1. WATER AND CULTURE

2. Most civilizations were born and grew up around the water. In particular, on the Mediterranean coast appeared the largest ones (Minoans, ancient Greeks, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Arabs, Romans). In these cultures from antiquity water has a very great significance. It gives life, permits the cultivation of food, goods transport and trade and among all this, it exchange of cultural elements. Reflected in mythology, philosophy, religion, morals and customs of the peoples, once praised as a deity. Sometimes considered a source of life and energy that gives strength and good health. Sometimes the water is protected by deities.

3. Water and mythology

4. The importance of life-giving role of water we find in the myths of many peoples. Making a journey through time and reaching as prehistoric times, we find that ancestral peoples of humanity were fully aware of the life-giving importance, but also terrible power of water. Therefore honored waters as deities, which while seeking to placate. In the myths of all peoples, the water was a factor inspiration and doctrine.

5. Greek deities of water Neptune was in our mythology one of the twelve gods of Olympus, sovereign and omnipotent god of the sea and all the waters. It was a violent and fierce god. When he was angry beating his trident into the waters, shaking the waves and unleashes storms.

6. Nereus - Nereids God of the sea, older than Neptune. Lived in fairytale palaces, the depth of the sea, with the fifty daughters, the Nereids, and was famous for his wisdom and divination power. Wife was Doris. One of the famous daughters was the goddess Thetis, mother of Achilles.

7. Other monsters and deities The Sirens were sea demons, daughters of the river god Achelous and the Muse Melpomeni. Lived on an island from which with their charming song trapped unsuspecting sailors approaching either forgot their destination or mangled by them.

8. Hydra: monster with nine heads. She lived in the swamps of lake Lerni near Argos and killed animals and people. Her enemy was Hercules who killed her with the help of his friend Iolaus.

9. Ocean Titan: The Ocean was the most powerful Titan and son of Uranus and Gaia. His descendants were all the deities of rivers, the sea and springs like Oceanids.

10. Forks: son of Pontus, the god of sea monsters, expressing distress and intense waves of the sea. It said that he lived in a bay to Ithaca.

11. Arethusa : The nymph of sources and forests escort the goddess Artemis, daughter of Nereus (hence Nereid nymph) and Doris. She be loved by the river god Alpheus. To avoid him, Arethusa pierced between the Peloponnese and Sicily sea and despite arriving in Syracuse Ortygia island, was transformed by Artemis in "source" rich in pure water. Then Alpheus transformed into powerful undersea river to join its waters with those of the source of Arethusa.

12. In Greece, almost all the rivers deified by people. Inachos, Asopos, Avenue, Peneus, Alpheus, Ilissos. The largest was the river god Achelous. The eldest and most majestic of the rivers. Ocean’s son were Achelous and had the ability to transform into a dragon once and sometimes a bull.