Underworld
Encyclopedia
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies
. It could be a place where the soul
s of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell
or the realm of death
. In other traditions, such as animism
, it could be seen as the place from which life appears to have originated (such as plant life, water, etc.) and to which life must return at life's end, with no negative undertones. In some slang, the Underworld can be a term for the criminal groups of an area.
Mythologies
Mythologies is a book by Roland Barthes, published in 1957. It is a collection of essays taken from Les Lettres nouvelles, examining the tendency of contemporary social value systems to create modern myths...
. It could be a place where the soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
s of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
or the realm of death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
. In other traditions, such as animism
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
, it could be seen as the place from which life appears to have originated (such as plant life, water, etc.) and to which life must return at life's end, with no negative undertones. In some slang, the Underworld can be a term for the criminal groups of an area.
Underworlds by mythology
This list includes underworlds in various mythologies, with links to corresponding articles.Altaic mythology | Yerlik (see Erlik Erlik Erlik, or Erlig, is the god of death and underworld in Turkic and Mongolian mythology.According to Siberian mythology, Erlik was the first creation of Tengri or Ulgan, the creator god, but Erlik's pride led to friction between the two, and he was banished to the underworld.In the myths of the... ) |
Aztec mythology Aztec mythology The aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology, which contained the many deities and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs. "orlando"- History :... |
Mictlan Mictlan Mictlan was the underworld of Aztec mythology. Most people who died went to Mictlan, although other possibilities existed . Mictlan was located far to the north, and consisted of nine distinct levels.... |
Babylonian mythology | Arallu (also Sumerian) |
Buddhist mythology Buddhist mythology Buddhist mythology operates within the Buddhist belief system. It is a relatively broad mythology, as it was adopted and influenced by several diverse cultures such as Gandhara which was the capital of Bactria. Later on, it also came to incorporate aspects from countries such as China and Japan... |
Naraka Naraka (Buddhism) Naraka नरक or Niraya निरय is the name given to one of the worlds of greatest suffering in Buddhist cosmology.Naraka is usually translated into English as "hell", "hell realm", or "purgatory"... (also Niraya) |
Celtic mythology Celtic mythology Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure... |
Annwn Annwn Annwn or Annwfn was the Otherworld in Welsh mythology. Ruled by Arawn, or much later by Gwyn ap Nudd, it was essentially a world of delights and eternal youth where disease is absent and food is ever-abundant. It later became Christianised and identified with the land of souls that had departed... , Mag Mell Mag Mell In Irish mythology, Mag Mell was a mythical realm achievable through death and/or glory... |
Chinese mythology Chinese mythology Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state... |
Yum gan (陰間) is an underworld though not necessarily negative like Diyu (地獄) |
Christian mythology Christian mythology Christian mythology is the body of myths associated with Christianity. In the study of mythology, the term "myth" refers to a traditional story, often one which is regarded as sacred and which explains how the world and its inhabitants came to have their present form.Classicist G.S. Kirk defines a... |
Sheol Sheol Sheol |Hebrew]] Šʾôl) is the "grave", "pit", or "abyss" in Hebrew. She'ol is the earliest conception of the afterlife in the Jewish scriptures. It is a place of darkness to which all dead go, regardless of the moral choices made in life, and where they are "removed from the light of God"... /Hadēs Hades in Christianity According to various Christian faiths, Hades is "the place or state of departed spirits".-Hades in the Old Testament:In the Septuagint , the Greek term "ᾅδης" is used to translate the Hebrew term "שׁאול" in, for example,... (Abode of the dead), Gehenna Gehenna Gehenna , Gehinnom and Yiddish Gehinnam, are terms derived from a place outside ancient Jerusalem known in the Hebrew Bible as the Valley of the Son of Hinnom ; one of the two principal valleys surrounding the Old City.In the Hebrew Bible, the site was initially where apostate Israelites and... /Tártaros (Hell Hell in Christian beliefs Christian views on Hell vary, but in general traditionally agree that hell is a place or a state in which the souls of the unsaved suffer the consequences of sin.... ), Abaddon Abaddon Abaddon in the Revelation of St. John, is the king of tormenting locusts and the angel of the bottomless pit. The exact nature of Abaddon is debated, but the Hebrew word is related to the triliteral root אבד , which in verb form means "to perish."... , Limbo Limbo In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other... , Purgatory Purgatory Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven... , Annihilationism Annihilationism Annihilationism is a Christian belief that apart from salvation the death of human beings results in their total destruction rather than their everlasting torment. It is directly related to the doctrine of conditional immortality, the idea that a human soul is not immortal unless it is given... |
Egyptian mythology Egyptian mythology Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature... |
Aaru Aaru In ancient Egyptian mythology, the fields of Aaru or the Egyptian reed fields, are the heavenly paradise, where Osiris ruled after he became part of the Egyptian pantheon and displaced Anubis in the Ogdoad tradition... , Duat Duat In Egyptian mythology, Duat is the underworld. The Duat is a vast area under the Earth, connected with Nun, the waters of the primordial abyss. The Duat is the realm of the god Osiris and the residence of other gods and supernatural beings... , Neter-khertet Neter-khertet In Egyptian mythology, Neter-khertet referred to the underworld. See Duat and Aaru.Neter-Khertet is also the name of an English black metal band. Khert-Neter is also a death metal band from Finland.http://www.khert-neter.net/site/... , Amenti |
Estonian mythology Estonian mythology Estonian mythology is a complex of myths belonging the Estonian folk heritage and literary mythology.Information about the pre-Christian and medieval Estonian mythology is scattered in historical chronicles, travellers' accounts and in ecclesiastical registers... |
Toonela Estonian mythology Estonian mythology is a complex of myths belonging the Estonian folk heritage and literary mythology.Information about the pre-Christian and medieval Estonian mythology is scattered in historical chronicles, travellers' accounts and in ecclesiastical registers... |
Guanche mythology Guanches Guanches is the name given to the aboriginal Berber inhabitants of the Canary Islands. It is believed that they migrated to the archipelago sometime between 1000 BCE and 100 BCE or perhaps earlier... |
Echeide Teide Mount Teide , is a volcano on Tenerife, Canary Islands. Its summit is the highest point in Spain, the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic, and it is the third highest volcano in the world measured from its base on the ocean floor, after Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea located in... , Guayota Guayota Guayota, was the principal malignant deity and Achamán's adversary. According to Guanche legend, Guayota lived inside the Teide volcano, one of the gateways to the underworld... |
Fijian mythology | see Melanesian mythology. |
Finnish mythology Finnish mythology Finnish mythology is the mythology that went with Finnish paganism which was practised by the Finnish people prior to Christianisation. It has many features shared with fellow Finnic Estonian mythology and its non-Finnic neighbours, the Balts and the Scandinavians... |
