Pronouncing God/dess names....help SO needed. ;)

[loopy]

*I'll be editing this as the pronunciations and corrections are contributed. :) *

Found a great site for various pronunciations here: http://www.pantheon.org/miscellanea/pronunciations.html
I'd still love it if the descriptions of God/desses were disputed/corrected. :D

This started as a guide to pronunciation at my request, but I'd also like to expand to include the most accurate definitions of the deities according to posters, as there seem to be many corrections needed to the original list, found here: http://www.geocities.com/lavenderwater37/list.htm#goddesses (Many of whose definitions seem to stem from SRW's To Ride a Silver Broomstick.)

So if you can help out with a pronunciation, information on a deity, or don't see one listed and want to add, please post and I'll edit away. :D

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Babylonian Deities:

Gods:

Apsu: Babylonian; his mate is Tiamat.

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British Deities:

Goddess:

Andraste: Britain. A war and nature Goddess. Associated with the hare And Ostara.

Brigantia: Britain. Goddess of pastures and rivers. Associated with Imbolc.

Morgan: Britian (Also Ireland and Wales); Crone aspect of the triple Goddess. Goddess of War, magick, fate and death.. She was also doubled with The Lady of the Lake. Associtaed with ravens,crows,shapeshifting, magick,prophecy,wisdom,war,peace and night. It is Morgan who taught Merlin his magick Patroness of priestesses and witches.
Morgan Le Fay: Welsh. Death Goddess. Glamorgan in Wales is her sacred terrotory.
Morgan and Morgan le Fay are the same. MlF is who she became when the Arthurian Legends were being committed to paper.~~Mairwen

Gods:

Camulos - Britian, (Also Gaul). War God

Gwynn ap Nudd: (gwin-ap-neeth) God and Protector of the Underworld. Mairwen

Herne The Hunter: Britain. The dark lord. God of the hunt, wild animals, and forests. Associated with the Gods, Cernunnos and Gwynn ap Nudd.

Math Mathonwy: Britian (Also Wales). God of magick,sorcery and enchantment.

Sucellus: (Soo-kell-oas When you think of Sucellos, picture The Grim Reaper. He is said to be so beautiful that to look at his face would be to fall in love with death and be forever lost to life. His name means, "The Good Striker", he who strikes to good effect. He is partnered with Nantosvelta, and is the twin-brother (dark half) of the Dagda.~~Mairwen
Britain. Father God , a sky God. God of authority,success,protection and strength.

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Celtic Deities:

Goddess:

Brigid: Celtic; Warrior Goddess and Protectress and Preserver. Brigid is also a Triple Goddess. She is strong and wise. Call on her to help protect your children in a tough situation. Invocation to Brigid.

Norns: Celtic; the three sisters of the Wyrd. Responsible for weaving fate- past, present and future.

Gods:

Cernunnos: (Ker-nun-oas) Celtic; Horned God and consort of the Lady. God of Nature. Also called Herne The Hunter. He represents the darker aspects of nature.

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Egyptian Deities:

Goddess:

Bast: Egyptian; Goddess of Protection and Cats. Bast is great for vehicle travel as well as walking down a dark alley. Call on her essence in the form of a giant panther to see you through to your destination.

Hathor: Egyptian; Protectress of Women in Business. A Hathor's Mirror is very important for the Witch. Hathor was cunning as well as beautiful. Maiden Goddess

Hecate: Egyptian; Moon Goddess as in Crone or Dark Mother.

Isis: Egyptian; represents the Complete Goddess or the Triple Goddess. Invocation to Isis.

Maat: Egyptian; Goddess of Justice and Divine Order. Maat is the true balance of any situation. She plays no favorites and will dispense justice to all parties involved. Be sure your own slate is clean in the situation before you call her.

Nephtys: Egyptian; Goddess of Surprises, Sisters and Midwives.

Nuit: Egyptian; Sky Mother. Often seen depicted in circular fashion cradling the stars.

Gods:

Anubis: Egyptian; guardian of Isis. Jackal-Headed God of Protection. Call on hem to protect both home and person.

Bes: Benevolent God of Childbirth

Horus: Egyptian; Head of a Falcon and body of a man. God of the all-seeing eye and healing. Horus is Osiris's son, and a very powerful god, he is the avenger of Osiris and the uniter of Upper and Lower Egypt. ~~Tigerwallah

Osiris: Egyptian; counterpart of Isis. Over-all God form including vegetation and after-life.

Ptah: Egyptian; Expert craftsman and designer. God of creative enterprise with the hands.

Set: is the dark god, the one who is looks like no known animal, he is brother to Isis, Osiris, and Nephtyes, husband of Nephtyes. He killed Osiris out of jealousy.~~Tigerwallah

Thoth: Egyptian; God of Reincarnation. Also a Moon God and favorable to science and wisdom.

Male and Female:

The Aten: is the single deity of Akhenaten that is both male and female and is represented by a sun disk with arms and hands extending as rays. Ra was the sun god, as well, but the Aten was the only god worshipped under monotheism ~~Tigerwallah

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Gaul Deities:

Goddess:

Badbh: (Bave or Babe) Gaul. In Gaul known as Cauth Bodva. War Goddess. Part of the triple Goddess aspect with Anu and Macha. Associated with cauldrons, ravens, life and wisdom.

Blodwin/ Blanchflor: Gaul (also Wales). Goddess of the earth in bloom. Associated with flowers,owls and ceremonies. Goddess of initiation ceremonies.

Gods:

Camulos - Gaul (Also Britain) War God

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Greek Deities:

Goddess:

Aphrodite: Greek; Goddess of passionate, sexual love. Aphrodite will assist you in pulling loving energy towards yourself.

Artemis: Greek; Goddess of the Moon.

Astarte: Greek; Fertility Goddess. Whether you wish to bear children or have a magnificent garden, Astarte will assist in your desire.

Athena: Greek; Warrior Goddess and Protectress. Someone giving you a rough time at work? Call on Athena to help you.

Demeter: Greek; Earth Mother archetype. Excellent Goddess where birthing or small children are involved.

Dryads: Greek; feminine spirits of the trees.

Hera: Greek; Goddess of Marriage. If handfasting or some type of commitment is the issue, Hera is the Goddess to seek. Just remember that she has a vindictive side.

