New Techniques in the Field of Mythology

We know a lot about the migration of humans over there 2-300,000 years of existence. As science improves the understanding of human history, human disappearance and reappearance, we understand ourselves better.

What we have known less about was what those various versions of humans carried around in their heads. We can see their tools and evidence of what they ate. What about the myths that they held and humans still believe? Interesting progress is being made in the origin and passing along of myths. Social scientists are now using some of the technology from plotting movement of genes and physical characteristics to the location of original myths and the passing along of these myths, varied by time and place, from the times of prehistory to today.

There are thousands of stories we know to have been repeated generation after generation. The stories meander about with some similarities and some differences. By systematically coding the stories it becomes easier to find where and when various version showed up. For example, if all recorded stories were coded and the word "flood" had a number it would be possible to scan thousands of ancient stories to find how often and where there were stories about floods. Commenters on this blog have said that the frequency of floods in ancient stories is evidence there once was a huge world-wide flood. Another explanation is that humans, to survive, lived by water. Spring melts and heavy rains caused floods. They came up with mythical explanations for floods which were repeated during the long hours of story telling in the dark before lanterns. 

Already this coding method has helped plot how myths spread across the globe and across time.