Tuonela Tuonela Tuonela is the realm of the dead or the Underworld in Finnish and Estonian mythology. Tuonela, Tuoni, Manala and Mana are used synonymously. In Estonian mythology, it is called Toonela or Manala.... |
Greek mythology Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece... |
Elysium Elysium Elysium is a conception of the afterlife that evolved over time and was maintained by certain Greek religious and philosophical sects, and cults. Initially separate from Hades, admission was initially reserved for mortals related to the gods and other heroes... , Asphodel Meadows Asphodel Meadows The Asphodel Meadows is a section of the Ancient Greek underworld where indifferent and ordinary souls were sent to live after death.-Geography:... , Hadēs Hades Hades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades... , Tártaros Tartarus In classic mythology, below Uranus , Gaia , and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros . It is a deep, gloomy place, a pit, or an abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering that resides beneath the underworld. In the Gorgias, Plato In classic mythology, below Uranus (sky), Gaia (earth), and Pontus... |
Hebrew mythology Jewish mythology Jewish mythology is generally the sacred and traditional narratives that help explain and symbolize the Jewish religion, whereas Jewish folklore consists of the folk tales and legends that existed in the general Jewish culture. There is very little early folklore distinct from the aggadah literature... |
Sheol Sheol Sheol |Hebrew]] Šʾôl) is the "grave", "pit", or "abyss" in Hebrew. She'ol is the earliest conception of the afterlife in the Jewish scriptures. It is a place of darkness to which all dead go, regardless of the moral choices made in life, and where they are "removed from the light of God"... , Gehenna Gehenna Gehenna , Gehinnom and Yiddish Gehinnam, are terms derived from a place outside ancient Jerusalem known in the Hebrew Bible as the Valley of the Son of Hinnom ; one of the two principal valleys surrounding the Old City.In the Hebrew Bible, the site was initially where apostate Israelites and... |
Hindu mythology Hindu mythology Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture... |
Naraka Naraka Naraka is the Sanskrit word for the underworld; literally, of man. According to Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism, Naraka is a place of torment, or Hell... , Yamaloka, Patala |
Hopi mythology Hopi mythology The Hopi maintain a complex religious and mythological tradition stretching back over centuries. However, it is difficult to definitively state what all Hopis as a group believe. Like the oral traditions of many other societies, Hopi mythology is not always told consistently and each Hopi mesa, or... |
Maski Maski Maski is a village and an archaeological site in the Raichur district of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the Maski river which is a tributary of the Tungabhadra. The site came into prominence with the discovery of a minor rock edict of Emperor Ashoka by C. Beadon in 1915... |
Hungarian mythology Hungarian mythology Hungarian mythology includes the myths, legends, folk tales, fairy tales and gods of the Hungarians. Many parts of it are thought to be lost, i.e. only some texts remained which can be classified as a myth. However, a significant amount of Hungarian mythology was successfully recovered in the last... |
Alvilág |
Inca mythology Inca mythology Inca mythology includes many stories and legends that are mythological and helps to explain or symbolizes Inca beliefs.All those that followed the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire by Francisco Pizarro burned the records of the Inca culture... |
Uku Pacha Uku Pacha In Incan mythology, Ukhu Pacha was the underworld located beneath the Earth's surface. Its symbol was the snake, which was thought to die when digging into the earth and reborn after coming out of it.... |
Inuit mythology Inuit mythology Inuit mythology has many similarities to the religions of other polar regions. Inuit traditional religious practices could be very briefly summarised as a form of shamanism based on animist principles.... |
Adlivun Adlivun In Inuit mythology, Adlivun refers to both the spirits of the departed who reside in the underworld, and that underworld itself, located beneath the land and the sea. The souls are purified there, in preparation for the travel to the Land of the Moon , where they find eternal rest and peace... |
Islamic mythology Islamic mythology Islamic mythology is the body of traditional narratives associated with Islam from a mythographical perspective. Many Muslims believe that these narratives are historical and sacred and contain profound truths... |
Jahannam Jahannam Jahannam is the Arabic language equivalent to Hell. The term comes from the Greek Gehenna, itself derived from the Hebrew geographical name for the Valley of Hinnom.-Jahannam in the Qur'an:... , Naar, Barzakh Barzakh In Islamic eschatology, Barzakh is the intermediate state in which the soul of the deceased is transferred across the boundaries of the mortal realm into a kind of "cold sleep" where the soul will rest until the Qiyamah . The term appears in the Qur'an Surah 23, Ayat 100.Barzakh is a sequence that... , Araf |
Jain mythology Jain cosmology Jain cosmology is the description of the shape and functioning of the physical and metaphysical Universe and its constituents according to Jainism, which includes the canonical Jain texts, commentaries and the writings of the Jain philosopher-monks... |
Naraka Naraka (Jainism) Naraka नरक is the name given to realm of existence in Jain cosmology having great suffering. Naraka is usually translated into English as "hell" or "purgatory". However, a Naraka differs from the hells of Abrahamic religions as souls are not sent to Naraka as the result of a divine judgment and... , Adho Loka (the lower worlds) |
Japanese mythology Japanese mythology Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami... |
Yomi Yomi , the Japanese word for the underworld in which horrible creatures guard the exits; according to Shinto mythology as related in Kojiki, this is where the dead go to dwell and apparently rot indefinitely. Once one has eaten at the hearth of Yomi it is impossible to return to the land of the living... , Jigoku |
Korean mythology Korean mythology Korean mythology consists of national legends and folk-tales which come from all over the Korean Peninsula. Even within the same ethnic group, myths tend to have slightly different variations... |
"Ji-Ok" 지옥 地獄 |
Latvian mythology Latvian mythology Latvian culture, along with Lithuanian, is among the oldest surviving Indo-European cultures. Much of its symbolism is ancient. Its seasons, festivals, and numerous deities reflect the essential agrarian nature of Latvian tribal life... |
Aizsaule |
Māori mythology Maori mythology Māori mythology and Māori traditions are the two major categories into which the legends of the Māori of New Zealand may usefully be divided... |
Hawaiki Hawaiki In Māori mythology, Hawaiki is the homeland of the Māori, the original home of the Māori, before they travelled across the sea to New Zealand... |
Mapuche mythology Mapuche mythology The beliefs of the Mapuche and their mythology, stories about to the world and creatures born of the extensive and old religious beliefs, next to a series of common legend and myths that belong to the different groups that compose the Mapuche ethnic group .-Description:In the mythology and beliefs... |
Pellumawida, Degin, Wenuleufu, Ngullchenmaiwe |
Maya mythology Maya mythology Mayan mythology is part of Mesoamerican mythology and comprises all of the Mayan tales in which personified forces of nature, deities, and the heroes interacting with these play the main roles... |