Hestia: Greek; Goddess of Home and Hearth. Building a house, remodeling, or apartment hunting. Safety in the home and family unit.

Muses: Greek; Goddess of Inspiration who vary in number depending upon the pantheon used.

Persephone: Greek; Goddess of the Underworld as well as Harvest. Daughter of Demeter.

Selene: Greek; Goddess of the Moon and Solutions. Appeal to Selene to bring a logical answer to any problem.

Hymen: Greek; God of Marriage and Commitment. His counterpart is Dionysus.

Gods:

Adonis: Greek; consort of Aphrodite. Also another name for "Lord." In Phoenician his counterpart is Astarte. A vegetation God. Roman counterpart is Venus.

Apollo: Greek (Also Roman); twin brother of Artemis. God of the Sun, Light and the Arts.

Eros: Greek; God of Romance and Passionate Love.

Pan: Greek; God of Nature and the Woods, Laughter and Passion. Also music and personal abandon. Invocation to Pan.

Poseidon: Greek; God of the Sea. His familiars are dolphins and horses.

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Hebrew Deities:

Goddess:

Lilith: Hebrew; Adam's first wife and said to be turned into a demoness; however, you may change your mind. In Silver RavenWolf's opinion, Lilith was a Star Woman bred with Adam. This would make her a Goddess of Higher Intelligence or a representation of the Star People. Associated with sexuality and the dark side.

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Hindu Deities:

Goddess:

Kali: Hindu; Creative/Destructive Goddess. Protectress of abused women. Kali-Ma should be called if a woman is in fear of physical danger. Her power is truly awesome.

Gods:

Shiva: Hindu; consort of Kali. God of the universal cycle of birth-death-rebirth. Shiva can be both kind and terrible.

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Ireland Deities:

Goddess:

Aine: (On-yuh) Ireland. Moon Goddess and patroness of crops and cattle. Associated with the Summer Solstice.

Anu/ Dana/Dana-Ana: Ireland. Mother Goddess, Greatest of all Goddesses. Goddess of plenty.

Badbh: (Bave or Babe) Name translates to "hooded or hoodie crow", the scald crow in Ireland. Also, Badb Catha ~ crow or raven of battle. Badb was one of The Furies.~~Mairwen

Caillech Bhéirre: (colly-berry) Irish Goddess, counterpart of Caillech Beine Bric/Scota. Associated with Munster.

Macha: (Mahshah) One of the triad of the Morrigan. Macha may once have been a goddess associated with the land.~~Mairwen Ireland. Mother of life and death. A war Goddess. Associated with ravens and crows. Dominates males with sexual cunning and force. She was honored at Lughnassadh. Lughnassad was created by Lugh to honor his foster-mother, Tailltiu (tell-shah). "Nassad" literally means "wedding feast", and is also to honor Lugh's marriage to Rosemerta, according to Welsh myth.~~Mairwen

Morgan: Ireland (Also Wales and Britain); Crone aspect of the triple Goddess. Goddess of War, magick, fate and death.. She was also doubled with The Lady of the Lake. Associtaed with ravens,crows,shapeshifting, magick,prophecy,wisdom,war,peace and night. It is Morgan who taught Merlin his magick Patroness of priestesses and witches.
Morgan Le Fay: Welsh. Death Goddess. Glamorgan in Wales is her sacred terrotory.
Morgan and Morgan le Fay are the same. MlF is who she became when the Arthurian Legends were being committed to paper.~~Mairwen

Morrigan, Macha and Badb: Triple Goddess. (sometimes Nemain, with the "collective" being called the Morrigan). ~~Mairwen

Gods:

Bel/Bile: Ireland. Sun and fire God. Associated with fire,sun, purification,success,crops,fertility and cattle. Seen in the festival of Beltane.

Belenus:


Lugh: Ireland (Also Wales). Sun and War God. Connected with the festival of Lughnassadh, a harvest festival. Associated with ravens. and a white stag.

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Italian Deities:

Goddess:

Aradia: Italian: Queen of the Witches, daughter of Diana. Aradia is an extremely powerful entity and a protectress of Witches in general.

Gods:

Lucifer: Italian: Soulmate and Brother of Diana. Father of Aradia. God of the Sun and Light.

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Persian Deities:

Gods:

Mithra: Persian; Sun God and bringer of Light. A soldier's God.

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Roman Deities:

Goddess:

Ceres: Roman; Goddess of the Harvest.

Diana: Roman; Moon Goddess and Goddess of the Hunt. Diana is many faceted. She is a seductress (as she enchanted her brother Lucifer to beget Aradia in the form of a cat) as well as a mother figure for Witches. Invocation to Diana.

Flora: Roman; Goddess of Spring and Birth. For beautiful flowers, babies, and all bounties of Earth Mother.

Fortuna: Roman; Goddess of Fate.

Venus: Roman; Goddess of Love and Romance.

Vesta: Roman; Goddess of Fire.

Gods:

Apollo: Roman (Also Greek); twin brother of Artemis. God of the Sun, Light and the Arts.

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Scandinavian Deities:

Goddess:

Freya: (Frey-a) Scandinavian; Other common spellings are Freyja or Freja~~Vinga. Also commander of the Valkyries.

Valkyries: (Sacandinavian pronunciation is Val-ky-ri-er with the y pronounced like in Freya but in English it'd be Val-ky-ries ~~Vinga Scandinavian; women warriors (not Goddesses) who carried the souls of men slain in battle to heaven.

