List of knowledge deities


A knowledge deity is a deity in mythology associated with knowledge, wisdom, or intelligence.

African mythology

Ancient Egyptian mythology

  • Neith, goddess sometimes associated with wisdom
  • Thoth, originally a moon deity, later became the god of knowledge and wisdom and the scribe of the gods
  • Sia, the deification of wisdom
  • Isis, goddess of wisdom, magic and kingship. She was said to be "more clever than a million gods".
  • Seshat, goddess of wisdom, knowledge, and writing. Scribe of the gods. Credited with the invention of writing and the alphabet. Later demoted to consort of Thoth.

Armenian mythology

  • Anahit, goddess of wisdom
  • Tir, the god of written language, schooling, rhetoric, wisdom, and the arts

Aztec mythology

Maya mythology

  • Itzamna, creator god, associated with knowledge, wisdom, writing and culture, patron god of learning and books.

Caribbean mythology

  • Papa Legba, loa of speech, communication, understanding, and guardian of crossroads

Celtic mythology

Chinese mythology

Christian mythology

  • The Holy Spirit is the person of the Triune Godhead who is tasked with guiding humans towards knowledge of righteous action. The Spirit's duties includes pointing non-believers towards knowledge of the Christian faith, and the faithful towards knowledge of right and just action and lifestyle.

Etruscan mythology

  • Menrva, goddess of wisdom, war, weaving, and medicine

Greek mythology

  • Apollo, god of oracles, knowledge, civilization, music, healing, education, and youth
  • Athena, Olympian goddess of wisdom, civilization, weaving, and war strategy
  • Coeus, Titan of the inquisitive mind, his name meaning "query" or "questioning". He is the grandfather of Apollo.
  • Hermes, a god of cunning
  • Metis, the Titan associated most closely with wisdom and the mother of Athena, whose name in Ancient Greek described a combination of wisdom and cunning.
  • Mnemosyne, Titan of memory, and one of the deities worshipped by the Cult of Asclepius in hopes that she would help supplicants remember visions
  • Phoebe, a goddess of intellect

Hindu mythology

Hittite mythology

Japanese mythology

Middle Eastern mythology

Muisca mythology

  • Bochica, messenger god of knowledge

Neoplatonism

  • Nous, the cosmic embodiment of knowledge and intellect.

Lakota mythology

  • Hnašká, Lakota frog spirit of pezuota
  • Hunúŋpa, Lakota bear spirit of wóksape, lesser spirit of knowledge
  • Iktómi, Lakota spider spirit of wóksape and trickery, greater knowledge spirit
  • Kssa, Oglala spirit of knowledge, sometimes considered Iktómi before being stripped of his title
  • Matȟó, Lakota mischievous healer spirit, taught the Lakota to fish
  • Ptesáŋwiŋ/White buffalo calf woman, Lakota prophetess, often conflated with Wohpe
  • Wiyóhiyaŋpa, Lakota wind spirit of the east, oversees new beginnings and knowledge
  • Whapiya/Wóhpe, Lakota spirit of knowledge, wishes, dreams, visions, prophecy and the wife of Okaga the south wind
  • Zuzéča, Lakota snake spirit of hidden knowledge and lies

Norse mythology

  • Mimir, god of wisdom
  • Gefjon, goddess associated with plowing, foreknowledge, and virginity.
  • Odin, god of wisdom who nevertheless relentlessly keeps searching for more knowledge; associated with the runes
  • Frigg, she is said to know the future, but never tells. The three following goddesses may be hypostases of her.
  • Sága, goddess of wisdom
  • Snotra, goddess associated with wisdom
  • Vör, goddess associated with wisdom
  • Numerous minor characters in Norse mythology are said to be very wise, though there's often no instance of them demonstrating this supposed wisdom:
  • *Dwarfs, particularly Alviss, whose name means "all-wise". Thor keeps him from marrying his daughter by challenging him to a wisdom contest that lasts all night. He's turned to stone by the rising sun.
  • *Elfs possibly
  • *Heimdallr
  • *Kvasir
  • *Tyr
  • *Utgard-Loki, while not outright stated to be wise, he's notable for being the only giant to be cleverer than the gods and getting to escape with his life
  • *Vafthrudnir, a wise jotunn Odin seeks out to challenge to a wisdom contest
  • *the Vanir in general

Iranian mythology

  • Anahita, goddess of wisdom
  • Ahura Mazda, Zoroastrian god of light, benevolence, creation, truth, and perfect wisdom
  • Chista, goddess of wisdom and knowledge, she leads the mortals to the right way in life and the afterlife; she is also the goddess of religion in Zoroastrian mythology.

Polynesian mythology

Roman mythology

Slavic mythology

  • Gamayun - symbol of knowledge and wisdom
  • Veles - Veles has been the most revered god in the Vedic pantheon of Slavic culture since ancient times. He is the patron saint of the interworld — both Light and Darkness are subject to him, he is also called Prophetic, Wise, because in the three worlds he manifests his power, he is the one who knows light and darkness, sets the energy of the world in motion, rotates the Universe, he is a permanent guardian on the border of the worlds, a spiritual mentor, he knows all the secrets of the universe.

Sumerian mythology

  • Geshtu-E, Minor god of intelligence who was sacrificed to bring forth humanity.

Turkic mythology

  • Mergen, deity of abundance and wisdom. Mergen symbolizes intelligence and thought.

Vietnamese mythology

  • Nữ thần nghề mộc, the goddess who taught mankind how to create everyday utensils.
  • Văn Xương, god of exams, he holds the honor and career of those who follow the academic path.

Yoruban mythology