Encyclopedia of Gods: Over 2,500 Deities of the World - Hardcover

Jordan, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0816029091 ISBN 13: 9780816029099

Publisher: Facts on File, 1993

Synopsis

Since the beginning of time, the same mysteries have puzzled people on every continent; the same fears have beset them. They have attempted to explain the mysteries and allay the fears in the same way - through the worship of gods. Deities have been identified with the human psyche for at least 60,000 years. Encyclopedia of Gods offers concise information on more than 2,500 of these deities, from the most ancient gods of polytheistic societies - Hittite, Sumerian, Mesopotamian - to the most contemporary gods of the major monotheistic religions - Allah, God, Yahweh. Among the cultures included are African peoples, Albanian, Pre-Islamic Arabian, Aztec, Babylonian, Buddhist, Canaanite, Celtic, Egyptian, Native American, Etruscan, Germanic, Greek, Roman, Hindu, Persian, Polynesian, and Shinto. The Encyclopedia includes not only the most significant gods of each culture but minor deities as well. Here you will find information not only on Zeus, Thor and Astarte but also on Tozi, the Aztec goddess of healing, Annamurti, the Hindu patron deity of the kitchen, and Nyakaya, the Shilluk crocodile goddess. Each entry provides details on what culture worshiped the god, the role of the god, and the characteristics and symbols used in identification. In the case of the more important personalities, references in art and literature and known dates of worship are also provided. Indexes by civilization and role of the god enable the researcher to compare gods across cultures or to find information on specific topics of interest. Encyclopedia of Gods will be indispensable to students and researchers in religions, anthropology, history and archaeology. It will also provide endless information for thereader interested in mythology and legend.

About this title

Book Description:

An A-Z guide to more than 2500 gods, both the famous and the obscure. The references span the world, from Siberia to South America, and each entry describes the relevant cult, the role of the god or goddess, and any characteristics or symbols which help in identification.

About the Author:

Michael Jordan is best known as a television journalist, but he has a lifelong passion for anthropology and the study of gods, witches and magic. His previous books for Kyle Cathie are Myths of the World and Witches: an encyclopedia of Paganism and magic. He is also the author of Gods of the Earth, a study of the Mother Goddess, and Mary, a controversial biography of the Virgin Mary.

About this edition

• Publisher: Facts on File
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0816029091
• ISBN 13: 9780816029099
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 337