Gods

Frey: The patron God of the farmers/God of fertility and harvest is Frey (twinbrother of Freya)~~ Vinga

Odin/Oden: (O-din, O-den) Scandinavian; counterpart of Frigga. This is the God who hung on the Tree of Yggdrasil to obtain second sight. His familiars are the Raven and the Wolf. He is depicted as a terrible God, in his old age as a God of Wisdom and psychic sight. He is the giver of Runes. Odin is the All-Father, the 'leader' of the Gods, Freya is very popular today but she is not Odins counterpart in that aspect. It's said that when warriors die on the battlefields Freya and Odin split their souls between them and Freya has first pick. I know his familiar is the Raven (Hugin and Munin), but I don't know where the wolf comes in. The legend of him hanging on Yggdrasil is also a lot more complicated than just 'to obtain second sight.~~Vinga

Thor: (Thor, Tor) Thor: "Thunder," son of Odin and Earth. The most beloved god of the Viking Age, perhaps seen as the chief god at that time, and often known now as "god of the common man," Thor is best-known for his ceaseless battle against the giants. He is not a bloody-minded reaver, however, but a warder who protects the folk of Midgard and Asgard against the menacing beings who would destroy the world; unlike Odin, he never involves himself in the battles of men, but the gods often seem to rely wholly on his protection There are historic evidence that point to him as once being the 'All-Father' instead of Oden. He isn't exactly a gentle quiet guy, like mentioned he is the God of Thunder and also the Jotun (giant) slayer, the warrior God etc.~~Vinga

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Scotland Deities:
Scotland used to be called "Alba" according to some texts, "Albion" in others. When the Romans built the Antonine Wall in AD 138, Scotland was home to the Caledonii or Picts. Scotland takes its name from the Irish invaders who migrated in large numbers to Argyll; the three kingdoms which formed were eventually merged and called Scotland.~~Mairwen

Goddess:

Caillech Beine Bric/ Scota: Means "the old woman of the speckled mountain". She is a counter-part of the Caillech Bhéirre. These are Irish Goddesses.~~Mairwen Scotland. Destroyer Goddess of the Underworld. The name for Scotland comes from her( original name was Caledonia)

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Sumerian Deities:

Goddess:

Inanna: Sumerian; Goddess representation of the Mother.

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Wales Deities:

Goddess:

Aer: Wales. Goddess of war and revenge. Goddess of the River Dee.

Aerfen: translates to "renowned in battle" and is a minor river goddess in early Wales ~ and yes, her name is linked to the River Dee. Aeron is a god of battle or slaughter in early Wales, but her name is derived from Agrona.~~Mairwen

Arianrhod: Is the daughter of Dôn and Beli. Caused her island home of Caer Arianrhod to sink when she used the tools inside the Chest of Spells.~~Mairwen Welsh; Goddess of the stars and reincarnation. Call on Arianrhod to help with past life memories and difficulties as well as for contacting the Star People.

Blodwin/ Blanchflor: Wales (also Gaul). Goddess of the earth in bloom. Associated with flowers,owls and ceremonies. Goddess of initiation ceremonies.

Cerridwen: (Ker-id-win) Welsh; Moon and Harvest Goddess and Goddess of nature. Goddess of the Underworld and the cauldron of inspiration. To some Welsh Famtrads, she is the All Mother, She Who Has Nine Faces. Her name is a bastardization of "Cariadwen" ~ carry-add-win ~ She Who is Beloved (is one translation). ~~Mairwen

Morgan: Wales (Also Ireland and Britain); Crone aspect of the triple Goddess. Goddess of War, magick, fate and death.. She was also doubled with The Lady of the Lake. Associtaed with ravens,crows,shapeshifting, magick,prophecy,wisdom,war,peace and night. It is Morgan who taught Merlin his magick Patroness of priestesses and witches.
Morgan Le Fay: Welsh. Death Goddess. Glamorgan in Wales is her sacred terrotory.
Morgan and Morgan le Fay are the same. MlF is who she became when the Arthurian Legends were being committed to paper.~~Mairwen

Rhiannon: Wales. Goddess of birds and horses. She rides a white horse. Goddess of the Underworld.

Gods:

Amaethon: Wales. God of agriculture.

Bran: Wales. The giant. God of prophecy,the arts,leaders,war,music and writing. Associated with ravens.

Cernunnos: (Ker-nun-oas) Welsh All-Father, counterpart to Kerridwen according to some tribal myths and practices. ~~Mairwen

Kai: Wales. A fire and smithing God.


Lugh: Wales (Also Ireland). Sun and War God. Connected with the festival of Lughnassadh, a harvest festival. Associated with ravens. and a white stag.

Math Mathonwy: Wales (Also Britain). God of magick,sorcery and enchantment.

Owen ap Urien: Wales. God of wisdom, magick and war. Associated with Ravens.

------------------

Unsure of origin:

Goddess:
Blodeuwedd/Blodeuedd: (Blod-oo-weth) "The Flower-Faced One"

God:

Green Man: God of nature: The male spirit of nature, life and growth. The Green Man

[Mariposa De La Luna]

Woah! What a list. I had problems whith Hermione from Harry Potter so I don't think I can help much. Which BTW is pronounced her my on ee, I believe it comes from the name of one of Persephone's daughters.

[loopy]

HEE! I had trouble with Hermione as well. :D Think maybe that's why Rowling had that character in IV who couldn't pronounce her name? To clarify for us all? :D

[Mariposa De La Luna]

Deinitely, I loved that scene. I know she loved her character too much to have people mispronouning her name.

[loopy]

:D That scene was like this giant, great inside joke. Had me laughing for hours.

[amberlaine]

I thought that scne was funny too, but you nkow what bugged me about it? The guy had been watching her in the library or something right? When would he ever have seen her name written down to mispronounce it? HE would only have heard her name said--not seen it written. So that kinda bugged me. BUt otherwise, I was grinning--becuas I always called her Hermy own myself *blush*

[loopy]

I didn't think he mispronounced it because he'd seen it written. I thought that he did it because he was foreign/had an accent. Maybe I was reading it wrong though--it's been known to happen. :D

[Mairwen]

Aer: Wales. Goddess of war and revenge. Goddess of the River Dee.

Do you mean Aerfen or Aeron? I find a reference for "aer", but it means "to satirize". Aerfen translates to "renowned in battle" and is a minor river goddess in early Wales ~ and yes, her name is linked to the River Dee. Aeron is a god of battle or slaughter in early Wales, but her name is derived from Agrona.

Aine

Her name is pronounced "On-yuh".

Anu/ Dana/Dana-Ana: Ireland. Mother Goddess, Greatest of all Goddesses. Goddess of plenty.Maiden aspect of the triple Goddess, formed with Goddesses macha and Badb.

This is a common mistake that I see cropping up more and more. Where are people getting this information? It's Morrigan, Macha and Badb (sometimes Nemain, with the "collective" being called the Morrigan). Anu, D'Anu, Dana, etc and so forth have nothing to do with the Morrigan triad.

