List of thunder gods
Polytheistic peoples of many cultures have postulated a thunder god, the personification or source of the forces of thunder and lightning; a lightning god does not have a typical depiction, and will vary based on the culture. In Indo-European cultures, the thunder god is frequently known as the chief or king of the gods, e.g. Indra in Hinduism, Zeus in Greek mythology, and Perun in ancient Slavic religion; or a close relation thereof, e.g. Thor, son of Odin, in Norse mythology. This is also true of Shango in Yoruba religion and in the syncretic religions of the African Diaspora, such as Santería (Cuba, Puerto Rico, United States and Candomblé (Brazil).
In Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields, or the Elysian Plains, the final resting places of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous, evolved from a designation of a place or person struck by lightning, enelysion, enelysios.[1] This could be a reference to Zeus, the god of lightning/Jupiter, so "lightning-struck" could be saying that the person was blessed (struck) by Zeus (/lightning/fortune). Egyptologist Jan Assmann has also suggested that Greek Elysion may have instead been derived from the Egyptian term ialu (older iaru), meaning "reeds," with specific reference to the "Reed fields" (Egyptian: sekhet iaru / ialu), a paradisiacal land of plenty where the dead hoped to spend eternity.[2]
List of thunder gods
Ancient Near East
- Teshub (Hurrian mythology)
- Adad, Bel, Ishkur, Marduk (Babylonian-Assyrian mythology)
- Baʿal, Hadad (Canaanite & Phoenician mythology)
- Set (Egyptian mythology)
Eurasia
- Tarhunt (Hittite/Luwia mythology)
- Zeus (Greek Mythology)
- Astrape and Bronte (Greek mythology)
- Brontes (Greek mythology)
- Jupiter, Summanus (Roman mythology)
- Taranis (Pan-Celtic); Ambisagrus, Loucetios (Gaulish mythology)
- Þunraz (Germanic mythology; Anglo-Saxon Þunor, German Donar, Norse Þórr, North Germanic Tor, Thor)
- Perun (Slavic mythology)
- Perkūnas (Baltic mythology)
- Perëndi (Albanian mythology)
- Gebeleizis (Dacian mythology)
- Zibelthiurdos (Thracian mythology)
- Ukko or Perkele (Finnish mythology)
- Tharapita or Taara (Estonian mythology)
- Horagalles (Sami mythology)
- Aplu (Etruscan mythology)
- Atämshkai (Moksha mythology)
- Afi Abkhaz Mythology
East Asia
- Wen Zhong (Lei Zu, Ascendant of Thunder) (Chinese mythology)
- Feng Lung (Lei Gong, Lord of Thunder) (Chinese mythology)
- Dian Mu, the Goddess of Lightning (Chinese mythology)
Thunder Emperors of the Five Regions
- Hu Fengya, God of Thunder of the East (Chinese mythology)
- Bing Jiulu, God of Thunder of the South (Chinese mythology)
- Rong Yaoling, God of Thunder of the West (Chinese mythology)
- Lu Xingmeng, God of Thunder of the North (Chinese mythology)
- Sun Zhener, God of Thunder of the Center (Chinese mythology)
Thunder Kings of the Five Regions
- Yan Fu, Thunder King of the East (Chinese mythology)
- Zhuo Bin, Thunder King of the South (Chinese mythology)
- Gao Hui, Thunder King of the West (Chinese mythology)
- Wu Xi, Thunder King of the North (Chinese mythology)
- Zhao Jian, Thunder King of the Center (Chinese mythology)
Marshals of Thunder
- Deng Zhong (Chinese mythology)
- Tian Hua (Chinese mythology)
- Liu Hou (Chinese mythology)
- Xin Xing (Chinese mythology)
- Pang Qiao (Chinese mythology)
Thunder Generals of the Five Regions
- Wu Chong, Thunder General of the East (Chinese mythology)
- Wang Jian, Thunder General of the South (Chinese mythology)
- Meng Zhang, Thunder General of the West (Chinese mythology)
- Sun Heng, Thunder General of the North (Chinese mythology)
- Guo Zhen, Thunder General of the Center (Chinese mythology)
Twelve Lords of Heaven’s Thunder
- 1. Shénxiāo Leigong
- 2. Wǔfāng Leigong
- 3. Hángyǔ Leigong
- 4. Háng fēng Leigong
- 5. Hángyún Leigong
- 6. Bùzé Leigong
- 7. Hángxuě Leigong
- 8. Hángbīng Leigong
- 9. Fēishā Leigong
- 10. Shísuì Leigong
