Is the Creator Male or Female? |
Deities
These Goddesses and Gods are examples of how divinity has been understood in different times in different places of the world. Deities often have many aspects and their functions may change during centuries. The placement of any individual deity in this list is not exhaustive: for example Isis was in early Egypt (2000 BCE) the goddess associated with Sirius and flooding of the Nile, but in later periods she became also goddess of the moon (100 BCE), and for the followers of the Isis cult in the Roman empire (300 CE) she was the supreme being.
.
Deity | Female Goddess |
Male God |
Androgynous/ Neuter/ Couple |
Creator | Nu
Kua (China); Ishtar (Mesopotamia); Spider Grandmother (Keres Pueblo); Sky Woman (Iroquois) |
God
(Christian); Yahweh (Judaism); Viracocha (Inca) |
Mawu-Lisa
(Dahome); Izanami & Izanagi (Japan); Brahman (Hindu) |
Creation and destruction | Kali,
Durga (India); Sheela na Gig (Celtic) |
Vishnu & Shiva (Hindu) | |
Almighty | Isis
(Egypt, Roman world); Ishtar (Mesopotamia) |
Yahweh
(Christian, Judaism); Allah (Islam) |
|
Sun | Amaterasu
(Japan); Ka Sngi (Khasi, India ); Akewa (Toba, Argentina); Arinnitti (Hittite, Anatolia); Sutalidihi, Six Killer (Cherokee) |
Ra
(Egypt); Utu (Sumer); Apollon & Helios (Greek); Vivasvat, Surya, Vishnu (Hindu); Father Sun (Pueblo); Huitzilopochtli (Aztec); Inti (Inca); Jaguar Sun God (Maya); Wakan Tanka (Plains tribes) |
|
Moon | Selene
(Greek); Ix Chel (Maya); Heng-o (China); Kilya (Inca, Peru); Isis (Hellenistic Egypt) |
Tsukuyomi
(Japan); U Bnai (Khasi, India) ; Nannar (Sumer); Men (Asia Minor) |
|
Tree | Asherah (Canaanite) | Wacah
Chan, World Tree (Maya); Yggdrasill (Norse) |
|
River | Danu
(Celtic); Sequana (Celtic); Ganga (India); Volga (Russia); Chalchihuitlicue (Aztec); Ardvi Sura (Iran) |
Ho Po (China) | |
Mountain | Pele
(Hawai'i) ; Fuji (Japan); Goddess of Teotihuacan (Mexico); Iztaccíhuatl (Mexico); Chomo lhari (Bhutan) |
Himalaya
(India); Popocatépetl (Mexico) |
Witz Monster (Maya) |
Stone | Black
stone of Kabah (Islam); Black stone of Cybele (Phrygian, Anatolia) |
Huanacauri
huaca (Inca); lingam (India); matzeva (Canaanite) |
|
Earth | Demeter
(Greek); Gaia (Greek); Ninhursag (Babylon); Spider Woman (Pueblo); Coatlicue (Aztec); Papa (Maori); Nungüin (Jibaro); Pachamama (Peru); Durga (India); Mattarahkka (Sami, Lapland) |
Geb (Egypt) | |
Sky | Nut
(Egypt); Sky Woman (Iroquois) |
Anu
(Babylon); Uranos (Greek); Tien (China); Rangi (Maori) |
|
Thunder, storm | Susano
(Japan); Enlil (Babylon); Zeus (Greek); Lei kung (China); Taranis (Gaul); Thor (Norse); Oshe (Yoruba); Ilyapa (Inca) |
||
Rain | Ch'ih
Sung Tzu (China); Tefnut (Egypt) |
Tlaloc
(Toltec); Chac (Maya); Tarhun (Hittite); Indra (Hindu) Baal (Canaanite) |
|
Sea | Poseidon
(Greek); Njörðr (Norse) |
||
Venus (planet) | Ishtar (Babylon, Mesopotamia) | Quetzalcoatl,
Feathered Serpent (Aztec); Hun Ahau (Maya) |
|
Vegetation, Corn | Corn
Woman (North America); Xilonen & Tonantzin (Aztec); Zaramama (Peru) |
Xipe-Totec
(Aztec); Attis (Phrygian, Anatolia) |
|
Lord/ Lady of Animals | Artemis
(Greek); Cybele (Phrygian, Anatolia) |
Cernunnos
(Celtic); Age (Dahome); Rudra (Hindu); Dionysios (Greek) |
|
Monkey | Hanuman (Hindu) | ||
Snake | Manasha
(Bengal); Buto (Egypt); Cihuacoatl (Aztec); Asherah (Canaanite) |
Meilichios (Greek) | Nagas (India) |
Horse | Epona (Irish) | ||
Dog | Anubis (Egypt) | ||
Ram | Amun (Egypt) | ||
Bull/ Cow | White
Buffalo Woman (North America); Hathor (Egypt) |
Atum
(Egypt); El (Canaanite) |
|
Cat | Bastet (Egypt) | ||
Underworld | Ereshkigal
(Babylon); Jabmiidahkka (Sami, Lapland) |
Hades
(Greek); Odin (Norse); Jaguar God of Xibalba (Maya) |
|
Compassion | Kuan
Yin (China); Tara (Tibetan Buddhism) |
Avalokiteshvara (Buddha) | |
Love | Inanna
(Sumer); Hathor (Egypt); Aphrodite (Greek); Freya (Norse); Erzulie (Voodoo) |
Eros
(Greek); Krisna (India) |
|
War | Morrigan
(Irish); Bellona (Roman); Sekhmet (Egypt) |
Huitzilopochtli
(Aztec); Tlaloc (Maya); Indra (Hindu) Odin (Norse) Ogu (Voodoo) |
|
Truth, Justice | Ma'at
(Egypt); Ishtar (Babylon) |
Varuna (Vedic, India) | |
Wisdom | Sophia
(Hellenistic Judaism); Athena (Greek) Brigit (Irish); Vach, Sarasvati (Hindu) |
Enki
(Sumer); Thoth (Egypt) |
A great source to the thousands of deities in the world is the Encyclopedia Mythica.
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Copyright Jaana Holvikivi
Last updated: 7 August 2011