Arianrhod

Is the daughter of Dôn and Beli. Caused her island home of Caer Arianrhod to sink when she used the tools inside the Chest of Spells.

Badbh

Pronounced "Bave" according to some, but the most popular pronunciation is "Babe". Name translates to "hooded or hoodie crow", the scald crow in Ireland. Also, Badb Catha ~ crow or raven of battle. Badb was one of The Furies.

Blodwin/ Blanchflor

Who is this? The description reads as if it was meant for Blodeuwedd/Blodeuedd, "The Flower-Faced One". Her name is pronounced "Blod-oo-weth".

Caillech Beine Bric/ Scota

Means "the old woman of the speckled mountain". She is a counter-part of the Caillech Bhéirre. These are Irish Goddesses. She (Caillech Bhéirre (colly-berry) is associated with Munster. Scotland used to be called "Alba" according to some texts, "Albion" in others. When the Romans built the Antonine Wall in AD 138, Scotland was home to the Caledonii or Picts. Scotland takes its name from the Irish invaders who migrated in large numbers to Argyll; the three kingdoms which formed were eventually merged and called Scotland.

Cerridwen

Kerridwen isn't just a Goddess of the Underworld, or Crone. To some Welsh Famtrads, she is the All Mother, She Who Has Nine Faces. Her name is a bastardization of "Cariadwen" ~ carry-add-win ~ She Who is Beloved (is one translation). Her name is pronounced "Ker-id-win".

Macha

Pronounced "Mahshah". One of the triad of the Morrigan. Macha may once have been a goddess associated with the land.

Dominates males with sexual cunning and force.

Never heard this in reference to her. Do you have a source?

She was honored at Lughnassadh.

Lughnassad was created by Lugh to honor his foster-mother, Tailltiu (tell-shah). "Nassad" literally means "wedding feast", and is also to honor Lugh's marriage to Rosemerta, according to Welsh myth.

Morgan Le Fay

Morgan and Morgan le Fay are the same. MlF is who she became when the Arthurian Legends were being committed to paper.

Bel/Bile/Belenus[quote]

Bile and Belenus are not the same.

[quote]Cernunnos

Kernunnos/Cernunnos and Herne are not the same. His name is pronounced "Ker-nun-oas", and he is the Welsh All-Father, counterpart to Kerridwen according to some tribal myths and practices.

Gwynn ap Nudd.

gwin-ap-neeth. God and Protector of the Underworld.

Owen ap Urien: Wales. God of wisdom, magick and war. Associated with Ravens.

I have no reference for Owen ap Urien. Do you have a source?

Sucellus

"Soo-kell-oas". When you think of Sucellos, picture The Grim Reaper. He is said to be so beautiful that to look at his face would be to fall in love with death and be forever lost to life. His name means, "The Good Striker", he who strikes to good effect. He is partnered with Nantosvelta, and is the twin-brother (dark half) of the Dagda.

[loopy]

Thanks for all the pronounciations...as for the correctness of the information, I can't vouch for it--I've never heard of many of them, I just grabbed the large list from above-mentioned site. Figured it couldn't hurt. Thanks for the corrections as well. :)

[loopy]

Site person seems to have taken the God/dess descriptions directly from SRW To Ride a Silver Broomstick.


Well, that explains a lot. SRW is known to put her own spins on stuff ~ and a lot of her information is totally inaccurate.

[Mairwen]

OH NO! I did it again! Loopy, I'm sorry! I hit "edit" instead of "quote" when I answered your post! I'm soooo sorry!!! :(

[loopy]

:D Don't worry about it. :) It was a double post anyway. Hee. :) Moderating powers come back to bite ya in the butt, don't they? :D

[Vinga]

I'm not too educated when it comes to most of these deities, but I can tell you a lot of the info on the Scandinavian ones are wrong.

Freys: Scandinavian; Moon Goddess and wife/lover of Odin. Also commander of the Valkyries.

Her name is Freya. She is not the moon Goddess as in Norse mythology the moon is male and the sun is female. She is neither the wife of Oden/Odin, his wife's name is Frigg/a (not the same person as Freya). In one legend Freya and Oden are mentioned to have had an 'affair' but that's about the extent of it. Other common spellings are Freyja or Freja, and it's pronounced Frey-a (not fry-a).

Valkyries: Scandinavian; women warriors who carried the souls of men slain in battle to heaven.

The Valkyries/er are not really goddesses, they are a mythological being (kind of like the muses) but other than that the info is correct. This is trickier with the pronounciation as there isn't really a similar sound in the English language. Sacandinavian pronounciation is Val-ky-ri-er with the y pronounced like in Freya but in English it'd be Val-ky-ries.

Odin: Scandinavian; counterpart of Freya. This is the God who hung on the Tree of Yggdrasil to obtain second sight. His familiars are the Raven and the Wolf. He is depicted as a terrible God, in his old age as a God of Wisdom and psychic sight. He is the giver of Runes.

Odin is the All-Father, the 'leader' of the Gods, Freya is very popular today but she is not Odins counterpart in that aspect. It's said that when warriors die on the battlefields Freya and Odin split their souls between them and Freya has first pick. I know his familiar is the Raven (Hugin and Munin), but I don't know where the wolf comes in. The legend of him hanging on Yggdrasil is also a lot more complicated than just 'to obtain second sight. Pronounced O-den or O-din

Thor: Scandinavian; God of the Sky and Thunder. A kindly God of the common people, including farmers and sailors.

The patron God of the farmers/God of fertility and harvest is Frey (twinbrother of Freya) although Thor/Tor was and is a very popular God. There are historic evidence that point to him as once being the 'All-Father' instead of Oden. He isn't exactly a gentle quiet guy, like mentioned he is the God of Thunder and also the Jotun (giant) slayer, the warrior God etc. Pronounced either Thor or Tor.

[loopy]

Thanks Vinga. :) Question--Is Freya still commander of the Valkyries? Also, is Thor still thought to be "A kindly God of the common people, including farmers and sailors." even if he's not the patron God of them?

Ooh, I'd like to expand this to include the most accurate and multiple depictions of the deities as possible, according to posters here. And after that, I'll go look through my books to add more... this could be so much fun! I have my own ways of fun. :D I guess I should separate them by origin? (Egyptian, Scandinavian, etc.)