Metnal, Xibalba Xibalba Xibalba , roughly translated as "place of fear", is the name of the underworld in Maya mythology, ruled by the Maya death gods and their helpers. In 16th-century Verapaz, the entrance to Xibalba was traditionally held to be a cave in the vicinity of Cobán, Guatemala. According to some of the... |
Melanesian mythology Melanesian mythology Melanesian mythology is a European way of referring to the custom stories of the world area known since the 19th century as "Melanesia", an umbrella term used for the archipelagos of New Guinea, the Torres Strait Islands, the Admiralty Islands, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu... |
(includes Fijian) Bulu Bulu (Fijian mythology) In Fijian mythology, Bulu is a name for the 'world of spirits' . In the month called Vula-i-Ratumaibulu, the god Ratumaibulu comes from Bulu, the world of spirits, to make the breadfruit and other fruit trees blossom and yield fruit. Ratumaibulu is a god of great importance who presides over... , Burotu Burotu In the Melanesian mythology of Fiji, Burotu is the paradise-underworld. Newly dead souls are judged by Degei, and a few go to Burotu. The rest go to Murimuria.-See also:*Bulu, said to be the name for the Fijian 'land of death'.... , Murimuria Murimuria In Fijian mythology, Murimuria is part of the underworld. After a soul dies, it is judged by Degei. A few go to Burotu, and the rest are thrown into a lake. They eventually sink to the bottom, Murimuria, and are rewarded and punished appropriately.... , Nabangatai Nabangatai In Fijian mythology, Nabagatai is a village on the road to Bulu, where the souls of the dead live .... , Tuma |
Norse mythology Norse mythology Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving... |
Gimlé Gimlé In Norse mythology, Gimlé was a place where the survivors of Ragnarök were to live. It is mentioned in the Prose Edda and Völuspá and described as the most beautiful place on Earth, more beautiful than the Sun.... , Hel Hel (realm) In Norse mythology, Hel, the location, shares a name with Hel, a female figure associated with the location. In late Icelandic sources, varying descriptions of Hel are given and various figures are described as being buried with items that will facilitate their journey to Hel after their death... , Niflheim Niflheim Niflheim is one of the Nine Worlds and is a location in Norse mythology which overlaps with the notions of Niflhel and Hel... , Vingólf Vingólf In Norse mythology, Vingólf is one of the buildings of the gods. It is described as the hall or hörgr of the goddesses and also as a place where righteous men and those slain in battle go after death... |
Oromo Oromo people The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census... mythology |
Ekera |
Philippine mythology Philippine mythology Philippine mythology include a collection of tales and superstitions about magical creatures and entities. Some Filipinos, even though heavily westernized and Christianized, still believe on these tales... |
Kasanaan |
Polynesian mythology Polynesian mythology Polynesian mythology is the oral traditions of the people of Polynesia, a grouping of Central and South Pacific Ocean island archipelagos in the Polynesian triangle together with the scattered cultures known as the Polynesian outliers... |
Avaiki Avaiki Avaiki is one of the many entities by which the people of Polynesia refer to their ancestral and spiritual homelands.-Samoa, Hawaii, Cook Islands:By no means certain, but certainly possible, is an origin in the large islands of Samoa, namely Savaii... , Bulotu, Iva, Lua-o-Milu Lua-o-Milu In Hawaiian mythology, Lua-o-Milu is the land of the dead, ruled by Milu. Dead souls enter Lua-o-Milu through a trail called Mahiki. The spirits of the dead can watch what the living do and turn them to stone by staring at them.... , Nga- Atua, Pulotu Pulotu In the mythology of parts of western Polynesia , Pulotu is the underworld, the world of darkness .... , Rangi Tuarea, Te Toi-o-nga-Ranga, Uranga-o-Te-Ra Uranga-o-te-ra In Māori mythology, Te Uranga-o-te-rā is the fifth lowest level of the underworld, ruled by Rohe, the wife of Māui.-References:*R.D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology , 314-5... |
Pueblo Pueblo Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material... mythology |
Shipap |
Roman mythology Roman mythology Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans... |
Inferno, Avernus Avernus Avernus was an ancient name for a crater near Cumae , Italy, in the Region of Campania west of Naples. It is approximately in circumference. Within the crater is Lake Avernus .-Role in ancient Roman society:... , Orcus Orcus Orcus was a Roman god of the underworld.Orcus can also refer to:* Orcus , a demon prince in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game*90482 Orcus, a Trans-Neptunian object* Orcus , a genus of ladybird... /Hadēs Hades Hades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades... , Pluto Pluto (mythology) In ancient Greek religion and myth, Pluto was a name for the ruler of the underworld; the god was also known as Hades, a name for the underworld itself... |
Slavic mythology Slavic mythology Slavic mythology is the mythological aspect of the polytheistic religion that was practised by the Slavs before Christianisation.The religion possesses many common traits with other religions descended from the Proto-Indo-European religion.... |
Podsvetie, Peklo, Nava |
Sumerian mythology | Dilmun Dilmun Dilmun or Telmun is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian civilizations as a trade partner, a source of the metal copper, and an entrepôt of the Mesopotamia-to-Indus Valley Civilization trade route... , Kur Kur In Babylonian mythology, Irkalla is the hell-like underworld from which there is no return. It is also called Arali, Kigal, Gizal, and the lower world... , Irkalla Irkalla In Babylonian mythology, Irkalla is the hell-like underworld from which there is no return. It is also called Arali, Kigal, Gizal, and the lower world... , Hubur Hubur Hubur is a Sumerian term meaning "river", "watercourse" or "netherworld", written ideographically with the cuneiform signs . It is usually the "river of the netherworld" or "river of paradise".-Usage and meaning:... |
Vodou mythology | Guinee Guinee In Vodou, Guinee is the spirit world, a reference to the African homeland that slaves hoped their souls might be returned to after death.... |
Wagga Wagga mythology | Hiyoyoa |
Underworld rulers
This list includes rulers or guardians of the underworld in various mythologies, with links to corresponding articles.Aboriginal mythology | Baiame Baiame In Australian Aboriginal mythology Baiame was the Creator God and Sky Father in the dreaming of several language groups , of Indigenous Australians of South-East Australia.... (Kamilaroi Kamilaroi The Kamilaroi or Gamilaraay are an Indigenous Australian people who are from the area between Tamworth and Goondiwindi, and west to Narrabri, Walgett and Lightning Ridge, in northern New South Wales... ), Eingana Eingana In Australian Aboriginal mythology, Eingana is a creator goddess and the mother of all water, animals, and humans. She is a snake goddess of death who lives in the Dream time. She has no vagina; she simply grew in size and, unable to give birth to the life inside her, had the god Barraiya open a... |
Akkadian mythology | Allu Allu In Akkadian mythology, the Allu were a race of monstrous and faceless demons that destroyed everything they could. They were born to Lilitu or one of her demon servants... , Anu Anu In Sumerian mythology, Anu was a sky-god, the god of heaven, lord of constellations, king of gods, Consort of Antu, spirits and demons, and dwelt in the highest heavenly regions. It was believed that he had the power to judge those who had committed crimes, and that he had created the stars as... , Anunnaku, Ereshkigal Ereshkigal In Mesopotamian mythology, Ereshkigal was the goddess of Irkalla, the land of the dead or underworld. Sometimes her name is given as Irkalla, similar to the way the name Hades was used in Greek mythology for both the underworld and its ruler.Ereshkigal was the only one who could pass judgment and... , Etemmu, Gallu Gallu In Sumerian and Akkadian mythology, Gallu is a great underworld demon or devil.Gallu demons hauled unfortunate victims off to the underworld... , Humbaba Humbaba In Akkadian mythology Humbaba or Huwawa , also Humbaba the Terrible was a monstrous giant of immemorial age raised by Utu, the Sun... , Mamitu Mamitu In Mesopotamian mythology Mamitu was the goat-headed goddess of destiny, who decreed the fate of the new-borns. She was also worshipped as goddess of the oath, later a goddess of fate and a judge in the underworld, where she lives with the Anunnaku. She is occasionally regarded as a consort of... , Nergal Nergal The name Nergal, Nirgal, or Nirgali refers to a deity in Babylon with the main seat of his cult at Cuthah represented by the mound of Tell-Ibrahim. Nergal is mentioned in the Hebrew bible as the deity of the city of Cuth : "And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal"... , Utnapishtim |
