Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
meltwaters Ymir, the first human, formed. When he was asleep two
more giants formed and these were fed from the milk of Audumla, a
cow also metamorphosed from the meltwaters. The offspring of the
giants included Odin who rebelled against Ymir and killed him. His
body became the landmass known as the middle Earth. One can
clearly see the geological influences on this story. The cold northern
rivers are most probably the cold Arctic current that when it reaches
the warmer waters of the Atlantic produces thick fog banks, particu-
larly around Newfoundland. The warm rivers with the solidifying
matter are most probably lava flows which would have been known
about from Iceland.
EARLY CREATION BELIEFS FROMTHE AMERICAS
The Mayans, who occupied the northern portion of the Central
American Peninsula area around Guatemala and southern Mexico,
considered that the Universe was cyclical and that it could be
destroyed and recreated. It formed initially from an ancient sea.
Later the gods of the Sea and Earth who occupied this early ocean
were joined by the gods of Newborn Thunderbolt, Sudden
Thunderbolt and Hurricane and they decided to create land from the
waters, after which the Sun, Moon and stars were formed. Difficulties
with man soon occurred, and the gods attempted at least another four
times to perfect Creation. The date of the last Creation has been given
as 5 February 3112
BC
.
CREATION BELIEFS FROMTHE PACIFIC
Various island groups in the Pacific have their own individualistic
creation stories, and frequently more than one story is associated
with each island. Naturally enough given the strong geographical
influences on the islands, many of the stories have a common thread.
In Polynesia the Earth was born out of surrounding water. Maui, a
major folkhero, reeled up New Zealand, Hawaii and Tonga. Some of
the island chains were produced by his fishing, at different times, or
when (as in the case of Hawaii) one large piece of land broke up as it
