Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities
Charles Russell Coulter, Patricia Turner
The history of the divine is the history of human thought. For as long as men and women have pondered the mysteries of their existence, they have answered their own questions with stories of gods and goddesses. Belief in these deities shaped whole civilizations, yet today many of their names and images lie buried.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities makes those names available to the general reader as well as the scholar. This reference work lists all the known gods through recorded history. Alphabetically arranged entries provide the name of each deity (with alternate spellings), as well as notes on names that may be linguistically or functionally related. The tribe or culture that worshiped the deity is identified, and the god's origins and functions are explained. An extensive bibliography provides opportunities for further research and an exhaustive index provides access to the entries through virtually all names, forms and kinds of deities. |
Other editions - View all
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Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities, Volume 2 Charles Russell Coulter,Patricia Turner No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
Africa Agni Ahura Mazda Amaterasu Angra Mainyu Aphrodite Apollo Argonaut Artemis associated Asvins Aztec Babylonian became the mother birth Brahma brother Buddha Buddhist called Celtic China created creation creator Cronus Dagda daughter dead death Deified deity demon depicted Devi Dionysus divine Dwarfs earth Egypt Enki Enlil evil father female fire first fish five flood Freyja Gaea giant goddess gods Greek head heaven Hera Heracles Hindu Horus identified India Indra Ishtar Izanami Japan killed king known Krishna legends Loki Lord magic Marduk married Maya Mexico monster moon mortals mother goddess mountain myth Ninhursag Norse North America nymph Oceanids Oceanus Odin Osiris Persia personifies Polynesia Poseidon possibly Rama river Roman ruler sacred sacrifice serpent Shiva shown siblings sister Slavic Soma sometimes sons spirits spouse Sumer Sumerian Surya Susanowo symbol Teutonic Thor Tibet tree Tuat twin underworld Varuna Vedic Vishnu wife wind woman worshiped Zeus