Albanian mythology | E Bukura e Dheut E Bukura e Dheut E Bukura e Dheut is a character in Albanian folklore, a crafty fairy . Her sisters are E Bukura e Detit and E Bukura e Qiellit .E Bukura e Dheut is beauty itself, golden-haired, but may also appear in the form of an arap with black skin... |
Altaic mythology Altaic mythology The mythologies of the Turkic and Mongol peoples are related and have exerted strong influence on one another. Both groups of peoples qualify as Eurasian nomads and have been in close contact throughout history, especially in the context of the medieval Turco-Mongol empire.The oldest mythological... |
Erlik Erlik Erlik, or Erlig, is the god of death and underworld in Turkic and Mongolian mythology.According to Siberian mythology, Erlik was the first creation of Tengri or Ulgan, the creator god, but Erlik's pride led to friction between the two, and he was banished to the underworld.In the myths of the... |
Armenian mythology Armenian mythology Very little is known about pre-Christian Armenian mythology, the oldest source being the legends of Xorenatsi's History of Armenia.Armenian mythology was strongly influenced by Zoroastrianism, with deities such as Aramazd, Mihr or Anahit, as well as Assyrian traditions, such as Barsamin, but there... |
Spandaramat |
Aztec mythology Aztec mythology The aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology, which contained the many deities and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs. "orlando"- History :... |
Mictlantecuhtli Mictlantecuhtli Mictlantecuhtli , in Aztec mythology, was a god of the dead and the king of Mictlan , the lowest and northernmost section of the underworld. He was one of the principal gods of the Aztecs and was the most prominent of several gods and goddesses of death and the underworld... , Mictecacihuatl Mictecacihuatl In Aztec mythology, Mictecacihuatl is Queen of Mictlan, the underworld, ruling over the afterlife with Mictlantecuhtli, another deity who is designated as her husband.Her role is to keep watch over the bones of the dead... , Chalmecacihuilt, Chalmecatl Chalmecatl Chalmecatl is one of the lords of the Aztec realm of the dead, Mictlan.... |
Babylonian mythology | Erra, Nergal Nergal The name Nergal, Nirgal, or Nirgali refers to a deity in Babylon with the main seat of his cult at Cuthah represented by the mound of Tell-Ibrahim. Nergal is mentioned in the Hebrew bible as the deity of the city of Cuth : "And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal"... , Ninlil Ninlil In Sumerian religion, Ninlil , also called Sud, in Assyrian called Mullitu, is the consort goddess of Enlil. Her parentage is variously described. Most commonly she is called the daughter of Haia and Nunbarsegunu... , Sursunabu, Ur-shanabi, Utnapishtim |
Balinese mythology Balinese mythology Balinese mythology is the traditional mythology of the people of the Indonesian island of Bali, before the majority adoption of Hinduism.Balinese mythology is mainly a kind of animism with some widely-known characters and deities... |
Batara Kala Batara Kala Batara Kala is the god of the underworld in traditional Javanese and Balinese mythology, ruling over it in a cave along with Setesuyara. Batara Kala is also named the creator of light and the earth. He is also the god of time and destruction, who devours unlucky people. He is related to Hindu... , Setesuyara Setesuyara Setesuyara is the goddess of the underworld, along with Batara Kala, in traditional Balinese mythology.... |
Bon mythology | gNyan |
Buddhist mythology Buddhist mythology Buddhist mythology operates within the Buddhist belief system. It is a relatively broad mythology, as it was adopted and influenced by several diverse cultures such as Gandhara which was the capital of Bactria. Later on, it also came to incorporate aspects from countries such as China and Japan... |
Yama, Emma-O-, Yanluo Yama (Buddhism and Chinese mythology) Yama the name of the Buddhist dharmapala and judge of the dead, who presides over the Buddhist Narakas , "Hells" or "Purgatories". Although ultimately based on the god Yama of the Hindu Vedas, the Buddhist Yama has developed different myths and different functions from the Hindu deity... |
Canaanite mythology | Mot |
Celtic mythology Celtic mythology Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure... |
Aed Aed (god) Aed, or Aodh, is the prince of the Daoine Sidhe and a god of the underworld in Irish mythology. He is known from inscriptions as the eldest son of Lir, High King of the Tuatha de Dannan, and Aobh, a daughter of Bodb Dearg.... , Arawn Arawn In Welsh mythology, Arawn was the king of the otherworld realm of Annwn, appearing prominently in the first branch, and alluded to in the fourth. In later tradition, the role of king of Annwn was largely attributed to the Welsh psychopomp, Gwyn ap Nudd... , Cwn Annwn Cwn Annwn In Welsh mythology and folklore, Cŵn Annwn were the spectral hounds of Annwn, the otherworld of Welsh myth. They were associated with a form of the Wild Hunt, presided over by Gwynn ap Nudd... , Donn Donn According to Irish mythology, Donn, or the Dark One, is the Lord of the Dead and father of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, whom he gave to Aengus Óg to be nurtured... , Gwyn ap Nudd Gwyn ap Nudd Gwyn ap Nudd is a Welsh mythological figure, the king of the Tylwyth Teg or "fair folk" and ruler of the Welsh Otherworld, Annwn. Described as a great warrior with a "blackened face", Gwyn is intimately associated with the otherworld in medieval Welsh literature, and is associated with the... , Manannán mac Lir Manannán mac Lir Manannán mac Lir is a sea deity in Irish mythology. He is the son of the obscure Lir . He is often seen as a psychopomp, and has strong affiliations with the Otherworld, the weather and the mists between the worlds... , Pwyll Pwyll Pwyll Pen Annwn is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology and literature, the lord of Dyfed, husband of Rhiannon and father of the hero Pryderi... |
Chinese mythology Chinese mythology Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state... |
Gui, Yanluo Yama (Buddhism and Chinese mythology) Yama the name of the Buddhist dharmapala and judge of the dead, who presides over the Buddhist Narakas , "Hells" or "Purgatories". Although ultimately based on the god Yama of the Hindu Vedas, the Buddhist Yama has developed different myths and different functions from the Hindu deity... |
Christian mythology Christian mythology Christian mythology is the body of myths associated with Christianity. In the study of mythology, the term "myth" refers to a traditional story, often one which is regarded as sacred and which explains how the world and its inhabitants came to have their present form.Classicist G.S. Kirk defines a... |
Satan Satan Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible... |
Egyptian mythology Egyptian mythology Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature... |
