Entities conceived as holding up the heavens, prominent in various cultural narratives, frequently manifest as colossal figures, divine beings, or foundational pillars. These figures are integral to origin stories and cosmologies across civilizations, serving to explain the structure of the universe and humankind’s place within it. An example can be found in ancient Greek mythology, where Atlas was condemned to eternally bear the weight of the celestial sphere upon his shoulders.
These mythical constructs provided ancient societies with a framework for understanding the world around them, imbuing the cosmos with meaning and order. By personifying the support of the sky, these myths offered reassurance against chaos and uncertainty. The conceptualization also often intertwined with moral and ethical systems, with the figures embodying strength, duty, or transgression, offering lessons to the culture that embraced the narrative.