A creation myth is a supernatural mytho-religious story or explanation that describes the beginnings of humanity, earth, life, and the universe (cosmogony), usually as a deliberate act of "creation" by one or more deities.Many creation myths share broadly similar themes. Common motifs include the fractionation of the things of the world from a primordial chaos; the separation of the mother and father gods; land emerging from an infinite and timeless ocean; or creation out of nothing.
These beliefs and stories need not be a literal account of actual events and they may express ideas that are perceived by some people and cultures to be truths at a deeper or more symbolic level. In this sense, creation myths need not be religious in nature, and they have secular analogues in modern cultures.
Excerpted and adapted from: Creation myth