Greek mythology is the body of myths and folklore about the gods and goddesses, heroes, and other supernatural and mythical features of ancient Greeks. The stories can shed light on Greeks' own cult and ritual practices, as well as the religious and cultural life of ancient Greece and its civilization. The Greek myths are believed to have been acquired and transmitted by oral story-telling that began in the 18th century B.C. Greek mythology has had an extensive influence on arts, language, culture and literature of Western civilisation, and is also a rich source of inspiration for some writers and artists from ancient times to the present.