Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

MINERVA 199An AESIR god who lives in the world of the FrostGiants. He guards the well of knowledge, filled bya spring which flows beneath the World Tree,Yggdrasil, and which is supplied from theprimeval waters. The god OTHIN drank from thespring to acquire knowledge, having forfeited oneof his eyes to Mimir. Said to be the wisest amongthe gods. According to some sources he was sentas hostage to the VANIR in their war with the Aesirand was killed by them (see Othin). Some authorsargue that he is more properly a giant than a god.Said to be accompanied often by the silent godHOENIR. Mimir warns Othin of the finalonslaught at Ragnarok (doom).MINORIGIN Egyptian. Fertility god.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP circa 3000 BC untilthe end of Egyptian history (circa AD 400).SYNONYMS Menu (Egyptian).CENTER(S) OF CULT Qift at the western end ofthe Wadi Hammamat, lying between Luxorand Qena; Akhmim, north of Qena.ART REFERENCES sculpture including fragmentedlimestone colossi from Qift dating from 3000BC or earlier; stone reliefs, wall paintings, etc.LITERARY SOURCES Pyramid Texts, coffin texts,etc.Min is the most significant deity in the Egyptianpantheon in respect of sexual virility. In somegenealogies he is the son of ISIS, in others he representsIsis’s consort with HORUS as their child.Min is depicted in anthropomorphic form wearinga modius bearing two plumes and a hangingribbon. He is generally drawn in profile, legstogether and with his left arm raised into theangle made by his royal flail. The most obviousfeature of the iconography is a strongly erectpenis. Min is represented in older art by twoserrated cones projecting horizontally from a disc.His sacred animal is probably a white bull and heis also associated with the tall lettuce species (Lactucasativa), the shape of which may be reminiscentof an erect phallus.By the end of the second millennium, Min hadbecome partly syncretized with Horus as a godMin-Horus. Min is also a guardian deity of mines,hence his cult centers at Qift and Akhim, whichwere bases for gold-mining expeditions. Templebuildings at both sites are only known from theGreco-Roman period. Min was celebrated as partof the coronation rites of a ruler in Egypt, thusensuring the sexual vigor and fertility of the newpharaoh. The festival is found depicted at Thebesin association with Rameses II and III. At the timeMin was frequently presented with offerings offlowers and sacred lettuces.Minaksi (fish eyed)Local fish goddess. Hindu. Regarded as a SAKTIof ŠIVA (i.e. PARVATI) and the daughter of KUBERA.She is the mother of Ugra. Minaksi is knownmainly from southern India where one of hermain temples is at Madurai.Minato-No-KamiGod of river mouths and estuaries. Shinto[Japan]. The son of IZANAGI and IZANAMI andfather of the heavenly and earthly water dividers.MINERVAORIGIN Roman. Goddess of war.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP circa 400 BC untilAD 400.SYNONYMS PALLAS, ATHENA (Greek).CENTER(S) OF CULT main Capitoline templeshared with JUPITER and JUNO, also an importantsanctuary on the Esquiline (see Athena).