[Vinga]

Yes Freya is the commander of the Valkyries and Thor, well I don't know if 'kindly' is the right word but he was (and is) one of the most popular deities by the common people according to archeological findings in Scandinavia.

http://thetroth.org/gods/index.htm has an extensive list of the Scandinavian deities and other mythological creatures and their characteristics. It says about Thor:

"Thor: "Thunder," son of Odin and Earth. The most beloved god of the Viking Age, perhaps seen as the chief god at that time, and often known now as "god of the common man," Thor is best-known for his ceaseless battle against the giants. He is not a bloody-minded reaver, however, but a warder who protects the folk of Midgard and Asgard against the menacing beings who would destroy the world; unlike Odin, he never involves himself in the battles of men, but the gods often seem to rely wholly on his protection"

I definitely recommend a visit to that site, It explains far better than I can :).

[Tigerwallah]

Their are many many hindu goddesses such as Pavarti, the wife of Shiva, Sarasvati (sp?),and Durga and there are many more important gods such as Vishnu and Krishna who are both equal in power to Shiva, and Ganesh, the son of Shiva, god of new beginnings and remover of obstacles and Hanuman, monkey god
http://www.vedamsbooks.com/no12781.htm

In Egyptian, I think it is important to note that Hathor is the Maiden goddess. Bes is a benevolent god of childbirth. Horus is Osiris's son, and a very powerful god, he is the avenger of Osiris and the uniter of Upper and Lower Egypt. Set is the dark god, the one who is looks like no known animal, he is brother to Isis, Osiris, and Nephtyes, husband of Nephtyes. He killed Osiris out of jealousy. The Aten is the single deity of Akhenaten that is both male and female and is represented by a sun disk with arms and hands extending as rays. Ra was the sun god, as well, but the Aten was the only god worshipped under monotheism (lasted for 17 years)

[Theres]

Hecate: Egyptian; Moon Goddess as in Crone or Dark Mother.

hmmmm... this list is not burdened by accuracy, i see. interesting.

[argento_occhi]

<<Thoth: Egyptian; God of Reincarnation. Also a Moon God and favorable to science and wisdom.>>

i didn't think the Egyptians believed in reincarnation! Djehuti is cheif scribe of the Gods, creator of hieroglyphs, and THE creator God in the myths from Hermopolis Magna, God of writing, the Divine Physician, god of science, alchemy, etc. he's sometimes compared to the Greek's Hermes, hense the city Hermopolis magna, but I find Djehuti to be so much more than Hermes. Just my opinion there.

[Faeawyn]

Ahem....where is Gaia?? :(

[mucgwyrt]

The Valkyries/er are not really goddesses, they are a mythological being (kind of like the muses) but other than that the info is correct. This is trickier with the pronounciation as there isn't really a similar sound in the English language. Sacandinavian pronounciation is Val-ky-ri-er with the y pronounced like in Freya but in English it'd be Val-ky-ries.


In English, they are the "Wælcyrge" :smile:


Odin is the All-Father, the 'leader' of the Gods, Freya is very popular today but she is not Odins counterpart in that aspect. It's said that when warriors die on the battlefields Freya and Odin split their souls between them and Freya has first pick. I know his familiar is the Raven (Hugin and Munin), but I don't know where the wolf comes in. The legend of him hanging on Yggdrasil is also a lot more complicated than just 'to obtain second sight. Pronounced O-den or O-din


It was my understanding that each god has a hall of their own (similar to valhalla) and that each man goes to a different one; the hall of the god they served.

[mucgwyrt]

Kernunnos/Cernunnos and Herne are not the same. His name is pronounced "Ker-nun-oas", and he is the Welsh All-Father, counterpart to Kerridwen according to some tribal myths and practices.


Yes, they are. Herne is the Anglo-Saxon name for the British God "Cernunnous".

edit: this is a link to a post I wrote on "Ing" (the anglo-saxon name for Freyr):
http://www.mysticwicks.com/showpost.php?p=1013490&postcount=4

[seraphx]

hi there. interesting list. sidenote on the norns : they were a part of Scandinavian mythology not Celtic. They are compared to the three fates of other mythologies. The norns are also known as the weird sisters from the Teutonic wyrd meaning "fate". Urth, Verthandi, and Skuld were their names sometimes translated as Fate, Being, and Necessity. They were depicted as the weavers and or writers of fate. Urth or Urd was mother earth, representing fate and the word of creation. Skuld was the death-norn. The three lived in the cave at the source of the Fountain of Life, Urdarbrunnr, the cosmic womb under the root of the World Tree.

[Nantonos]

Yes, they are. Herne is the Anglo-Saxon name for the British God "Cernunnous".

Naughty Macha.

I assert that they are not the same, on the grounds of entirely different historical periods, geographical distribution, attributes. And btw Cernunnos is not British, he is Gaulish. How many Cernunnos statues are there in Britain?

If you want to assert that Cernunnos, the first century Gaulish Celtic deity, and Herne a (?/10th 12th?) century Anglo-Saxon Germanic figure (possibly a deity) are the same, please provide supporting arguments with references.

:reading: :reading: :reading:

[Nantonos]

edited to fix a quoting problem

*I'll be editing this as the pronunciations and corrections are contributed. :) *

An admirable task. Here are my contributions towards that.

General point - some of the divisions overlap. For example. British and Gaulish and Welsh and scottish and Irish are all subsets of 'Celtic' so its probably best to remove the 'Celtic' section and put each deity in the more specific category.


This started as a guide to pronunciation at my request, but I'd also like to expand to include the most accurate definitions of the deities according to posters, as there seem to be many corrections needed to the original list, found here: http://www.geocities.com/lavenderwater37/list.htm#goddesses (Many of whose definitions seem to stem from SRW's To Ride a Silver Broomstick.)

A well known and very inaccurate author. Making a corrected list (and stating clearly that its a corrected version of the SRW list) is a public service to the community.


British Deities:

A sentence or two about each grouping might be helpful. Here is a suggested one for 'British':

British refers to the deities of the Celtic speaking land Britain, from the Iron Age through the Roman conquest and the immediately post-Roman period (300 bce to 500 ce). For later periods, see Welsh and Scottish. The language of Britain was similar to, and perhaps the same as, Gaulish.

