Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

198 MidirIlhuicatl Mamalhuazocan (the heaven of the firedrill), or he is one of the gods who support thelowest heaven at the four cardinal points. Mictlantecuhtliis perceived to reside in the south(codices Borgia and Vaticanus B). He is also one ofthe four great temple deities (codices Borgia, Cospiand Fejervery-Mayer).MidirChthonic god. Celtic (Irish). Appears in polymorphicform. According to legend the consort ofEtain and ruler of the land of Mag Mor. He lostan eye when hit by a hazel wand; the eye wasreplaced by DIANCECHT, the physician god. InRoman times he became more of an underworlddeity. Also Mider.MihosLion god. Egyptian. The son of the goddessBASTET. Depicted in leonine form and originatingfrom a cult center at Leontopolis [Tell el’-Muqdam] in Lower Egypt. A sanctuary in hishonor was built at Bubastis. Also Miysis (Greek).Mika-Hiya-Hi (terrible swift sun)Sun god. Shinto [Japan]. A deity subservient tothe sun goddess AMATERASU and engenderedfrom the blood of the fire KAMI KAGU-TSUCHI.Certain Japanese still worship the sun, goingoutside in the morning, facing east, bowing andclapping their hands in a daily ritual.See also HI-HIYA-HI.MikalLocal god. Western Semitic (Phoenician). Thecult was followed strongly on Cyprus. Someauthorities believe he was invoked as a plaguegod.Mi-Kura-Tana-No-Kami (august storehousechief kami)House god. Shinto [Japan]. One of a number ofdomestic guardian KAMIS, he is particularly concernedwith the protection of storehouses.MilkastartLocal tutelary god. Western Semitic. Known onlyfrom Umm el-Ammed where his cult apparentlyco-existed with that of BAAL SAPON. One of twomajor temples built at Umm el-Ammed in thethird century BC was probably dedicated toMILKASTART, and the name is regarded as a syncretizationof MELQART and ASTARTE.MilkomTutelary god. Western Semitic (Ammonite). Oneof the deities mentioned in the Vetus Testamentum(1 Kings 11.5) as being worshiped by the Israeliteking Solomon. Also Milcom.Mi-Lo FoGod. Chinese Buddhist. The local name given tothe BODHISATTVA MAITREYA. Like the Indianmodel he is represented as a rubicund figure.Attributes include roses and a purse.MIMIRORIGIN Nordic (Icelandic). God of wisdom andinspiration.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP Viking period (circaAD 700) and possibly earlier until Christianization(circa AD 1100). SYNONYMS Mimr; Mimi; Mim.CENTER(S) OF CULT none known.ART REFERENCES none known, but possibly thesubject of anonymous carvings.LITERARY SOURCES Icelandic codices; Prose Edda(Snorri).