Thunder god

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Polytheistic peoples of many cultures have postulated a thunder god, the personification or source of the seemingly magical forces of thunder and lightning. Frequently, the thunder god is known as the chief or king of the gods, for example Zeus in Greek mythology, or otherwise a close relation, for example Thor in Norse mythology, son of Odin.

List of thunder gods

Ancient Near East

• Teshub (Hurrian mythology)
• Adad, Ishkur, Marduk (Babylonian-Assyrian mythology)
• Hadad (Levantine mythology)

Eurasian

• Perkwunos (Indo-European mythology)
• Tarhunt (Hittite/Luwian mythology)
• Zeus, Brontes (Greek mythology)
• Jupiter, Summanus (Roman mythology)
• Indra, Parjanya (Hindu mythology)
• Taranis (Pan-Celtic); Ambisagrus, Leucetios, (Gaulish mythology)
• *Þunraz (Germanic mythology; Anglo-Saxon Þunor, German Donar, Norse Þórr); and Thor (Norse mythology)
• *Perkunos (Balto-Slavic; Lithuanian Perkūnas, Slavic Per(k)un )
• Perëndi (Albanian mythology)
• Gebeleizis (Dacian mythology)
• Zibelthiurdos (Thracian mythology)
• Ukko or Perkele (Finnish mythology)
• Horagalles (Sami mythology)
• Aplu (Etruscan mythology)

East Asia

• Lei Gong (Chinese mythology)
• Ajisukitakahikone, Raijin (Raiden-sama, Kaminari-sama), Tenjin (kami) (Japanese mythology)

Americas

• Thunderbird (Native American mythology)
• Xolotl (Aztec and Toltec mythology)
• Chaac (Maya mythology)
• Apocatequil (Incan mythology)
• Cocijo (Mexican mythology)
• Aktzin (Mexican mythology)
• Jasso (Mexican mythology)
• Haokah (Lakota mythology)
• Tupã (Guaraní mythology, Brazil)

Africa

• Shango (Yorùbá mythology)
• Oya (goddess of thunder, Yoruba mythology)
• Azaka-Tonnerre (Voodoo)
• Mulungu
• Xevioso (alternately: Xewioso, Heviosso. Thunder god of the So region)

South Pacific

• Haikili (Polynesian mythology)
• Tawhaki (Polynesian mythology)
• Kaha'i (Polynesian mythology)
• Uira (Polynesian mythology)

Contemporary popular culture

• Raiden originally from popular video game Mortal Kombat
• Blind Io in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.
• Ramuh from the popular Final Fantasy series.
• Enel from the popular One Piece series.
• Thor from Marvel Comics.

Literature

• H. Munro Chadwick, The Oak and the Thunder-God, Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (1900).

See also

• Thunderbolt
• Donar's Oak
• Sky deity

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Last updated on Saturday February 09, 2008 at 17:30:06 PST (GMT -0800)
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