What are some common links between different cultures in mythology?

Question

I read recently about a similarity between the European version of a vampire and the Filipino folklore's Manananggal. It is called an 'evil, human devouring witch or monster' which holds an aversion to: garlic, salt, daggers, light, vinegar and the tail of a stingray.

Answer 1

Read Joseph Cambell's "Hero with a thousand faces".

Answer 2

what interests me most is the idea of a dragon. all mythology forms have a dragon in some shape or form. the europeans had a quadropedal firebreather. the orients have the flying, serpent-like creature. the mayans and other south and central american cultures believed in a firebird or the qetzecuatl. also, many cultures have a god or being that is inherently THE evil one. the christians have satan. the greeks hades, etc. these are some things to think about.

Answer 3

Phoenix:

There's the Egyptian Bennu, Persian Huma, and Russian Zhar-Ptitsa.

Unicorn:

There's the Japanese Kirin, Persian Shadhavar, South American Camahueto, and the Hebrew Re'em.

Mermaid:

There's the Caribbean Aycayia, the Irish and Scottish merrow, the Rusalkas of Russia, and the siyokoy of the Philippines.

There's a whole bunch more, of course, but I'm too lazy to type it out. :)

Answer 4

All Cultures generally have Creation myths. They also have some form of a "Big Foot" myth.

Sasquatch, Almas - Mongolia

Barmanou - Afghanistan and Pakistan

Chuchunaa - Siberia

Ebu Gogo - Flores Island, Indonesia

Fear liath - Scotland

Fouke Monster - Fouke, Arkansas

Hibagon - Japan

Kapre - Philippines

Karakoncolos - Turkey, Bulgaria

Momo the Monster - Missouri

Người Rừng - Vietnam

Old Yellow Top - Canada

Orang Mawas - Malaysia

Orang Pendek - Sumatra, Indonesia

Skunk Ape - Florida

Woodwose

Yeren - Hubei, China

Yeti - Tibet

Yowie - Australia

Answer 5

All cultures have a creation myth.

Answer 6

the old egyptian story of isis ,ra, and horus was virtually the same story told in assyria,persia,babylon,also the hittites,hivites,etruscans romans ,greeks. i studied this the names were changed and the miraculous birth story varies slightly but most definitely the same story (religion) sun god, moon goddess and ,son of the dawn. see samurami=diana=nimrod=adonis=tammuz etc...