Spiders have been the focus of stories and mythologies of various cultures for centuries.
Uttu, the ancient Sumerian goddess of weaving, was envisioned as a spider spinning her web.
According to her main myth, she resisted her father Enki's sexual advances by ensconcing herself in her web, but let him in after he promised her fresh produce as a marriage gift, thereby allowing him to intoxicate her with beer and rape her.
Enki's wife Ninhursag heard Uttu's screams and rescued her, removing Enki's semen from her vagina and planting it in the ground to produce eight previously-nonexistent plants.
In a story told by the Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses, Arachne was a Lydian girl who challenged the goddess Athena to a weaving contest.
Arachne won, but Athena destroyed her tapestry out of jealousy, causing Arachne to hang herself.
In an act of mercy, Athena brought Arachne back to life as the first spider.
Stories about the trickster-spider Anansi are prominent in the folktales of West Africa and the Caribbean.

In some cultures, spiders have symbolized patience due to their hunting technique of setting webs and waiting for prey, as well as mischief and malice due to their venomous bites.
The Italian tarantella is a dance to rid the young woman of the lustful effects of a spider bite.
Web-spinning also caused the association of the spider with creation myths, as they seem to have the ability to produce their own worlds.
Dreamcatchers are depictions of spiderwebs.
The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped nature.
They placed emphasis on animals and often depicted spiders in their art.
Spiders have been the focus of stories and mythologies of various cultures for centuries. Uttu, the ancient Sumerian goddess of weaving, was envisioned as a spider spinning her web. According to her main myth, she resisted her father Enki's sexual advances by ensconcing herself in her web, but let him in after he promised her fresh produce as a marriage gift, thereby allowing him to intoxicate her with beer and rape her. Enki's wife Ninhursag heard Uttu's screams and rescued her, removing Enki's semen from her vagina and planting it in the ground to produce eight previously-nonexistent plants. In a story told by the Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses, Arachne was a Lydian girl who challenged the goddess Athena to a weaving contest. Arachne won, but Athena destroyed her tapestry out of jealousy, causing Arachne to hang herself. In an act of mercy, Athena brought Arachne back to life as the first spider. Stories about the trickster-spider Anansi are prominent in the folktales of West Africa and the Caribbean.
In some cultures, spiders have symbolized patience due to their hunting technique of setting webs and waiting for prey, as well as mischief and malice due to their venomous bites. The Italian tarantella is a dance to rid the young woman of the lustful effects of a spider bite. Web-spinning also caused the association of the spider with creation myths, as they seem to have the ability to produce their own worlds. Dreamcatchers are depictions of spiderwebs. The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped nature. They placed emphasis on animals and often depicted spiders in their art.
Spider