Aken Aken (god) The chief deity in Egyptian mythology, Ra, when considered as a sun god, was thought to traverse the daytime sky in a boat, and cross the underworld at night in another one, named Meseket... , Aker Aker (god) In Egyptian mythology, Aker was one of the earliest gods worshipped, and was the deification of the horizon. There are strong indications that Aker was worshipped before other known Egyptian gods of the earth, such as Geb. Aker itself means curves because it was perceived that the horizon bends... (strictly only the gatekeeper), Am-heh Am-heh In Egyptian mythology, Am-heh was a minor god from the underworld, whose name means "devourer of millions". He was depicted as a man with the head of a dog who lived in a lake of fire. Am-heh could only be controlled by the god Atum.... , Amunet Amunet Amunet, Amaunet, or Amonet was a primordial goddess in Ancient Egyptian religion. She is a member of the Ogdoad and the consort of Amun. Her name, meaning "the female hidden one", was simply the feminine form of Amun's own name. Therefore, it is likely that she was never an independent deity, but... , Ammit Ammit thumb|right|400px|This detail scene from the [[Papyrus]] of [[Hunefer]] shows [[Hunefer]]'s heart being weighed on the scale of [[Maat]] against the [[feather of truth]], by the [[jackal]]-headed [[Anubis]]. The [[Ibis]]-headed [[Thoth]], [[scribe]] of the [[gods]], records the result... , Andjety Andjety Andjety ' an Ancient Egyptian deity whose name is associated with the city of Andjet, which within the Greek language was called Busiris. This deity is also known by the alternative names Anezti or Anedjti-Writings mentioning Andjety:... , Anubis Anubis Anubis is the Greek name for a jackal-headed god associated with mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion. In the ancient Egyptian language, Anubis is known as Inpu . According to the Akkadian transcription in the Amarna letters, Anubis' name was vocalized as Anapa... , Apep Apep In Egyptian mythology, Apep was an evil god, the deification of darkness and chaos , and thus opponent of light and Ma'at , whose existence was believed from the 8th Dynasty onwards... , Apis Apis (Egyptian mythology) In Egyptian mythology, Apis or Hapis , was a bull-deity worshipped in the Memphis region.According to Manetho, his worship was instituted by Kaiechos of the Second Dynasty. Hape is named on very early monuments, but little is known of the divine animal before the New Kingdom... , Astennu Astennu In Egyptian mythology, Astennu refers to a baboon associated with Thoth. It was also stated that Astennu was merely another aspect of Thoth, as the god could take the form of a baboon... , Ha Ha (mythology) In Egyptian mythology, Ha was a god of the deserts to the west of Egypt. He was associated with the underworld, Duat and pictured as a man wearing the symbol for desert hills on his head.... , Imiut Imiut fetish The Imiut fetish has been documented throughout the history of Ancient Egypt. This was a stuffed, headless animal skin, often a feline or bull, which was tied by the tail to a pole terminating in a lotus bud, inserted into a stand. The fetish was present in Egyptian funerary rites from the earliest... (if the Imiut was ever considered a god), Isis Isis Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic... , Mehen Mehen In Ancient Egypt the name Mehen meaning 'coiled one' refers to a mythological snake-god and to a game.-Snake god:The earliest references to Mehen occur in the Coffin Texts. Mehen is a protective deity who is depicted as a snake which coils around the sun god Ra during his journey through the... , Naunet Naunet In Egyptian mythology, Nu or Nun is the deification of the primordial watery abyss. In the Ogdoad cosmogony, the name nu means "abyss".... , Nehebkau Nehebkau In Egyptian mythology, Nehebkau was originally the explanation of the cause of binding of Ka and Ba after death. Thus his name, which means brings together Ka... , Nephthys Nephthys In Egyptian mythology, Nephthys is a member of the Great Ennead of Heliopolis, a daughter of Nut and Geb. Nephthys was typically paired with her sister Isis in funerary rites because of their role as protectors of the mummy and the god Osiris and as the sister-wife of Seth.Nephthys is regarded as... , Nun Nun A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent... , Nut Nut (goddess) In the Ennead of Egyptian mythology, Nut was the goddess of the sky.-Goddess of the sky:... , Osiris Osiris Osiris is an Egyptian god, usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He is classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and... , Ptah Ptah In Ancient Egyptian Religion, Ptah was the deification of the primordial mound in the Ennead cosmogony, which was more literally referred to as Ta-tenen , meaning risen land, or as Tanen, meaning submerged land, though Tatenen was a god in his... , Soker, Thoth Thoth Thoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat... |
Elamite mythology | Jabru Jabru Jabru was the Elamite god of the underworld. He was the father of all Elamite gods.Jabru's Akkadian counterpart was Anu.... |
Estonian mythology Estonian mythology Estonian mythology is a complex of myths belonging the Estonian folk heritage and literary mythology.Information about the pre-Christian and medieval Estonian mythology is scattered in historical chronicles, travellers' accounts and in ecclesiastical registers... |
Vanapagan |
Etruscan mythology Etruscan mythology The Etruscans were a diachronically continuous population, with a distinct language and culture during the period of earliest European writing, in the Mediterranean Iron Age in the second half of the first millennium BC... |
Charun Charun In Etruscan mythology, Charun acted as one of the psychopompoi of the underworld, not to be confused with the lord of the underworld, known to the Etruscans as Aita... , Culsu, Februus Februus In ancient Roman religion, Februus was the god of purification. He was also worshipped under the same name by the Etruscans, as the Etruscan god of purification, but also the underworld... , Mania Mania Mania, the presence of which is a criterion for certain psychiatric diagnoses, is a state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, arousal, and/ or energy levels. In a sense, it is the opposite of depression... , Mantus Mantus In Etruscan myth and religion, Mantus was a god of the underworld in the Po Valley, as described by Servius. A dedication to the god manθ from the Archaic period was found in a sanctuary at Pontecagnano... , Nethuns Nethuns In Etruscan mythology, Nethuns was the god of wells, later expanded to all water, including the sea. The Etruscan conception of the deity affected Roman Neptune... , Tuchulcha Tuchulcha In Etruscan mythology, Tulchulcha was a chthonic daemon with pointed ears , and hair made of snakes and a beak... , Vanth Vanth Vanth is a chthonic figure in Etruscan mythology shown in a variety of forms of funerary art, such as in tomb paintings and on sarcophagi. Vanth is a female demon in the Etruscan underworld that is often accompanied either by additional Vanth figures or by another demon, Charun . Both Vanth and... |
Finnish mythology Finnish mythology Finnish mythology is the mythology that went with Finnish paganism which was practised by the Finnish people prior to Christianisation. It has many features shared with fellow Finnic Estonian mythology and its non-Finnic neighbours, the Balts and the Scandinavians... |
Kalma Kalma (goddess) Kalma is Finnish goddess of death and decay.She lives in Tuonela, the Finnish Underworld, and is accompanied by Surma.Her name means "The Stench of Corpses".... , Kipu-Tyttö, Kivutar, Lovitar, Surma Surma (Finnish mythology) Surma is a character in the Finnish mythology of Kalevala. Surma is a terrible beast, embodies sudden, violent death and guards the gates of the Tuonela to prevent escape. It is often described as being a large dog with a snake-tail and can turn you into stone... , Tuonen akka, Tuonetar Tuonetar Tuonetar , in Finnish mythology, is the Queen of the Underworld.She is the wife of Tuoni, with whom she rules over the Underworld, Tuonela... , Tuoni Tuoni In Finnish mythology, Tuoni was the god of the Tuonela .... , Vammatar Vammatar Vammatar is the Finnish goddess of pain, disease, and/or suffering . She is the daughter of Tuoni and Tuonetar... |
