guardians, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria, to name a few, present a broad range of heroic acts achieved through clever magic, physical strength, and devout faith.

As the richness of the myths represented in this collection convey, myth and falsehood are not synonymous. What is truth to one is fancy to another; however, it is not up to any of us to decide that one community's mythology is any more or less valid than another's. Myth is a positive force that unites many cultures rather than divides them. Throughout the world myths provide people with explanations, histories, role models, entertainment, and so many other things that enable them to direct their own actions and understand their own surroundings more clearly.