title: An Evaluation of the Historical Importance of Fertility and Its Reflection in Ancient Mythology.
abstract: Myths are reflective of human concerns and needs during ancient times. By reviewing them, it turns out that many human problems today, have a historical background. Among the main themes of ancient mythologies, fertility and reproduction have various representations in ancient civilizations. The purpose of this paper was to review myths and common symbols of fertility and reproduction in ancient civilizations and evaluate the reasons of their continuous importance in different cultures. The data in this review study was obtained by scrutinizing the related literature. The gathered data indicated the multiplicity and variety of fertility symbols in ancient myths. Most ancient fertility symbols were inspired by the nature and some of them like earth and water were common in mythology of different civilizations. Therefore, the symbols consolidate the concept of conformity between human reproductive concerns and the nature's necessities.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Avicenna Infertility Clinic, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Sociology, Aras International Campus, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Behjati-Ardakani
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Biotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Avicenna Infertility Clinic, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mehdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Akhondi
authors.affiliation: Avicenna Infertility Clinic, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Homa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahmoodzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran; Department of Sociology, Aras International Campus, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Hasan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hosseini
keywords: Ceremonial behavior; Culture; Fertility; Humans; Infertility; Mythology