比较神话学
tl;dr 比较神话学是比较不同文化中的神话以识别共同主题的研究领域。研究表明，不同文化在神话重述中存在显着的重叠。这种重叠强烈表明，这些跨文化的共同主题反映了极有可能发生的普遍事件。
Comparative mythology is the study of myths from different cultures and how they relate and compare to each other. It seeks to understand common themes, motifs, and elements across cultures and how they evolve over time. By comparing myths from different cultures, scholars can gain insights into the cultural, historical, and psychological aspects of those cultures. This approach has been used to shed light on the origin of myths, the spread of religious and cultural ideas, and the evolution of human thought and beliefs. Some of the most famous examples of comparative mythology include the similarities between the gods of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, tales and songs in European folklore, and the myths of creation found in many cultures.
Hamlet’s Mill
Hamlet’s Mill by Giorgio de Santillana and Hertha von Dechends is considered a milestone in comparative mythology because it presents a novel approach to the study of myths and their origins. The book argues that ancient myths from cultures around the world contain encoded astronomical and scientific knowledge that has been passed down through generations. The authors propose that this knowledge was encoded in myths as a way of preserving it, despite the lack of written records in many early cultures. By comparing and decoding myths from different cultures, the authors claim that they can uncover this ancient knowledge and better understand the worldviews of ancient cultures. Hamlet’s Mill has been influential in the field of comparative mythology and has been widely cited as an important work in the study of the interconnections between mythology and science.