A Collection of Ancient Gods of Death and the Underworld
Death is ever enticing – a luring beacon that finally consumes us all. It’s the inevitable fate of every living creature. Death even takes entire civilizations (Rome and Maya for example). It is the destination we all reach. The finish line for all of us is rot, decay, and a return to dirt.
Yet most modern Western cultures have become quite adept at ignoring or avoiding any discussion about death. Ever try to bring death up at a cocktail party? There won’t be many takers.
The enormity of our mortality has spawned centuries of mythology around death. Most cultures from Greeks to the Aztecs have developed narratives and destinations for the lost souls – and the immortal caretakers who will greet us there.
Western civilization has given us Christianity – where we are guided to heaven’s door by angels and even saints. There, of course, we’ll find lots of bright golden light, fluffy clouds, and the throne of God and Jesus. We also have concocted the dreaded Grim Reaper, a scathe-welding figure in a dark cowl that visits us on our deathbeds.DaRK PaRTY has collected some of the more interesting Gods of Death that ancient civilizations have bestowed upon us. When you come to the end of the line perhaps you’ll be greeted by one of them.
Hades
Origin: Greek Mythology
Title: God of the Underworld
Also Known As: The Unseen One, The Rich One, The Silent One (the Romans later adopted Hades, but renamed him as Pluto)Symbols: Helm of Darkness (which makes him invisible)Known Associates: Parents Cronuss and Rhea, brothers Zeus and Poseidon, sisters Demeter, Hestia, and Hera. Married to Persephone. Pet: Cerberus, the three-headed dog
Residence: The underworld, also known as Hades. A foggy, gloomy abode for the dead
Description: Despite being feared by mortals (priests averted their eyes when making sacrifices of black sheep to him), Hades was a rather passive ruler with a goal of maintaining a strict division between the living and the dead. He forbade the dead from leaving his kingdom and would become enraged if they tried to escape. His personality was rather dark and melancholy and he was not very popular among his peers. He spent most of his time in Hades ensconced on his ebony throne rather than cavorting with his fellow gods on Mount Olympus
Influence Today: Hell is often referred to as Hades in Christian mythology
Dis Pater
Origin: Celtic Mythology
Title: God of the Underworld
Also Known As: Dis, Father of RichesSymbols: Precious gems
Known Associates: Aerucra, the Celtic earth goddess, was his consort
Residence: The underworld
Description: Little is known about Dis Pater, but it is believed that he was once a god of wealth, but eventually became associated with death because gems and precious metals were found in the earth. When the Celts and the Gauls were defeated by the Romans and integrated into Roman culture, Dis Pater morphed into Pluto, the Roman god of deathInfluence Today: A Russian goth rock metal band is called Dis Pater and the Dispater also appears as a deity in fantasy role-playing game Advanced Dungeons & DragonsMictlantecuhtli
Origin: Aztec Mythology
Title: God of the Dead and King of Mictlan (the lowest level of the Aztec underworld)
Also Known As: Lord of Mictlan
Symbols: A blood-splattered skeleton, a toothy skull, spiders, owls, bats
Known Associates: His wife Mictecacihuatl and bats, owls, and spidersResidence: A windowless castle on the 9th and lowest level of the Aztec underworld
Description: The most powerful of several Aztec gods and goddess of death. Priest who worshipped him sometime ate human flesh. He is most often presented as a blood-soaked skeleton, but to Aztecs the skeleton was a symbol of fertility and abundanceInfluence Today: The Aztec gods are mostly forgotten, but there was a comic dedicated to Mictlantecutli and a heavy metal band from L.A. bears his nameMorrigan
Origin: Irish Mythology
Title: Phantom Queen, Great Queen
Also Known As: Morrigu, Morrighan, Mor-Rioghain
Symbols: A crow, especially those crows that eat the dead after a battle. Also depicted as an eel, wolf, and a cow
Known Associates: Badb, the goddess of war, and Macha, a goddess of sovereignty
Residence: The Irish countryside
Description: She is often depicted a goddess associated with the violent death of warriors – sometimes interchangeable with her sisters Babd and Macha. She appears as a crow and various animals, but can also appears as an old hag
Influence Today: Another forgotten old god, but a German black metal band bears her name and she appears as a character in the video game series Capcom
Anubis
Origin: Egyptian Mythology