Greek mythology Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece... |
Cerberus Cerberus Cerberus , or Kerberos, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping... , Charon Charon (mythology) In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon is the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. A coin to pay Charon for passage, usually an obolus or danake, was sometimes placed in or on... , Hadēs Hades Hades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades... , Keres, Persephone Persephone In Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld.... , Thánatos Thanatos In Greek mythology, Thanatos was the daemon personification of death. He was a minor figure in Greek mythology, often referred to but rarely appearing in person... , Tártaros Tartarus In classic mythology, below Uranus , Gaia , and Pontus is Tartarus, or Tartaros . It is a deep, gloomy place, a pit, or an abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering that resides beneath the underworld. In the Gorgias, Plato In classic mythology, below Uranus (sky), Gaia (earth), and Pontus... |
Georgian mythology Georgian mythology The article is about the mythology of the country of Georgia.Georgian myths and legends are preserved mainly as popular tales. Many of them have eventually fused with Christian legends after Christianization of Georgia more than fifteen centuries ago.... |
sasuleti |
Haida mythology Haida mythology The Haida are one of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their national territories lie along the west coast of Canada and include parts of south east Alaska.... |
Ta'xet Ta'xet Ta'xet is the Haida God of violent death. It is considered a duality. Its counterpart is Tia, the god of peaceful death.... , Tia |
Hinduism Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions... |
Yamaraja |
Hopi mythology Hopi mythology The Hopi maintain a complex religious and mythological tradition stretching back over centuries. However, it is difficult to definitively state what all Hopis as a group believe. Like the oral traditions of many other societies, Hopi mythology is not always told consistently and each Hopi mesa, or... |
Kachina Kachina A kachina is a spirit being in western Pueblo cosmology and religious practices. The western Pueblo, Native American cultures located in the southwestern United States, include Hopi, Zuni, Tewa Village , Acoma Pueblo, and Laguna Pueblo. The kachina cult has spread to more eastern Pueblos, e.g.... |
Ibo mythology | Ala Ala (mythology) Ala is the female Alusi of the earth, morality, death, and fertility in Odinani. She is the most important Alusi in the Igbo pantheon. In Odinani, Ala rules over the underworld which holds the deceased ancestors in her womb... |
Incan mythology | Supay Supay In the Aymara and Inca mithologies, Supay or Zupay was both the god of death and ruler of the Uca Pacha, the Incan underworld, as well as a race of demons. Supay is associated with miners' rituals.... , Vichama Vichama In Inca mythology, Vichama is the god of death and the son of Inti. His mother was murdered by his half-brother Pacha Kamaq, and he took revenge by turning the humans who were created by Pachacamac into rocks and islands... |
Indonesian mythology | Dewi Shri, Ndara |
Inuit mythology Inuit mythology Inuit mythology has many similarities to the religions of other polar regions. Inuit traditional religious practices could be very briefly summarised as a form of shamanism based on animist principles.... |
Pana Pana In Inuit mythology, Pana was the god who cared for souls in the underworld before they were reincarnated.Pana also means "snow knife" in Inuktitut.Pana means "girlfriend; unmarried woman" in Lithuanian.... , Sedna |
Islamic mythology Islamic mythology Islamic mythology is the body of traditional narratives associated with Islam from a mythographical perspective. Many Muslims believe that these narratives are historical and sacred and contain profound truths... |
Mala'ikah Angel Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an... |
Japanese mythology Japanese mythology Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami... |
Hisa-Me, Hotoke Hotoke The Japanese noun Note that the very same kanji 仏 in modern Japanese can be also read futsu, but is often used as an abbreviation for the word "furansu", or France... , Ika-Zuchi-no-Kami, Jikininki Jikininki In Japanese Buddhism, jikininki are the spirits of greedy, selfish or impious individuals who are cursed after death to seek out and eat human corpses. They do this at night, scavenging for newly dead bodies and food offerings left for the dead... , Shiko-Me, Shiti Dama, Shi-Ryo, Yama Yama Yama , also known as Yamarāja in India and Nepal, Shinje in Tibet, Yanluowang or simply Yan in China, Yeomla Daewang in South Korea and Enma Dai-Ō in Japan, is the lord of death, in Hinduism and then adopted into Buddhism and then further into Chinese mythology and Japanese mythology. First... |
Kassite mythology | Dur |
Khmer mythology | Preas Eyssaur |
Latvian mythology Latvian mythology Latvian culture, along with Lithuanian, is among the oldest surviving Indo-European cultures. Much of its symbolism is ancient. Its seasons, festivals, and numerous deities reflect the essential agrarian nature of Latvian tribal life... |
Veļi Veli Veli is a Turkish and Finnish male given name, meaning guardian and brother in each language respectively.-Given name:* Veli Acar, Turkish footballer* Veli Kavlak, Austrian footballer* Veli Kızılkaya, Turkish footballer... , Velu mate, Zemes mate |
Levantine mythology | Mot |
Lunda mythology | Kalunga Kalunga The Kalungas are descendants of run-away slaves who lived in remote settlements in northeastern Goiás state, Brazil. Most of the 4,000 Kalungas, who are of mixed race, black and native Indian, live in very poor conditions in near the town of Cavalcante, Goiás.All of the area occupied by the... |
Maori mythology Maori mythology Māori mythology and Māori traditions are the two major categories into which the legends of the Māori of New Zealand may usefully be divided... |
Kewa Kewa Kéwa is a rural commune of the Cercle of Djenné in the Mopti Region of Mali. The principal village is Kouakourou.... |
Maya mythology Maya mythology Mayan mythology is part of Mesoamerican mythology and comprises all of the Mayan tales in which personified forces of nature, deities, and the heroes interacting with these play the main roles... |
Xibalba Xibalba Xibalba , roughly translated as "place of fear", is the name of the underworld in Maya mythology, ruled by the Maya death gods and their helpers. In 16th-century Verapaz, the entrance to Xibalba was traditionally held to be a cave in the vicinity of Cobán, Guatemala. According to some of the... |
Melanesian mythology Melanesian mythology Melanesian mythology is a European way of referring to the custom stories of the world area known since the 19th century as "Melanesia", an umbrella term used for the archipelagos of New Guinea, the Torres Strait Islands, the Admiralty Islands, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu... |
(includes Fijian mythology) Degei Degei In Fijian mythology, Degei , enshrined as a serpent, is the supreme god of Fiji. He is the creator of the world, of fruits, and of men. He judges newly-dead souls after they pass through one of two caves: Cibaciba or Drakulu. A few he sends to paradise, Burotu... , Ratumaibulu Ratumaibulu In the mythology of Fiji, Ratumaibulu is a god of great importance who presides over agriculture. In the month called Vula-i-Ratumaibulu, he comes from Bulu, the world of spirits, to make the breadfruit and other fruit trees blossom and yield fruit... , Samulayo Samulayo In the mythology of Fiji, Samulayo is a god of war and those dead souls who died in battle.... |
Narragansett mythology | Chepi Chepi Chepi is a ghost or fairy in the mythology of the Narragansett tribe of Native Americans from the Narragansett Bay region of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and eastern Massachusetts. Chepi is a spirit of the dead who shared knowledge with medicine people in dreams or visions. Chepi could be called upon... |
