Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

M6MaFertility and vegetation goddess. Cappadocian(Anatolia) [Turkey]. The tutelary goddess of PonticComana, she was served by votary priestessesacting as sacred prostitutes, and biennial festivalswere celebrated in her honor. Gradually she tookon an added role as a warrior goddess with solarconnotations and ultimately became syncretizedwith the Roman goddess BELLONA. On coins ofthe Comana region she is depicted with the radiatehead of a solar deity carrying weapons and ashield.Ma KielaFemale spirit being. Bakongo [DemocraticRepublic of Congo, central Africa]. The deifiedhead of a band of mortal women who died specificallyfrom knife wounds.MaatMinor goddess of cosmic order. Egyptian. Epitomizingthe harmonious laws of the cosmic order.She is recognized from the middle of the thirdmillennium, and probably earlier, closely associatedwith the creator deities and particularly thesun god. In later times she was described as the“daughter of Re.” Her only known sanctuary is inthe complex of Karnak at Thebes. Maat isdepicted either in human form wearing an ostrichplume on her head or by an ostrich feather alone.The rulers of Egypt believed that they governedunder her aegis and frequently had themselvesdescribed as “beloved of Maat.” Maat was alsointegral to the success of a soul passing throughthe Hall of the Two Truths, where the heart wasweighed, to reach paradise.Mabon (son)God of youth. Celtic (Welsh). The son of anearthly mother, MODRON. According to legend hewas abducted when three days old. Also a god ofhunters and fishermen. He is known particularlyfrom northwestern Britain and his cult extendsalong the region of Hadrian’s Wall. Known frommany Romano-Celtic inscriptions and syncretizedwith the Romano-Greek god APOLLO.MachaFertility goddess. Celtic (Irish). One of the aspectsof the MORRIGAN (a trio of warrior goddesses withstrong sexual connotations), she appears as theconsort of Nemed and of Crunnchu. She is also awarrior goddess who influences the outcome ofbattle by magical devices. She can change shape180