List of death deities


The mythology or religion of most cultures incorporate a god of death or, more frequently, a divine being closely associated with death, an afterlife, or an underworld. They are often amongst the most powerful and important entities in a given tradition, reflecting the fact that death, like birth, is central to the human experience. In religions where a single god is the primary object of worship, the representation of death is usually that god's antagonist, and the struggle between the two is central to the folklore of the culture. In such dualistic models, the primary deity usually represents good, and the death god embodies evil. Similarly, death worship is used as a derogatory term to accuse certain groups of morally abhorrent practices which set no value on human life. In monotheistic religions, death is commonly personified by an angel or demon standing in opposition to the god.

Occurrence

In polytheistic religions which have a complex system of deities governing various natural phenomena and aspects of human life, it is common to have a deity who is assigned the function of presiding over death. This deity may actually take the life of humans or, more commonly, simply rule over the afterlife in that particular belief system. The deity in question may be good, evil, or neutral and simply doing their job, in sharp contrast to a lot of modern portrayals of death deities as all being inherently evil just because death is feared. Hades from Greek mythology is an especially common target. The inclusion of such a "departmental" deity of death in a religion's pantheon is not necessarily the same thing as the glorification of death.
A death deity has a good chance of being either male or female, unlike some functions that seem to steer towards one gender in particular, such as fertility and earth deities being female and storm deities being male. A single religion/mythology may have death gods of more than one gender existing at the same time and they may be envisioned as a married couple ruling over the afterlife together, as with the Aztecs, Greeks, and Romans.
In monotheistic religions, the one god governs both life and death. However, in practice this manifests in different rituals and traditions and varies according to a number of factors including geography, politics, traditions, and the influence of other religions.

Africa and the Middle East

Sub-Sahara Africa

Igbo

Yoruba

  • Èṣù, oriṣa of crossroads and trickery who controls the Ajogun, of which Iku is a member.
  • Iku, personification of death.
  • Ọya, oriṣa of storms and the dead.
  • Babalú-Ayé, oriṣa of disease and mortality.
  • Yewa, oriṣa of fertility, decay and cemeteries, guardian of the transition between life and death.

Akan

  • Owuo, Akan God of Death and Destruction, and the Personification of death. Name means death in the Akan language.
  • Asase Yaa, one half of an Akan Goddess of the barren places on Earth, Truth and is Mother of the Dead
  • Amokye, Psychopomp in Akan religion who fishes the souls of the dead from the river leading to Asamando, the Akan underworld
  • Nkrabea, The deity of destiny and fate, believed to influence human fortunes and life paths, as well as their deaths.

Afroasiatic Africa

Somali

  • Huur, a messenger of Death who had the form of a large bird similar to Horus of ancient Egypt.

Afroasiatic Middle East

Armenian

  • Spandaramet, an old Armenian goddess of death and the underworld

Canaanite

Egyptian

Mesopotamian

Western Eurasia

European

Albanian

Balto-Finnic

Balto-Slavic

Basque

  • Herio

Celtic

Germanic

  • Freyja, presides over Fólkvangr; chooses half of those who die in battle
  • Gefjon, a goddess who oversees those who die as virgins
  • Hel, goddess of the dead and ruler of the land of the same name, Hel,
  • Odin presides over Valhalla and gets half of those who die in battle; there they train for Ragnarök
  • Rán, the sea goddess who collects the drowned in her net

Etruscan

  • Aita, god of the underworld
  • Culga, a female underworld spirit
  • Februus, god of purification, death, the underworld, and riches
  • Mani, spirits of the dead
  • Mania, goddess of the dead
  • Mantus, god of the underworld
  • Orcus, god of the underworld
  • Tuchulcha, an underworld spirit
  • Vanth, winged spirit of the underworld

