Dictionary Of God And Godedesses

Ah Bolon Dz’acab 7AetherPrimordial god of light. Greco-Roman. Aremote cosmic deity, the son of EREBOS(darkness) and NYX (night) who overthrewthese archetypal deities of chaos. In Hesiod’sEpic Cycle he is also described as the father ofOURANOS.Agathos Daimon (good demon)God of fortune. Greco-Roman. Known locallyfrom Alexandria and depicted in the form of asnake. May have originated as an androgynousfertility spirit, but later becomes identified asthe consort of Agathe Tyche (see TYCHE). Libationswere made regularly to this deity aftermeals and he was regarded as a friendly householdguardian.AgeGod of animals. Fon [Benin, West Africa].Revered by hunters in the savannah regions.AglibolMoon god. Pre-Islamic northern Arabian.Known from Palmyra and linked with the sungod Yarhibol. The cult continued into Hellenictimes and was later extended to Rome. Attributesinclude a sickle moon.AGNI (fire)ORIGIN Hindu [India]. God of fire.KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP circa 1500 BConward and still recognized.SYNONYMS none.CENTER(S) OF CULT known throughout areas ofHindu influence.ART REFERENCES sculptures and reliefs in metaland stone.LITERARY SOURCES Rg Veda and other texts.God of the sacrificial fire and the intercessorbetween gods and mankind, Agni is the son ofKASYAPA and ADITI or, alternatively, of Dyausand PRTHIVI. His consort is Svaha and, accordingto some texts, he is the father of the godSKANDA. In a destructive capacity he is seen as anaspect of the god ŠIVA. He is also a guardian ordikpala of the southeastern quarter. In ancienthymns he is said to have been born in wood asthe embryo life force of all trees and plants andhe emerges when wood is rubbed together.Vehicles: a she-goat, or a chariot drawn by redhorses or parrots. Color: red.Attributes: seven arms and sometimes the headof a goat, carrying a wide variety of objects.AgnikumaraGod. Jain [India]. One of the groups under thegeneral title of BHAVANAVASI (dwelling in places).They have a youthful appearance and are associatedwith rain and thunder.Agnostos TheosThe unknown god(s) usually addressed in the pluralform. Greco-Roman. They were the subject ofaltar inscriptions, particularly in Athens, probablyout of concern lest certain less popular deities beneglected or forgotten.Agu’guxCreator god. Aleut [Aleutian Islands]. The namegiven to the Christian god under Russian Orthodoxinfluence.Ah Bolon Dz’acab (many generations)Chthonic fertility god. Mayan (classical Mesoamerican)[Mexico]. A god identified with rainand thunder. Also strongly linked with agricultureand young crops. Possibly a vegetation avatara of