- 11. Tūnguǐ Leigong
- 12. Fúmó Leigong
Twelve Lords of Earth’s Thunder
- 1. Shǎngshàn Leigong
- 2. Fáě Leigong
- 3. Shèlíng Leigong
- 4. Fādào Leigong
- 5. Sìxù Leigong
- 6. Quèzāi Leigong
- 7. Shōudú Leigong
- 8. Jiùbìng Leigong
- 9. Fúwēi Leigong
- 10. Tàishēng Leigong
- 11. Xúntiān Leigong
- 12. Chádì Leigong
Twelve Lords of Man’s Thunder
- 1. Shōuwēn Leigong
- 2. Shèdú Leigong
- 3. Chúhài Leigong
- 4. Quèhuò Leigong
- 5. Fēngshān Leigong
- 6. Pòcháo Leigong
- 7. Dáguǐ Leigong
- 8. Fúhǔ Leigong
- 9. Pòzhàng Leigong
- 10. Mièshī Leigong
- 11. Dàngguài Leigong
- 12. Guǎnpò Leigong
Thirty Five Lords of Thunder
- 1. Wǔdi Leigong
- 2. Yīnyáng Leigong
- 3. Sìlíng Leigong
- 4. Liùjiǎ Leigong
- 5. Pīléi Leigong
- 6. Fāshuǐ Leigong
- 7. Bāfēng Leigong
- 8. Shíyǔ Leigong
- 9. Liùdào Leigong
- 10. Zhìdiàn Leigong
- 11. Xīngfēng Leigong
- 12. Hángyǔ Leigong
- 13. Wǔyuè Leigong
- 14. Sìlì Leigong
- 15. Bājié Leigong
- 16. Liùhóu Leigong
- 17. Dàchuān Leigong
- 18. Xīgǔ Leigong
- 19. Jiānghé Leigong
- 20. Sìhǎi Leigong
- 21. Mínggǔ Leigong
- 22. Hōnglún Leigong
- 23. Huǒchē Leigong
- 24. Huǒlún Leigong
- 25. Yíshān Leigong
- 26. Zǒushí Leigong
- 27. Xīngyún Leigong
- 28. Sǎyǔ Leigong
- 29. Hángyún Leigong
- 30. Bùshuāng Leigong
- 31. Dáwēn Leigong
- 32. Qūxié Leigong
- 33. Guāngmíng Leigong
- 34. Hēiàn Leigong
- 35. Pòmiào Leigong
- 36. Huǒyìn Leigong
Thirty Six Gods of Thunder
- 1. Yùshū Leishen
- 2. Yùfǔ Leishen
- 3. Yùzhù Leishen
- 4. Shǎngqīng Dàdòng Leishen
- 5. Huǒlún Leishen
- 6. Guàndǒu Leishen
- 7. Fēnghuǒ Leishen
- 8. Fēijié Leishen
- 9. Běijí Leishen
- 10. Zǐwēi Xuánshū Leishen
- 11. Shénxiāo Leishen
- 12. Xiāndū Leishen
- 13. Dàyǐ Hōngtiān Leishen
- 14. Zǐfǔ Leishen
- 15. Tiějiǎ Leishen
- 16. Shàoyáng Leishen
- 17. Yùhuǒ Leishen
- 18. Shèlíngmán Leishen
- 19. Dezhīmíng Leishen
- 20. Sānjiè Leishen
- 21. Zhǎnkuàng Leishen
- 22. Dàwēi Leishen
- 23. Dàbō Leishen
- 24. Qīngcǎo Leishen
- 25. Bāguà Leishen
- 26. Hùnyuán Yīngquǎn Leishen
- 27. Xiàomìngfēng Leishen
- 28. Huǒyún Leishen
- 29. Yǔbù Dàtǒngshè Leishen
- 30. Tàijí Leishen
- 31. Nèijiàn Leishen
- 32. Wàijiàn Leishen
- 33. Shénfǔ Tiānshū Leishen
- 34. Dàfàn Dòushū Leishen
- 35. Yùchén Leishen
- Indra, Parjanya (Hindu mythology)
- Ajisukitakahikone, Raijin (Raiden-sama, Kaminari-sama), Tenjin (kami) (Japanese mythology)
- Susanoo (Japanese mythology)
Americas
- Thunderbird (Iroquois and Huron mythology)
- Aktzin (Totonac mythology)
- Haokah (Lakota mythology)
- Xolotl and Tlaloc (Aztec mythology)
- Cocijo (Zapotec mythology)
- Chaac (Maya mythology)
- Yopaat (Maya mythology)
- Chibchacum (Muisca mythology)
- Apocatequil (Incan mythology)
- Tupã (Guaraní mythology)
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Oya (goddess of hurricanes, consort of Shango in Yoruba religion)
- Azaka-Tonnerre (West African Vodun/Haitian Vodou)
- Mulungu
- Xevioso (alternately: Xewioso, Heviosso. Thunder god of the So region)
- Amadioha (Igbo, Nigeria)
- Àlamei (So region)
Oceania
- Polynesian mythology
- Haikili (Polynesian mythology)
- Tāwhaki (Polynesian mythology)
- Kaha'i (Polynesian mythology)
- Te Uira (Polynesian mythology)
- Nan Sapwe (Pohnpeian mythology)
Australia
- Mamaragan (Aboriginal mythology)
New Zealand
Literature
- H. Munro Chadwick, The Oak and the Thunder-God, Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (1900).
Music
- Gene Simmons of KISS's title song is "God of Thunder", regarding his "Demon" onstage persona.
- Rick Allen of Def Leppard was first referred to as the "Thunder God" by Joe Elliott, the lead singer, during the first concert of the Hysteria World Tour.
Video games
- Raiden (Mortal Kombat)
- Orlanth (King of Dragon Pass)
- Raijin (Smite)
- Chaac (Smite)
- Zeus (Smite)
- Thor (Smite)
- Susano (Smite)
See also
References
- ^ Walter Burkert, Greek Religion, 1985. p. 198.
- ^ Assmann, Jan (2001). Death and Salvation in Ancient Egypt. Cornell University Press. p. 392