Greek

  • Achlys, goddess who symbolizes the mist of death. Goddess of poisons, personification of misery and sadness.
  • Apollo, god of diseases
  • Atropos, one of the moirai, who cut the thread of life.
  • Charon, a daimon who acted as ferryman of the dead.
  • Erebus, the primordial god of darkness, his mists encircled the underworld and filled the hollows of the earth
  • Erinyes, chthonic deities of vengeance
  • Hades, king of the underworld and god of the dead
  • Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, she helped Demeter in the search for Persephone and was allowed to live in the Underworld as her magic works best at night
  • Hermes, the messenger god who acted as psychopompos
  • Hypnos, personification of sleep, twin of Thanatos, his Roman counterpart is Somnus
  • Keres, goddesses of violent death, sisters of Thanatos
  • Lampades, torch-bearing underworld nymphs
  • Limos was the goddess of starvation in ancient Greek religion. She was opposed by Demeter, goddess of grain and the harvest with whom Ovid wrote Limos could never meet, and Plutus, the god of wealth and the bounty of rich harvests.
  • Persephone, queen of the underworld; wife of Hades and goddess of spring growth
  • Serapis, Graeco-Egyptian syncretistic deity, combining elements of Osiris, the Apis Bull, Hades, Demeter, and Dionysus. Also, patron of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Alexandria.
  • Tartarus, the darkest, deepest part of the underworld, often used for imprisoning enemies of the Olympians
  • Thanatos, personification of death, Roman counterpart is Mors
  • Gods of the seven rivers of the underworld:
  1. Acheron, god of the river Acheron
  2. Alpheus, god of the river Alpheus
  3. Cocytus, god of the river Cocytus
  4. Eridanos, god of the river Eridanos
  5. Lethe, goddess of the river Lethe
  6. Phlegethon, god of the river Phlegethon
  7. Styx, goddess of the river Styx, a river that formed a boundary between the living and the dead

Roman

  • Dea Tacita, goddess of the dead
  • Di inferi, ancient Roman deities associated with death and the Underworld
  • Dis Pater, god of the underworld
  • Laverna, goddess of thieves, cheats, and the underworld
  • Lemures, the malevolent dead
  • Libitina, goddess of funerals and burials
  • Manes, spirits of the dead
  • Mania, goddess of death
  • Mors, personification of death, Greek equivalent is Thanatos
  • Nenia Dea, goddess of funerals
  • Orcus, punisher of broken oaths; usually folded in with Pluto
  • Pluto, ruler of the Underworld
  • Proserpina, queen of the underworld
  • Soranus, underworld Sabine god adopted by the Romans
  • Viduus, god who separated the soul and body after death

Western Asia

Elamite

Persian-Zoroastrian

  • Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, the destructive spirit
  • Asto Vidatu or Astiwihad or Asto-widhatu, death deity
Ossetian
  • Aminon, gatekeeper of the underworld.
  • Barastyr, ruler of the underworld.
  • Ishtar-Deela, lord of the underworld in Nakh.

Uralic

  • Azyren
  • Kalma, Finnish goddess of death and decay, her name meaning "the stench of corpses"
  • Nga
  • Tuoni, with his wife and children.

Eastern Asia

Korean

  • Yeom-ra, or Great King Yeom-ra'

