In every religious belief of the ancient peoples there were deities who personified death. For some peoples, the god of death ruled the underworld of the dead, for others he accompanied the souls of the dead to another world, for others he came for the soul when a person died. However, all these creatures only controlled the dead, but did not affect the duration and duration of people's lives.
Like birth, death is an important part of human life. This is probably why the gods of death are present in religion and mythology and are shown as strong and omnipotent beings. Some nations even today worship their idols and perform all sorts of rituals and offerings in their honor. So, next we will talk about the most famous deities.
Hades
The main god of death in Greek mythology is Hades. He was considered an Olympian deity, the brother of the Thunderer Zeus himself. After the division of the world, the underworld, inhabited by the souls of the dead, departed to Hades. The gloomy world, into which the rays of the sun never penetrated, Hades called his name. According to mythology, the guide to the kingdom of the god of death was the old boatman Charon, who transported the souls of the dead across the Acheron River. And the gates of the underworld were guarded by the evil dog Cerberus with three heads. Moreover, he let in everyone who wished, but no one could get out.
According to myths and legends, the realm of the dead is a gloomy world full of desert fields with blooming wild tulips and asphodels. The shadows of dead souls silently sweep over the fields, emitting only quiet moans, like the rustle of leaves, and from the bowels of the earth the source of Summer beats, which grants oblivion to all living things. In the afterlife there is no sadness, no joy, nothing that is characteristic of earthly life.
Hades and Persephone
On the golden throne sits the god of death Hades, and next to him is his wife Persephone. She is the daughter of Zeus and the fertility goddess Demeter. A long time ago, when Persephone was gathering flowers in the meadows, Hades abducted her and took her to his underworld. Demeter was in despair, which caused drought and famine on the earth. Then Zeus allowed his daughter to stay with Hades, but on the condition that she would spend two-thirds of the year on Olympus next to her mother.
Many myths and legends are connected with the realm of the dead Hades. Here is Orpheus, who, thanks to his musical talent, was able to beg from Hades for freedom for his wife Eurydice. And Sisyphus, who was sentenced forever to lift a huge stone up the mountain for trying to cheat death. And many more.
Thanatos
There was another god of death in Greece - Thanatos. But he did not use such power and glory as Hades. The Olympic gods did not respect him, as they considered him indifferent to human sacrifice and suffering.
Thanatos was the son of the god of darknessErebus and the goddess of the night Nikta. He had a twin brother, Hypnos (god of dreams). According to legend, Thanatos brought people dreams, after which it was impossible to wake up. The god of death was depicted with huge wings behind his back and with an extinguished torch in his hands, which symbolized the extinction of life.
According to the legends, Thanatos lost to people more than once. So, for example, Hercules was not afraid to fight him in order to save Alcestis from the kingdom of Hades. And King Sisyphus generally managed to deceive the god of death twice and imprison him in shackles for several years. For which he was eventually punished and doomed to eternal and senseless torment.
Orcus
Orcus, or Orc, is the very first god of death from classical ancient Roman mythology. The Etruscan tribe considered Orcus one of the demons of a low hierarchy, but then his influence increased. The idol was depicted as a huge winged creature with sharp horns, fangs and a tail. It was Orcus who served as the prototype of modern demons and the devil.
Before the Romans were subjected to Greek influence, their god of death was considered the ruler of the underworld and somewhat resembled another deity - Dis Patera. Then the features and functions of Orcus completely passed to Pluto.
By the way, Orcus became the prototype not only of modern demons and the devil, but also of creatures such as orcs.
Pluto
Pluto is the main god of death among the Romans. He became a kind of variant of the Greek Hades. According to legend, Pluto was the brother of such gods as Neptune and Jupiter. He reigned in the underworld, and traveled to earth only for human souls. Therefore, they were very afraid of him. By the way, Pluto was considered a hospitable god: he let everyone who wished into his underworld. But it was already impossible to go back.
