According to Jack de Selby, some of our ancestors spoke a language we now call Proto-Indo-European, the ultimate mother of Latin, Greek, French, German, Irish, Spanish, English and so on. By looking at what current languages have in common, linguists have reconstructed parts of the original language. In a similar way they have reconstructed aspects of West Asia's and Europe's original creation myth.
The scientists have to be cautious, of course, in working so far backwards, and the results tend to be limited. But western civilization's original explanation for our creation went something like this:
In the beginning there was nothing.
Ancient forces met in the nothingness, creating a primeval being that was two things at once (twins, for example).
An animal appeared and served as food for the double beings.
Gods appeared who sacrificed a primeval being (one of the twins) and made the universe from parts of its body.
Versions differ but some include the concept that one half of the double being allowed itself to be sacrificed.
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