Chinese

[Image:Enma.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Yanluo Wang]Emperor of Youdu
Judges of the Ten Underworld Courts
The rest only have surnames including Li, Yu, Lu, Bi, Lu and Xue.
Four Kings of the Underworld
Ghost Kings of the Five Regions
  • Cai Yulei
  • Zhao He
  • Zhang Heng
  • Duzi Ren
  • Zhou Qi
Ghost Kings of the Five Regions
  • Shen Cha
  • Yang Yun
  • Yan Di
  • Ji Kang
  • Immortal Wang
Governors of Fengdu
  • Deng Ai
  • Ji Ming
Imperial Censor of Fengdu
  • Han Yi
  • Zeng Yuanshan
  • Jiao Zhongqing
  • Ma Zhong
  • Song Youqing
  • Guan Yu
  • Wu Lun
  • Tu Cha
Four Generals of the Direct Altar of Fengdu
  • Ma Sheng
  • Ma Chuanzhong
  • Chen Yuanbo
  • Guo Zhongyou
Eight Generals of the Inner Altar of Fengdu
  • Wei Tin, Ghost Capturing General
  • Liu Chu, Ghost Restraining General
  • Wang Jian, Ghost Flailing General
  • Meng E, Ghost Interrogating General
  • Che Zi, Guardian of the East Gate
  • Xia Dali, Guardian of the West Gate
  • Lie Weizhi, Guardian of the South Gate
  • Sang Tongguai, Guardian of the North Gate
Eight Generals of the Outer Altar of Fengdu
  • Zhang Yuanlian
  • Chen Yuanqing
  • Li Yuande
  • Fan YuanZhang
  • Du YuanZhen
  • Liu Yuanfu
  • Chang Yuan
  • Jia Taoyuan
Ten Masters of the Underworld
  • A Bang, Bull Head
  • Luo Cha, Horse Face
  • Xie Bi'an, Wondering God of the Day
  • Fan Wujiu, Wondering God of the Night
  • Hei Wuchang
  • Bai Wuchang
  • Huangfeng
  • Paowei
  • Yusai
  • Guaiwang
Four Strongmen of Fengdu
  • Zhang Yuanzhen, Taiyi Strongman
  • Hu Wenzhong, Tri-day Strongman
  • Sun Zhongwu, Demon-smiting Strongman
  • Tang Bocheng, Ghost-smiting Strongman
Two Agents of Fengdu
  • Xun Gongda, Great God of the Black Sky
  • Liu Guangzhong, Great God of the Black Fog
Wardens of the Nine Prison of Fengdu
  • Wang Yuanzhen
  • Zhen Yan
  • Yao Quan
  • Shi Tong
  • Zhou Sheng
  • Diao Xiao
  • Kong Sheng
  • Wu Yan
  • Wang Tong
Administers of the Six Paths of Rebirth of Fengdu
  • Cao Qing, Administer of the Path of Heaven
  • Tien Yan, Administer of the Path of Ghosts
  • Cui Cong, Administer of the Path of Earth
  • Ji Bie, Administer of the Path of Gods
  • Chen De, Administer of the Path of Hungry Ghosts
  • Gao Ren, Administer of the Path of Beasts
Judges of Fengdu
  • Cui
  • Wang Fu
  • Ban Jian
  • Zi He
  • Jia Yuan
  • Zhao Sheng
  • Zhang Qi
  • Yang Tong
  • Fu Po
  • Zhu Shun
  • Li Gong
  • Xue Zhong
  • Rong Zhen
  • Lu Zhongce
  • Chen Xun
  • Huang Shou
  • Zhou Bi
  • Bian Shen
  • Cheng De
  • Liu Bao
  • Dong Jie
  • Guo Yuan

Japanese

  • Izanami, when she died she became queen of the underworld, Yomi, and goddess of the dead.
  • Enma, god and ruler of the dead in Japanese Buddhism
  • Shinigami, god of death
  • Susanoo
  • Ōkuninushi, an alternate ruler of the underworld

North and Central Asian mythology

Oceanian mythology

South Asian mythology

Hindu

- the god of death & divine judge of afterlife
Chitragupta - Yama's record keeper, keeps account of the good & misdeeds of souls, on the basis of which the dead are judged.
Yamaduta - Spirits under control of Yama, who are responsible for bringing the dead souls into Yama's presence. However, from the anecdote of Satyavan & Savitri, it is shown that even Yama performs this role.
Kāla - the personification of time, also associated with death
Shiva - the god who is the destroyer of the world at the time of pralaya. As Kalantaka, he is also the conqueror of death. As Bhairava, he is strongly associated with death & destruction.
Kali - Shiva's spouse, strongly associated with death & destruction.
Chamunda - A related form of Kali, invoked for seeking death of enemies during wartime.

Tibetan Buddhist

, like all other Buddhist denominations, affirms the rejection of the existence of souls & existence of a creator God, while at the same time affirming in the existence of heaven and hell. The beings listed here aren't 'gods of death' in the traditional sense, they are rather beings that invoke a lot of funerary aspect with them.
Citipati - guardian spirits of charnel grounds
Dakini - Female spirits strongly associated with the imagery of death.
Heruka - Beings strongly associated with the imagery of death & charnel grounds
Wrathful deities - Meditational deities invoking the imagery of death.