Title: God of the UnderworldAlso Known As: He who is upon his mountain, He who is in the place of embalming, Guardian of the Veil Symbols: The color black, the flail, nine bows, and jackals
Known Associates: Son of Set, the Evil One, and married to Nephthys (also his sister)
Residence: The Realm of the Dead
Description: Most often portrayed as a black man with the head of a jackal and carrying a flail. Anubis is associated with rotting bodies and scavengers that ate the flesh of the dead. He was also associated with the embalming of mummies. He was in charge of admission to the Egyptian Realm of the Dead. Later, Anubis was downgraded to a minor god (losing out to the more popular Osiris)
Influence Today: Anubis is often portrayed in comics and video games. He’s also been a character of fantasy TV shows such as BeastMaster and Stargate. Anubis also appears in Neil Gaiman’s novel “American Gods”
Hel
Origin: Norse/Finnish Mythology
Title: Goddess of Hel
Also Known As: N/A
Symbols: She carries a dish called “Hunger” and a dagger called “Famine.”Known Associates: Daughter of Loki. Her serving maid is GanglotResidence: Enormous estates called the “Halls of Hel” in a section of Niflheim (the mist world)
Description: She appears as a woman with half her skin black and the other half white. She is a gloomy, frowning woman. She is often associated with those who die from sickness or old age
Influence Today: Hel is a god in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, but remains nearly forgotten
Yama
Origin: Chinese Mythology
Title: Lord of Death
Also Known As: Yamaraja, Yanluowang or Yan
Symbols: N/A
Known Associates: His father Surya and his twin sister Yami. His commander is Lord Shiva, the Destroyer
Residence: The world of the dead and Hell
Description: Yama is portrayed with green or red skin and usually riding a water buffalo. He uses a rope to pull the souls of the dead from their bodies. He is considered the first mortal who died and then become the god and guardian of the underworld
Influence Today: N/A
Veles
Origin: Slavic MythologyTitle: God of the Underworld
Also Known As: Cryrillic and Volos
Symbols: Associated with dragons and cattle.
Known Associates: Enemy of the thunder god Perun
Residence: Slavs considered the world a giant tree. The branches were heaven and the roots the underworld. Veles, in the form of a serpent, lived coiled around the roots in underground caves and passages. Here he ruled over the dead.
Description: Often depicted as a snake or a dragon with the horns of a ram and having a long beard. He often sent heralds to the land of the living. He was worshipped at the beginning of winter when Slavs thought the border between life and death faded
Influence Today: N/A
Baron SamediOrigin: Voodoo Mythology
Title: Loa of the Dead
Also Known As: Baron Samdi, Bawon Samedi or Baron Saturday
Symbols: Phallic symbols
Known Associates: His wife is Maman Brigitte
Residence: At the crossroads of where dead spirits journey to Guinee, the land of the dead
Description: Depicted with a white top hat and wearing a black tuxedo. He wears dark glasses over his white, skull-like face. He is fond of disruption, obscenity, debauchery, and his known to enjoy rum and tobacco
Influence Today: He was a villain in the James Bond film “Live and Let Die.” A British rapper goes by the same name and he’s been featured as a character in Marvel Comics as a villain of Doctor Strange.
Leinth
Origin: Etruscan Mythology (northern Italy)
Title: Goddess of Death
Also Known As: Old Age, Old Woman, and She Who Stops
Symbols: N/A
Known Associates: Laran, god of war, Selvens, civil god, and Turan, the goddess of love
Residence: At the gates of death where she led the dead souls into the Underworld
Description: A woman with a veiled face. She is thought to be very gloomy and depressing
Influence Today: N/A
Orcus
Origin: Gaul Mythology (later Roman)
Title: God the Underworld and Punisher of Broken Oaths
Also Known As: Later transformed into/associated with Pluto, Hades, and Dis Pater
Symbols: N/A
Known Associates: He is associated with demons, monsters, and giants
Residence: Lived in the land of the dead
Description: A gnarled, hairy giant with a beard (may have been a Cyclops). He was considered a punishing and evil god
Influence Today: Orcus appears in several role-playing games as a demon prince and god of the undead, including Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, NetHack, and Empire of the East. He has appeared in comic strips as well.
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Labels: Ancient gods, death
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