According to legend, Pluto traveled in a chariot drawn by four jet-black stallions. During his trips to earth, the god of death looked not only for souls, but also for cracks in the earth's crust so that the sun's rays would never penetrate his underworld. Once, while traveling on earth, Pluto met the plant goddess Proserpina. He forcibly made her his wife and put her on the throne in Gadis. And now they rule the underworld of the dead together.
The Romans depicted Pluto as a formidable, bearded man with tightly compressed lips and a golden crown on his head. In one hand, the god held a trident, and in the other, a huge key. This key was a symbol of the fact that no one will be able to get out of the realm of the dead.
In honor of Pluto, the ancient Romans did not build temples. However, sacrifices were always made to appease the god. The Centenary Games were held once every hundred years. And on this day, only black animals were allowed to be sacrificed to Pluto.
Osiris
Osiris is the first Egyptian god of death. According to legend, it was a deity not only of the underworld, but also of the forces of nature. It is to him that the Egyptians are indebted for the skills of winemaking, ore mining, agriculture, construction and medicine.
The father of Osiris was the earth god Geb, and his mother was the sky goddess Nut. According to one legend, he was even the pharaoh of Egypt. Peoplethey revered him, because, before taking someone to the world of the dead, he judged for all the sins committed by a person in life, and was famous for his justice. Osiris had an evil brother, Set, the god of the desert. He tricked Osiris into lying in an enchanted sarcophagus, locked him there, and threw him into the waters of the Nile. But the faithful wife Isis found him and conceived from him the son of Horus, who later avenged his father. Osiris was collected in parts, and the sun god Ra resurrected him. However, the deity did not want to return to earth. Osiris gave the reign to his son Horus, and he himself went to the afterlife, where he administered justice.
The ancient Egyptians portrayed Osiris as a green-skinned man with a vine wrapped around his figure. He personified nature, which dies and is reborn. However, it was believed that during the death of the god did not lose his power of fertilization. In ancient Egypt, Osiris was identified with the Greek god of winemaking, Dionysus.
Anubis
Anubis is another god of death among the ancient Egyptians. He was the son of Osiris and his assistant. Anubis accompanied the souls of the dead to the underworld, and also helped his father to judge sinners.
Before the cult of Osiris appeared in ancient Egypt, it was Anubis who was considered the main god of death. He was depicted as a man with the head of a jackal. This animal was not chosen by chance. The Egyptians believed that jackals were harbingers of death. These cunning animals fed on carrion, and their howls resembled the cries of the desperate.
Anubis held the Scales of Truth in his hands. It was they who decided the fate of the souls of the dead. For onethe feather of the goddess Maat, which was a symbol of justice, was placed on the scales, and the heart of the deceased was placed on the other. If the heart was as light as a feather, then the person was considered a pure spirit and fell into the fields of paradise. If the heart was heavier, then the deceased was considered a sinner, and a terrible punishment awaited him: the monster Amat (a creature with the head of a crocodile and the body of a lion) ate the heart. This meant that the existence of man came to an end.
Anubis was also considered the patron of necropolises and the creator of funeral rituals. He was called the god of embalming and mummification.
Ancient gods of death
Each nation had its own gods and goddesses of death. So, among the Scandinavians, the afterlife was ruled by Hel. She was the daughter of the god of cunning Loki. She received the kingdom of the dead from Odin. Hel was depicted as a tall woman, whose body was half covered with blue cadaveric spots.
In Shintoism, the role of the goddess of death was played by Izanami. She, along with her husband Izanagi, was considered the creator of all life on earth. But after her son Kagutsuchi scorched the goddess with fire, Izanami went to the world of darkness. She settled there surrounded by demons, and even Izanagi couldn't bring her back.
Satan
Christians and Muslims play the role of the god of death Satan. It is he who acts as the main opponent of God (Allah). Satan has many names: Devil, Shaitan, Mephistopheles, Lucifer and others. According to the Bible, he was once an angel, pure and bright. But then he became proud and considered himself equal to God himself. For which he was expelled along with his associates,become demons, underground. There he governs the kingdom of the dead - hell, where all sinners go after death.