Navaho mythology | Estanatelhi |
Niquiran mythology | Mictanteot |
Norse mythology Norse mythology Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving... |
Garmr, Hel, Ran |
Orokolo mythology | Kiavari |
Persian mythology Persian mythology Persian mythology are traditional tales and stories of ancient origin, some involving extraordinary or supernatural beings. Drawn from the legendary past of the Iranian cultural continent which especially consists of the state of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Central Asia, they reflect the... |
Angra Mainyu Angra Mainyu Angra Mainyu is the Avestan-language name of Zoroastrianism's hypostasis of the "destructive spirit". The Middle Persian equivalent is Ahriman.-In Zoroaster's revelation:... , Azhi Dahaka Zahhak Zahhāk or Zohhāk is an evil figure in Iranian mythology, evident in ancient Iranian folklore as Aži Dahāka, the name by which he also appears in the texts of the Avesta... , Peri Peri In Persian mythology, which constitutes the mythology of not just Persians but all Iranian peoples, peris are descended from fallen angels who have been denied paradise until they have done penance. In earlier sources they are described as agents of evil; later, they are benevolent... |
Philippine mythology Philippine mythology Philippine mythology include a collection of tales and superstitions about magical creatures and entities. Some Filipinos, even though heavily westernized and Christianized, still believe on these tales... (Look to the Christian Mythology for more information) |
""Bathala", Demonyo Demon Demon call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism... , Lucifer Lucifer Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"... , Dyablo Diablo Devil The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly... , Satan Satan Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible... , Diyos God God God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism.... |
Phoenician mythology | Horon |
Phrygian mythology | Men Men (god) Men was a god worshipped in the western interior parts of Anatolia.The roots of the Men cult may go back to Mesopotamia in the fourth millennium BC. Ancient writers describe Men as a local god of the Phrygians.... |
Polynesian mythology Polynesian mythology Polynesian mythology is the oral traditions of the people of Polynesia, a grouping of Central and South Pacific Ocean island archipelagos in the Polynesian triangle together with the scattered cultures known as the Polynesian outliers... |
Hikuleo, Hina Hina (goddess) Hina is the name of several different goddesses and women in Polynesian mythology. In some traditions, the trickster and culture hero Maui has a wife named Hina, as do the gods Tane and Tangaroa. Hina is often associated with the moon.... , Hine-nui-te-Po Hine-nui-te-po Hine-nui-te-pō is a goddess of night and death and the ruler of the underworld in Māori mythology. She is a daughter of Tāne. She fled to the underworld because she discovered that Tāne, whom she had married, was also her father. The red colour of sunset comes from her.All of the children of Rangi... , Kanaloa Kanaloa In the traditions of ancient Hawaii, Kanaloa is symbolized by the squid or by the octopus, and is typically associated with Kāne. It is also the name of an extinct volcano in Hawaii. In legends and chants Kāne and Kanaloa are portrayed as complementary powers... , Kiho-tumu Kiho-tumu In the mythology of the Tuamotu archipelago, Kiho-tumu represents the supreme god . The Milky Way is said to his 'sacred ocean' and the dark rift within the Milky Way is referred as his sacred ship, called 'the Long Shark' .-References:*M. Beckwith, Hawaiian Mythology 1970.*J.F... , Makea Tutara, Mahiuki, Mahu-ike, Marama Marama (mythology) In the mythology of the Cook Islands, Marama is a male lunar deity, who loved Ina, the goddess of light. They were married and she lives in the sky during the day and rarely sees her husband .... , Mauri, Merau Merau In Polynesian mythology, Merau is a goddess of death.... , Milu, Miru Miru In the Polynesian mythology of the Cook Islands, Miru is a goddess who lives in Avaiki beneath Mangaia. She intoxicates the souls of dead people with kava and then burns them eternally in her oven . The Tapairu are her daughters. Also see Tau-Titi.... , Rimu Rimu Rimu can mean the following:*Dacrydium cupressinum, also rimu, a tree endemic to New Zealand*Rimu, Southland, a locality in Southland, New Zealand*Rimu, West Coast, a locality in the West Coast region of New Zealand... , Rohe Rohe (mythology) In a tradition of the Moriori people of the Chatham Islands, Rohe is the wife of the demi-god Māui. Beautiful Rohe was a sister of the sun, and her face shone. A quarrel arose after Rohe remarked that Māui's face was ugly. Māui then decided that they should change faces. Afterwards Māui used magic... , Whiro Whiro In Māori mythology, Whiro is the lord of darkness, or the embodiment of all evil. He inhabits the underworld and is responsible for the ills of all persons.... |
Prussian mythology Prussian mythology The Prussian mythology was a polytheistic religion of the Old Prussians, indigenous peoples of Prussia before the Prussian Crusade waged by the Teutonic Knights. It was closely related to other Baltic faiths, the Lithuanian and Latvian mythologies. Its myths and legends did not survive as Prussians... |
Picullus |
Pueblo mythology | Iyatiku Iyatiku Iyatiku is the corn goddess of the Keresan Puebloes. From shipap, her underground realm, mankind first ermerged, from there infants today are born and tither go the dead.... |
Roma (Gypsy) mythology Roma (Gypsy) mythology Romani mythology is the myth, folklore, religion, traditions, and legends of the Romani people . The Romanies are a nomadic culture which originated in India during the Middle Ages. They migrated widely, particularly to Europe... |
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Roman mythology Roman mythology Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans... |
Cerberus Cerberus Cerberus , or Kerberos, in Greek and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of the Underworld, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping... , Dea Tacita Dea Tacita In Roman mythology, Dea Tacita was a goddess of the dead. In later times, she was equated with the earth goddess Larunda. In this guise, Dea Tacita was worshipped at a festival called Larentalia on December 23. Goddesses Mutae Tacitae were invoked to destroy a hated person: in this inscription In... , Dis Pater Dis Pater Dis Pater, or Dispater was a Roman god of the underworld, later subsumed by Pluto or Hades. Originally a chthonic god of riches, fertile agricultural land, and underground mineral wealth, he was later commonly equated with the Roman deities Pluto and Orcus, becoming an underworld deity.Dis Pater... , Egestes, Fames, Inferi Dii, Larenta, Letum, Libitina Libitina In Roman mythology, Libitina was the goddess of death, corpses and funerals. Her name was also a synonym for death [see Horace Odes 3.30].Her face was seldom portrayed; hardly any sacrifices were offered to her, as they were to Orcus, her male equivalent. Today, her very name has sunk into such... , Mors Mors (mythology) In ancient Roman myth and literature, Mors is the personification of death equivalent to the Greek Thánatos. As the Latin noun for "death", mors, genitive mortis, is of feminine gender, but ancient Roman art is not known to depict Death as a woman. Latin poets, however, are bound by the... , Orcus Orcus Orcus was a Roman god of the underworld.Orcus can also refer to:* Orcus , a demon prince in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game*90482 Orcus, a Trans-Neptunian object* Orcus , a genus of ladybird... , Pluto, Proserpina Proserpina Proserpina or Proserpine is an ancient Roman goddess whose story is the basis of a myth of Springtime. Her Greek goddess' equivalent is Persephone. The probable origin of her name comes from the Latin, "proserpere" or "to emerge," in respect to the growing of grain... , Viduus Viduus In Roman mythology, Viduus was the god who separated the soul and the body after death.In music, Viduus is a progressive technical death metal band, founded by bassist and vocalist Malethoth Kazynanenko.... |
