Knowledge deity

A statue of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom

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

List of knowledge deities

Australian Aboriginal mythology

• Jar'Edo Wens, deity associated with earthly knowledge and physical might

Celtic mythology

• Ogma, a figure from Irish and Scottish mythology, said to have invented the Ogham alphabet

Chinese mythology

• Erlang Shen, god possessing a truth-seeing third eye in the centre of his forehead

Egyptian mythology

• Neith, early Egyptian goddess sometimes associated with wisdom
• Thoth, god of wisdom and scribe of the gods, credited with the invention of writing and the alphabet
• Saa, the deification of wisdom
• Seshat, goddess of wisdom, knowledge and writing

Etruscan mythology

• Menrva, goddess of wisdom

Greek mythology

• Athena, goddess of wisdom
• Coeus, Titan god of intellect
• Eidyia, an Oceanid sometimes associated with knowledge
• Metis, goddess of wisdom, wise counsel and cunning
• Prometheus, god of forethought
• Apollo, god of knowledge

Hindu mythology

Ganesha, the Hindu god of knowledge and wisdom

• Saraswati, goddess of knowledge and all literary arts including music, literature and speech
• Ganesha, god of intellect and wisdom

Hittite mythology

• A'as, god of wisdom

Japanese mythology

• Fukurokuju, god of wisdom and longevity
• Kuebiko, scarecrow god of wisdom and agriculture
• Omoikane, Shinto goddess of wisdom and intelligence

Mesopotamian mythology

• Al-Kutbay, Nabataean, god of knowledge, commerce, writing, and prophecy
• Enki, god of intelligence, as well as crafts, mischief, water and creation
• Nabu, Babylonian god of wisdom and writing
• Nidaba, Sumerian goddess of writing, learning, and the harvest

Norse mythology

• Odin, the ruler of Asgard who sacrificed his eye and hung for nine days from the world tree Yggdrasil in order to gain the wisdom of the ages
• Mímir, a god renowned for his knowledge and wisdom; Odin is advised by his decapitated head
• Snotra, goddess associated with wisdom
• Vör, goddess associated with wisdom

Persian mythology

• Anahita, goddess of 'the Waters' (Aban) - fertility, healing and wisdom

Polynesian mythology

• Anulap, god of magic and knowledge

Roman mythology

• Egeria, water nymph who gives wisdom and prophecy in return for libations of water or milk at her sacred grove
• Fabulinus, the god who taught children speech
• Minerva, goddess of wisdom and the Roman equivalent of Athena
• Providentia, goddess of forethought