Encyclopedia of ancient deities / edited by Charles Russell Coulter and Patricia Turner.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Coulter, Charles Russell, editor.

Turner, Patricia, editor.

Series:

McFarland Myth and Legend Encyclopedias Series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Goddesses--Encyclopedias.

Goddesses.

Gods--Encyclopedias.

Gods.

Religions--Encyclopedias.

Religions.

Mythology--Encyclopedias.

Mythology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (1493 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Jefferson : McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers, 2012.

Summary:

Throughout history, humans have pondered the question of their existence. In nearly every society, part of the answer has included some form of god or goddess who was involved in the creation of their universe or controlled some aspect of it. For the Mayans, one such deity was Ajtzak, who tried to create humans from wood; for the Yorubas of Africa, Shango was the storm god who controlled the thunder and lightning. The Chinese of the Shang dynasty era worshipped Shang Ti, their supreme god. Evil deities were also part of the answer, as in the case of the Kuvera, the Hindu chief of evil in the Vedic period, and Tu, the Persian or Islamic demon of fatal accidents. All of the known ancient gods, many heretofore obscure or known only from mythological literature, are included in this exhaustive reference work. The focus is on their origins, histories, and functions. The people who believed in each deity are identified, along with alternate names or spellings both old and modern. The descriptions that follow are of the functions, origins and physical nature of the deities. In many cases, entries include other deities, often in other societies or cultures, that are similar. Extensive cross references are provided for alternate spellings and names.

Contents:

Intro

Table of Contents

On Alphabetization and Spelling

Preface

The Encyclopedia

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Other Format:

Print version: Coulter, Charles Russell Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities

ISBN:

9781476685564

9781803161570

1803161574

9780786491797

0786491795

OCLC:

1289371188