Goddess:

Andraste: Britain. A war and nature Goddess. Associated with the hare And Ostara.

Ostara, being a later Saxon concept, is anachronistic. However, mentioning the link with Boudicca would be historically correct. If a link is being made to the festival Ostara (ie, the spring equinox), that should be treated as SRW-specific unless someone can provide some evidence.

Brigantia: Britain. Goddess of pastures and rivers. Associated with Imbolc.

Brigantia was specifically the deity of the brigantes, a Celtic people living in northern Britain. The link to Imbolc (an Irish mediaeval festival name) is tenuous, and probably relies on an identification of Brigantia with Brigid.

Morgan: Britian (Also Ireland and Wales); Crone aspect of the triple Goddess. Goddess of War, magick, fate and death.. She was also doubled with The Lady of the Lake. Associtaed with ravens,crows,shapeshifting, magick,prophecy,wisdom,war,peace and night. It is Morgan who taught Merlin his magick Patroness of priestesses and witches.

The concept of a maid, mother, crone aspect is a 20th century invention of the poet Robert Graves, later adopted into Wicca. It has no historical basis.

Gods:

Camulos - Britian, (Also Gaul). War God

Also historically associated with Mars (there are dedications to Mars camulos).


Herne The Hunter: Britain. The dark lord. God of the hunt, wild animals, and forests. Associated with the Gods, Cernunnos and Gwynn ap Nudd.

This one is problematic, as Herne is Saxon and thus falls outside the historical period and the linguistic group of Britain. I suggest moving to a Saxon section.

Math Mathonwy: Britian (Also Wales). God of magick,sorcery and enchantment.

I hadn't heard of that one before, interesting.

Sucellus: (Soo-kell-oas When you think of Sucellos, picture The Grim Reaper. He is said to be so beautiful that to look at his face would be to fall in love with death and be forever lost to life. His name means, "The Good Striker", he who strikes to good effect. He is partnered with Nantosvelta, and is the twin-brother (dark half) of the Dagda.~~Mairwen
Britain. Father God , a sky God. God of authority,success,protection and strength.

Sucellus is Gaulish, not British. I don't see any particular link with the grim reaper, and question where this information about 'to look at his face' came from. Was this in the SRW book?

Mairwen, where did the info about being the half brother of the Dagda come from?

The information about being partnered with Nantosuelta i(a Gaulish goddess) s correct.


Celtic Deities:

I suggest removing this section, which is too general.

Goddess:

Brigid: Celtic; Warrior Goddess and Protectress and Preserver. Brigid is also a Triple Goddess. She is strong and wise. Call on her to help protect your children in a tough situation. Invocation to Brigid.

Suggest moving this to an Irish section.

Norns: Celtic; the three sisters of the Wyrd. Responsible for weaving fate- past, present and future.

This is inaccurate, the Norns are Germanic not Celtic.

Gods:

Cernunnos: (Ker-nun-oas) Celtic; Horned God and consort of the Lady. God of Nature. Also called Herne The Hunter. He represents the darker aspects of nature.

Cernunnos is Gaulish. 'Horned God and consort of the Lady' is pure 20th century Wicca and is not historically accurate. Cerninnos does not, particularly, represent the darker aspects of nature whatever that means. he represents abundance and growth, and the wel lbeing of animals both domesticated and wild.

Hecate: Egyptian; Moon Goddess as in Crone or Dark Mother.

It was already pointed out that Hecate is not, by a long way, Egyptian :) Hecate is Greek.


Gaul Deities:

That would be Gaulish deities (deities from Gaul). Here is a suggested introductory sentence:

Gaulish refers to the deities of the Celtic speaking lands of Gaul (now modern France, Belgium, western Switzerland, and western parts of Germany), from the Iron Age through the Roman conquest up to the start of the Germanic migration period (400 bce to 300 ce).

Goddess:

Badbh: (Bave or Babe) Gaul. In Gaul known as Cauth Bodva. War Goddess. Part of the triple Goddess aspect with Anu and Macha. Associated with cauldrons, ravens, life and wisdom.

Almost all of this is incorrect.Babdh, as can be seen by the spelling, id not Gaulish; she is Irish. Cauth Bodova is not a Gaulish name either, but might be Welsh? The triple goddess stuuff, as noted before, is wrong. I see there is already a corrected entry in the Irish section, so suggest deleting this one.

Blodwin/ Blanchflor: Gaul (also Wales). Goddess of the earth in bloom. Associated with flowers,owls and ceremonies. Goddess of initiation ceremonies.

I believe it was already pointed out that this deity is not Gaulish either, and seems to be a misspelling of the Welsh goddess Bloedwedd.

Gods:

Camulos - Gaul (Also Britain) War God

I need to check whether Camulos was also attested in Gaul.


Ireland Deities:

That should be Irish deities. Here is a suggested intro, but others more familiar than myself with Irish studies wil probably want to correct it:

Irish deities refers to deities from Ireland in the early mediaeval period, 500 to 900 ce. Most of the information is taken from later Christian sources,although it is believed to be derived from earlier spoken traditions.


Macha: (Mahshah) One of the triad of the Morrigan. Macha may once have been a goddess associated with the land.~~Mairwen Ireland. Mother of life and death. A war Goddess. Associated with ravens and crows. Dominates males with sexual cunning and force. She was honored at Lughnassadh. Lughnassad was created by Lugh to honor his foster-mother, Tailltiu (tell-shah). "Nassad" literally means "wedding feast", and is also to honor Lugh's marriage to Rosemerta, according to Welsh myth.~~Mairwen

Mairwen, do you have a source for the marriage to Rosmerta? I find this odd as Macha is Irish, Rosmerta is Gaulish, and you cite a Welsh source. i would like to hear more about this.



Scotland Deities:
Scotland used to be called "Alba" according to some texts, "Albion" in others.
Scotland used to be called Alba. It used to be callled Caledonia before that.

When the Romans built the Antonine Wall in AD 138, Scotland was home to the Caledonii or Picts. Scotland takes its name from the Irish invaders who migrated in large numbers to Argyll; the three kingdoms which formed were eventually merged and called Scotland.~~Mairwen

This is correct and useful material.