Southeast Asian mythology

  • Batara Kala, god of the underworld in traditional Javanese and Balinese mythology, ruling over it in a cave along with Setesuyara. Batara Kala is also named the creator of light and the earth. He is also the god of time and destruction, who devours unlucky people. He is related to Hindu concept of Kāla. In mythology, he causes eclipses by trying to eat the Sun or the Moon.
  • Shingon (nat)
  • Thongalel
  • Pong Lalondong, god of death

Philippines

  • Tagbayan : divinities associated with death that feast on human souls that are guarded by two headed monsters called kikilan
  • Fulor : a wood carved into an image of a dead person seated on a death chair; an antique which a spirit in it, who bring sickness, death, and unsuccessful crops when sacrifices are not offered
  • Kabunyan : the almighty creator; also referred to as Agmattebew, the spirit who could not be seen; the mabaki ritual is held in the deity's honor during planting, harvesting, birth and death of the people, and other activities for livelihood
  • Binangewan : spirits who bring change, sickness, and death as punishment
  • Aring Sinukûan : sun god of war and death, taught the early inhabitants the industry of metallurgy, wood cutting, rice culture and even waging war
  • Lakandánup : serpent goddess who comes during total eclipses; followed by famine; eats a person's shadow, which will result in withering and death; daughter of Áring Sínukuan and Dápu
  • Sidapa : the goddess of death; co-ruler of the middleworld called Kamaritaan, together with Makaptan
  • Sidapa : god who lives in the sacred Mount Madia-as; determines the day of a person's death by marking every newborn's lifespan on a very tall tree on Madya-as
  • Hangin : the spirits of the death wind; takes the life of the elderly
  • Patag'aes : awaits until midnight then enters the house to have a conversation with the living infant; if he discovers someone is eavesdropping, he will choke the child to death; their conversation creates the fate of the child, on how long the child wants to live and how the child will eventually die, where the child will always get to choose the answers; once done, Patag'aes takes out his measuring stick, computes the child's life span, and then departs, sealing the child's fate
  • Pamulak Manobo : supreme deity who controls good harvest, rain, wind, life, and death; in some myths, the chief deity is simply referred as the male deity, Diwata
  • Malakal Maut : the angel of death; takes the souls of someone after three to seven days from the falling of the person's leaf from the sacred Sadiarathul Montaha tree in the realm called Sorga; appears either a handsome prince or a grotesque monsters, depending if the soul he is getting comes from a sinner or a virtuous person; punishes the souls of sinners until final judgment, while lifting up the souls of the good onto heaven
  • Kumakatok - hooded and cloaked harbingers of death that would knock on doors of the dying in Tagalog mythology
  • Magwayen - the goddess of afterlife and the first ocean deity, according to Visayan mythology. Known for being the goddess who collects souls and takes them to Sulad with her boat. The souls are initially transferred to her via Pandaki, who gets the soul from Sidapa.
  • Sitan - god and caretaker of the underworld realm for evil souls known as Kasamaan in Tagalog mythology. Maca, the realm of the good dead, is jointly ruled by Sitan and Bathala.
  • Manduyapit - bring souls across a red river in Manobo mythology
  • Mama Guayen - ferries souls to the end of the world in Ilonggo mythology
  • Badadum - deity in Waray mythology that gathers family members at the mouth of a river to make a farewell to the deceased

Vietnam

American mythology

Aztec

  • Cihuateteo, Divine women. Spirits of women who died during labor.
  • Coatlicue, minor goddess of death, as well as the goddess of life and rebirth
  • Itztlacoliuhqui, personification of winter-as-death
  • Mictecacihuatl, the chief death goddess; Queen of Mictlan or Lady of the Dead
  • Mictlantecuhtli, the chief death god; lord of the Underworld
  • Tlaloc, water god and minor death god; ruler of Tlalocan, a separate underworld for those who died from drowning
  • Xipe Totec, hero god, death god; inventor of warfare and master of plagues
  • Xolotl, god of sunset, fire, lightning, and death

Cahuilla

Guarani

Haida

Inca

Inuit

Latin American Folk Catholicism

  • Santa Muerte, folk saint and goddess of death in Mexico
  • San La Muerte, folk saint and god of death in Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil
  • San Pascualito, folk saint and god of death in Guatemala and Mexico

Maya

Narragansett

[Taíno]

Umbanda and Candomblé

  • Exu caveira
  • Exu Tranca-rua das almas

Haitian Vodou

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