Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

6 IIalonusGod of meadows. Romano-Celtic (British andContinental European). Known from inscriptionsat Lancaster (Ialonus Contrebis) and Nimes.IapetosGod. Greek. One of the sons of OURANOS(heaven) and a member of the TITAN race whichclashed with the Olympian gods. He is the fatherof the heroes Atlas and PROMETHEUS.IcaunaRiver goddess. Romano-Celtic (Gallic). Guardiandeity of the river Yonne [Brittany].IcciAnimistic spirits. Siberian.See also URUN AJY TOYON.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP Viking period (circaAD 700) and earlier until Christianization (circaAD 1100).SYNONYMS Idun (German); Iduna.CENTER(S) OF CULT none known.ART REFERENCES none known, though possiblythe subject of anonymous carvings.LITERARY SOURCES Icelandic codices; Prose Edda(Snorri).Little is recorded in mythology. Idunn is the consortof BRAGI, the poet god, and she guards thegolden apples of eternal youth for the gods ofAsgard. She was abducted by LOKI and handedover to the giant Thiassi as payment for the buildingof Valhalla. When the gods began to age, Lokiassisted in recovering Idunn with her vital fruit.She reflects a northern version of the ancientsymbolism of a deity who guards the life-sustainingfruit of heaven.IccovellaunaWater goddess. Celtic (Continental European).Known only from inscriptions.IDUNNORIGIN Nordic (Icelandic) and possibly Germanic.Keeper of the apples of immortality.IfaGod of wisdom. Yoruba [western Nigeria, WestAfrica]. An oracular deity who, according to tradition,lives in a sanctuary in the holy city of IleIfe but who is called on by the tutelary god,OLDUMARE, for advice. He is the father of eightchildren, all of whom became paramount chiefs.133