Wales Deities:

That should be Welsh deities. Here is a suggested intro:

Wales is the Saxon name for those westerly parts of Britain where British continued to be spoken, evolving into the Welsh language. It originally refered to both modern Wales and to modern Coronwall. (?/ not sure of a good date range for welsh mythology, can anyone suggest one??)


Blodwin/ Blanchflor: Wales (also Gaul). Goddess of the earth in bloom. Associated with flowers,owls and ceremonies. Goddess of initiation ceremonies.

That looks like a SRW misspelling of Bloedwedd.

Cerridwen: (Ker-id-win) Welsh; Moon and Harvest Goddess and Goddess of nature. Goddess of the Underworld and the cauldron of inspiration. To some Welsh Famtrads, she is the All Mother, She Who Has Nine Faces. Her name is a bastardization of "Cariadwen" ~ carry-add-win ~ She Who is Beloved (is one translation). ~~Mairwen

Note that in Welsh, "w" is a vowel and sounds like "oo" so the pronumciation is not correct. Its more Ker-id-oo-en.

Rhiannon: Wales. Goddess of birds and horses. She rides a white horse. Goddess of the Underworld.

Yes.

Cernunnos: (Ker-nun-oas) Welsh All-Father, counterpart to Kerridwen according to some tribal myths and practices. ~~Mairwen

Mairwen, i would be interested to hear where you got this information about Cernunnos in Wales.


Unsure of origin:

Goddess:
Blodeuwedd/Blodeuedd: (Blod-oo-weth) "The Flower-Faced One"

Welsh.

God:

Green Man: God of nature: The male spirit of nature, life and growth. The Green Man[/quote]

Mediaeval European. English, but also seen in France. Not clear if this is a deity or some other type of spirit.

Well, I hope that was helpful. I only commented on the sections I am familiar with, leaving others to comment on Egyptian etc. Sorry its a bit long ....

[Raivynne]

I just have a couple of things, based on several things I've read.

Macha can also be pronounced- MAAX-ah or Moh-(c)ha rhymes with "lough"
Nemain is pronounced - Nevain or NIM-awn or NIM-vahn
Morrigan- More-ee-awn (thee are lots of others for this, can't remember them though)
Badb is- Bayv or Bibe or Bive or Beev

[AterCorax]

Hecate: Egyptian; Moon Goddess as in Crone or Dark Mother.

This alone should let you know that you are not the person to be doing this. :ggrief:

-Ater

[mucgwyrt]

Naughty Macha.

I assert that they are not the same, on the grounds of entirely different historical periods, geographical distribution, attributes. And btw Cernunnos is not British, he is Gaulish. How many Cernunnos statues are there in Britain?

If you want to assert that Cernunnos, the first century Gaulish Celtic deity, and Herne a (?/10th 12th?) century Anglo-Saxon Germanic figure (possibly a deity) are the same, please provide supporting arguments with references.

:reading: :reading: :reading:

Poo, I dont know where I read it. It wasn't long ago though *thunks harrrrd :bangyourh * could have been a fluffy-site though :whatgives

In Cerne Abbas there is that big chalk figure dated to the "iron age" or "early AD" - isn't that Celtic? (not my strong point)
I know it doesn't have antlers but honestly; in a placed called "cerne" how could it not be Cernunnous>Cerne>Herne? :huh:
The abbey was "founded there in 987" - meaning "cerne abbas" in an anglo-saxon name - "the abbey at Cerne", implying Cerne was already an established name... :huh: )

I'm rambling now, so I'll stop :tongueout

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

Caillech Bhéirre: (colly-berry) Irish Goddess, counterpart of Caillech Beine Bric/Scota. Associated with Munster

Caillech Beine Bric/ Scota: Means "the old woman of the speckled mountain". She is a counter-part of the Caillech Bhéirre. These are Irish Goddesses.~~Mairwen Scotland. Destroyer Goddess of the Underworld. The name for Scotland comes from her( original name was Caledonia)

This information is not exactly what I would call correct. For starters you spelled Cailleach wrong and the pronunciation given doesn't even begin to approach the actual pronunciation. Cailleach is pronounced kal-yuhk. The name Caledonia definitely did not derive from Cailleach, it was derived from the name of one of the tribes that inhabited the region, the Caledonii. As for Beine Bric, her name was more commonly followed by Bheur and together it meant either hag or old woman of winter/storms.

Strangely enough, even though the Gaelic Scots were originally descended from the Irish The Cailleach was first worshipped in Scotland and her worship later transported to Ireland. Which may suggest that she was not originally a Gaelic deity and possibly she was originally worshipped by the Picts or the Brythonic Caledonii and other tribes in the region.

[Phi]

Sumerian (sorry don't know Sumerian pronunciations...)
Innanna: mother goddess
Moon deity : Sin (somehow I find this interesting...)
Origin/Goddess of the Deep: Nammu
(there are others, but I can't find my link right now)

Lillith also found in Sumerian
(although I read one author who disagrees with all the others on this, basically saying that the ancient Sumerian is only similar, and the ancient Sumerian spirit in a tree with a serpent in its roots and a bird (similar in all respects to the phoenix) in it's branches, whose name is almost the same as Lillith is not the same.

I heartily disagree with that author, because of the obvious similarities in the ancient stories:

Tree (with fruit that gives life/death/knowledge) in garden of Eden (Hebrew) =
Tree (with bird of all life/death/life knowledge) in garden of Innana (Sumerian)

Speaking Serpent in tree (Hebrew) = Wise serpent in tree roots (Sumerian)

Lillith in YVHVs garden(Ancient Rabbinical creation)= Lillith in Innanna's garden (in a tree)

YVHV doesn't want Lillith anymore = Innana doesn't want Lillith anymore

Anybody here know the Hebrew letters for Eden & the Sumerian ones for Innanna?
It would be interesting if they were similar.
[Inkadinkadoo...:)]

[Theres]

Lillith in YVHVs garden(Ancient Rabbinical creation)= Lillith in Innanna's garden (in a tree)

does this relate to 'Belili' at all?

[Romani Vixen]

Everyone else has been discussing accuracy... but Brigid (or Brigit) is pronounced Breed. A slight rolling of the 'r'. Irish Goddess of Justice, healing, and inspiration (specifically with writing...).

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

You've got a good point, I actually meant to point that out, but when I looked for it last night didn't find her name. But I do I want to also add that usually her three faces/areas are smithcrafting, healing and inspiration. Can't say that I've heard much about her being involved with Justice.

