Is there a myth that involves whales holding up the Earth?

Question

I've only heard the one about Atlas, but my friend insists that this tale exists. Do you know anything about it?

Answer 1

It is a Russian myth that a huge whale is holding the earth on its back. I've got a picture of it in one of the Russian astronomy books at home.

Answer 2

Holding Up The Earth

Answer 3

The origin of the term atlas is a common source of misconception, perhaps because two different mythical figures named 'Atlas' are associated with mapmaking.

King Atlas, a mythical King of Mauretania in Libya, was, according to legend, a wise philosopher, mathematician and astronomer who supposedly made the first celestial globe. It was this Atlas that Mercator was referring to when he first used the name 'Atlas', and he included a depiction of the King on the title-page.

However, the more widely known Atlas is a figure from Greek mythology. He is the son of the Titan Iapetus and Clymene (or Asia), brother of Prometheus. Atlas was punished by Zeus and made to bear the weight of the heavens and earth on his back. In his epic Odyssey, Homer refers to this Atlas as "one who knows the depths of the whole sea, and keeps the tall pillars who hold heaven and earth asunder".

In works of art, this Atlas is represented as carrying the heavens or the terrestrial globe on his shoulders. The earliest such depiction is the Farnese Atlas, now housed at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale Napoli in Naples, Italy. This figure is frequently found on the cover or title-pages of atlases. This is particularly true of atlases published by Dutch publishers during the second half of the seventeenth century. The image became associated with Dutch merchants, and a statue of this figure adorns the front of the World Trade Center in Amsterdam.

The first publisher to associate the Titan Atlas with a group of maps was Lafreri, on the title-page to "Tavole Moderne Di Geografia De La Maggior Parte Del Mondo Di Diversi Autori ...". However, he did not use the word "atlas" in the title of his work.

Answer 4

I heard one about turtles...4 giant turtles holding the Earth.. but nothing bout whales sorry

Answer 5

Here is a site with different whale mythology from around the world! Hope this is what you are looking for:

http://www.worldtrans.org/creators/whale/myths0.html

Answer 6

I have never heard it, but I have heard of 4 elephants and a turtle holding up Discworld in a novel.

Answer 7

I know of legends that have a turtle hold the world on its back; a lot of the Western plains indians believe this.

Answer 8

Yes, but I don't remember which ethnic group this is from. The mohicans had one about a turtle, and I think the cherokee too.

Answer 9

I think it's an Inuit (not sure about that spelling) story.

Answer 10

I actually have never heard this...sorry