Romanian mythology | Diavolu, Satan Satan Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible... a, Necuratu, Scaraoschi |
Russian mythology | Dyavol, Satanaya Satanaya Satanaya is a mythological figure who appears in many cycles of the Nart sagas of the Caucasus.... |
Saami mythology | Yambe-akka |
Salish mythology Salish mythology The Salish are a linguistic and cultural grouping of First Nations originally from British Columbia, Canada and Washington, USA.-Elements of Salish mythology:... |
Amotken |
Siberian mythology | Chebeldei, Kul |
Slavic mythology Slavic mythology Slavic mythology is the mythological aspect of the polytheistic religion that was practised by the Slavs before Christianisation.The religion possesses many common traits with other religions descended from the Proto-Indo-European religion.... |
Crnobog, Flins, Marzana, Nyia |
Sumerian mythology | Edimmu Edimmu The edimmu, read incorrectly sometimes as ekimmu, were a type of utukku in Sumerian mythology. They were envisioned as the ghosts of those who were not buried properly. They were considered vengeful toward the living and might possess people if they did not take into account certain taboos, such... , Ekimmu, Endukugga, Enmesarra Enmesarra Enmesarra, or Enmešarra, in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology is an underworld god of the law. Described as a Sun god, protector of flocks and vegetation, and therefore he has been equated with Nergal.. On the other hand, he has been described as an ancestor of Enlil, and it has been claimed that... , Ereshkigal Ereshkigal In Mesopotamian mythology, Ereshkigal was the goddess of Irkalla, the land of the dead or underworld. Sometimes her name is given as Irkalla, similar to the way the name Hades was used in Greek mythology for both the underworld and its ruler.Ereshkigal was the only one who could pass judgment and... , Gidim, Gula Gula Nintinugga was a Babylonian goddess of healing, the consort of Ninurta. She is identical with another goddess, known as Bau, though it would seem that the two were originally independent.... , Irkalla Irkalla In Babylonian mythology, Irkalla is the hell-like underworld from which there is no return. It is also called Arali, Kigal, Gizal, and the lower world... , Kur Kur In Babylonian mythology, Irkalla is the hell-like underworld from which there is no return. It is also called Arali, Kigal, Gizal, and the lower world... , Namtar Namtar In Mesopotamian mythology Namtar was a hellish deity, god of death, and the messenger of An, Ereshkigal, and Nergal.Namtar was the son of Enlil and Erishkigal and was considered responsible for diseases and pests... , Nergal Nergal The name Nergal, Nirgal, or Nirgali refers to a deity in Babylon with the main seat of his cult at Cuthah represented by the mound of Tell-Ibrahim. Nergal is mentioned in the Hebrew bible as the deity of the city of Cuth : "And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal"... , Neti Neti (mythology) Neti is, in Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian mythology, a minor underworld god, the chief gatekeeper of the netherworld, and the servant of the goddess Ereshkigal... , Nindukugga, Ninlil Ninlil In Sumerian religion, Ninlil , also called Sud, in Assyrian called Mullitu, is the consort goddess of Enlil. Her parentage is variously described. Most commonly she is called the daughter of Haia and Nunbarsegunu... , Urshanabi Urshanabi Urshanabi was the ferryman of the Hubur, river of the dead in Mesopotamian mythology. His equivalent in Greek Mythology was Charon.He is first mentioned in the myth of Enlil and Ninlil, where he is called SI.LU.IGI and described as a man. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Urshanabi is a companion of... , Ziusudra |
Syrian mythology | Reshep |
Tamil mythology Tamil mythology Tamil mythology means the stories and sacred narratives belonging to the Tamil people. This body of mythology is a mix of elements from the Southern Hindu peoples and Indus Valley cultures with Vedic and orthodox Hindu aspects of the Sanskritic tradition.... |
Cur Cur Cur as slang refers to a type of random-bred, or mixed-breed dog. This article deals with Cur as a breed.-Etymology:The derivation of the word "cur" dates from the 13th century. It is thought to be short for the Middle English "curdogge", which derives from the word "curren", meaning "to growl"... |
Thracian mythology | Heros |
Turkic mythology | Erlik Erlik Erlik, or Erlig, is the god of death and underworld in Turkic and Mongolian mythology.According to Siberian mythology, Erlik was the first creation of Tengri or Ulgan, the creator god, but Erlik's pride led to friction between the two, and he was banished to the underworld.In the myths of the... |
Vodou | Baron Cimetière Baron Cimetière In Vodou, Baron Cimitière is one of the Guédé, a spirit of the dead, along with Baron Samedi and Baron La Croix. He is said to be the male guardian of the cemetery.... , Baron La Croix Baron La Croix In Vodou, Baron La Croix , also spelled Lakwa, is one of the Guédé, a Loa of the dead and sexuality, along with Baron Samedi and Baron Cimetière. He is the ultimate suave and sophisticated spirit of Death - quite cultured and debonair. He has an existential philosophy about death, finding death's... , Baron Samedi Baron Samedi Baron Samedi is one of the Loa of Haitian Voodoo. Samedi is a Loa of the dead, along with Baron's numerous other incarnations Baron Cimetière, Baron La Croix, and Baron Kriminel. He is the head of the Guédé family of Loa, or an aspect of them, or possibly their spiritual father... , Ghede, Maman Brigitte Maman Brigitte In Vodou, Maman Brigitte is a death loa, the wife of Baron Samedi. Maman Brigitte is one of the few Loa who is white and is depicted as being fair-haired and green-eyed with light European skin. She drinks hot peppers and is symbolized by a black rooster... , Marassa Jumeaux Marassa Jumeaux In Vodou, the Marassa Jumeaux are the divine twins. They are children, but more ancient than any other Loa. "Love, truth and justice. Directed by reason. Mysteries of liaison between earth and heaven and they personify astronomic-astrological learning. They synthesize the voodoo Loa as... |
Wagawaga mythology | Tumudurere |
Yoruba mythology Yoruba mythology The Yorùbá religion comprises the original religious beliefs and practices of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in Southwestern Nigeria and the adjoining parts of Benin and Togo, a region that has come to be known as Yorubaland... |
Oya Oya In Yoruba mythology, Oya , is the Undergoddess of the Niger River. Oya has been syncretized in Santería with the Catholic images of the Virgin of Candelaria.-Aspects:... |
Yurak mythology | Nga Nga (god) Among the Nenets people of Siberia, Nga was the god of death, as well as one of two demiurges, or supreme gods.According to one story, the world threatened to collapse on itself. To try and halt this cataclysm a shaman sought the advice of the other demiurge, Num. The shaman was advised to travel... |
Zuni mythology Zuni mythology Zuni mythology is the oral history, cosmology, and religion of the Zuni people. The Zuni are a Pueblo people located in New Mexico. Their religion is integrated into their daily lives and respects ancestors, nature, and animals. Due to a history of religious persecution by non-native peoples, they... |
Uhepono |
Classicism Classicism Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint... |
Stuades Davies |
See also
- World TreeWorld treeThe world tree is a motif present in several religions and mythologies, particularly Indo-European religions, Siberian religions, and Native American religions. The world tree is represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, thereby connecting the heavens, the earth, and, through its...
—A tree that connects the heavens, the earth, and the underworld in a number of spiritual belief systems