[Nantonos]

You've got a good point, I actually meant to point that out, but when I looked for it last night didn't find her name. But I do I want to also add that usually her three faces/areas are smithcrafting, healing and inspiration. Can't say that I've heard much about her being involved with Justice.

So what are the sources of our information?

Is it all from hagiography of St Brigid of Kildare? Or do some of the reconstructed attributes of this goddess come from an assumed identification with, or development from, Brigantia?

[RubyRose]

Blodwin/ Blanchflor: Gaul (also Wales). Goddess of the earth in bloom. Associated with flowers,owls and ceremonies. Goddess of initiation ceremonies.


In my research into this particular deity, I have noted the following:

*information taken from my own BoS, which has been compiled using numerous sources*

Blodeuwedd : aka Blodwin, Blancheflor (blod-oo-eeth) (Welsh)
The Maiden form of the Triple Goddess. Goddess of the earth in bloom, flowers, wisdom, lunar mysteries, and initiations.

Goddess:
Blodeuwedd/Blodeuedd: (Blod-oo-weth) "The Flower-Faced One"


I've always understood Blodeuwedd is the same deity as Blodwin/Blanchflor that they are one and the same. Not two separate entities.

taken from: pantheon.org

Blodeuwedd
Blodeuwedd was created out of flowers by Gwydion to wed Llew Llaw Gyffes. She betrayed Llew, either because she had no soul, being non-human, or because she resented being his chattel, or because the triplet of one woman and two men must play itself out in Welsh myth, and Llew Llaw Gyffes must die. At any rate, she fell in love with Goronwy and, wishing to be rid of Llew, she tricked out of him the clearly supernatural and ritual manner in which only he could be killed: neither by day nor night, indoors nor out of doors, riding nor walking, clothed nor naked, nor by any weapon lawfully made. She asked him to explain this, and he did: he could be killed only if it were twilight, wrapped in a fish net, with one foot on a cauldron and the other on a goat, and if the weapon had been forged during sacred hours when such work was forbidden. Blodeuwedd convinced him to demonstrate how impossible such a position was to achieve by chance, and when he was in it, het lover Goronwy leapt out and struck. Llew was transformed into an eagle and eventually restored to human form, after which he killed Goronwy. Blodeuwedd was transformed into an owl, to haunt the night in loneliness and sorrow, shunned by all other birds.

taken from: Witches Way - Celtic Deities (http://www.witchesway.net/links/goddesses/celtic.html)

Blodeuwedd
Blodeuwedd - Wales; goddess of flowers, lunar mysteries, wisdom. Known as the Ninefold Goddess of the Western Isles of Paradise and Flower-Face, goddess was created by Math and Gwydion as a wife for the god Lleu. Her symbols were the owl and the moon. Variants: Blodwin, Blancheflor.

There's plenty more sites, that spit out the same, if not similar information, stating that Blodwin or Blodeuwedd are one in the same.

Google search results (http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=goddess+blodwin&btnG=Search&meta=)

Bendithion,
RubyRose

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

How about I give you sources and all that fun stuff when I'm not at work. I'll go through my research at home and get back to you on Brigid Nantonos.

Furthermore, I was doing some reading and came across a little blurb on the Cerne Giant that might help figure out that little discussion. He is a chalk outline in Cerne Abbas, Dorset and about fifty-five metres high (180 feet). It looks fairly primative and depicts a man/giant with a rather large phallus and armed with a club. The two most common explinations given are that he is meant to be a depiction of Lugh or possibly Hercules (which I don't think is highly likely). I want to add though that it might have even been meant to depict the Dagda, as some scholars see him as a older, more primative version of Lugh. But, as far as I've come across none of the scholars actually believe he is Cernunnos or Herne as Macha suggested.

[Nantonos]

How about I give you sources and all that fun stuff when I'm not at work.

That would be fine. i was pleasantly surprised to discover that today is Bastille day in France and thus a public holiday, so i am mrelaxing and floating about instead of working ...

I'll go through my research at home and get back to you on Brigid Nantonos.

Thanks! :cheers:

Furthermore, I was doing some reading and came across a little blurb on the Cerne Giant that might help figure out that little discussion. He is a chalk outline in Cerne Abbas, Dorset and about fifty-five metres high (180 feet). It looks fairly primative and depicts a man/giant with a rather large phallus and armed with a club.

Yes, I am familiar with the figure, though I have never visited.

The two most common explinations given are that he is meant to be a depiction of Lugh or possibly Hercules (which I don't think is highly likely).

Since he holds a club, anyone who has done classical training and has a poor grasp of other cultures (eg, the ones living in the area at the time) will misidentify as Hercules.

I want to add though that it might have even been meant to depict the Dagda, as some scholars see him as a older, more primative version of Lugh.

A common preoccupation of Irish scholars is to look to Britain and Gaul for older prototypes to prop up their mediaeval material. Although, in this as in other fields, its better to approach the evidence saying 'what can this teach us' rather than 'this is what we want to discover. find some supporting evidence'.

But, as far as I've come across none of the scholars actually believe he is Cernunnos or Herne as Macha suggested.

The place name evidence is suggestive, I admit. I would want to know how the name of the place has changed over the years, what is it called in the Doomsday book for example.

The later association of Cernunnos with large erect phallus (not found in any original sculptures, but probably derived from the Eliphas Levi depiction of Baphomet, from the more luriid explorations of 'Witches Sabbat' witch-trial stuff, and now glibly accepted by 20th century Wicca and a firm part of most modern depictions) might also have prompted the identification of the Cerne Abbas giant with Cernunnos.

[Phi]

does this relate to 'Belili' at all?
I think it does. See
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Belili

[FaerieDragonfly]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=Plum][B] Interestingly enough, last year during our Lughnasadh ritual we went on a guided meditation. In this guided meditation the name of our Goddess/God was to be enscribed on the arched doorway leading into a pasture full of wheat. Aine was written on the archway, I saw it clearly, however I also heard her and her pronounciation was ay-awn-nee. Now, that doesn't even sound like the spelling. But a wounderful Druid friend told me that we do not really know what all the sounds and languages were in the ancient times. We go with what is told us by the Goddess/God who speaks to us I think.