Every religious beliefs of ancient peoples existed deity who personified death.In some nations the death god ruled the underground kingdom of the dead, others accompanied the souls of the dead to the other world, the third also came for the soul when a person dies.However, all of these being governed only dead, but did not affect the life and life expectancy.
Like birth, death - is an important component of human life.Perhaps that is why the gods of death are present in religion and mythology and shows strong and omnipotent being.Some nations even today worship their idols and commit all sorts of rituals and offerings in their honor.So, then we will focus on the most famous deities.
Hades
chief god of death in Greek mythology - is Hades.He was considered an Olympic god, brother of Zeus the Thunderer.After the division of the world has departed to Hades the underworld inhabited by the souls of the dead.Murky world that never penetrated the sun's rays, Hades called his name.According to mythology, the conductor in the realm of the god of death is an old boatman Charon, who ferried the souls of the dead across the river Acheron.And the gates of the underworld guarded by evil dog Cerberus with three heads.And he admitted all those who wish to, but could not get out to anyone.
According to myths and legends, the realm of the dead - a gloomy world full desert fields with blooming tulips and wild Asphodel.Over fields sweep the shadows silent ghost, uttering a soft moans, like the rustling of leaves, and from the earth has power Summers, who bestows forgetfulness of all living things.In the next world there is no sorrow or joy, or anything that is peculiar to life on earth.
Hades and Persephone
on a golden throne sits the god of death, Hades, and next to his wife Persephone.She - the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, goddess of fertility.Long ago, when Persephone was collecting flowers in the meadows, Hades kidnapped her and took her to the underworld.Demeter was desperate, on the ground that caused the drought and famine.Zeus allowed her daughter to stay with Hades, but with the proviso that two-thirds of the year it will hold on Olympus beside his mother.
with the kingdom of the dead Hades linked to many myths and legends.Here and Orpheus, who thanks to his musical talent was able to obtain from the Aida freedom for his wife Eurydice.And Sisyphus, who was condemned forever to raise the huge stone on the mountain for trying to cheat death.And many others.
Thanatos
There is another god of death in Greek - Thanatos.But such power and glory as Hades, he did not enjoy.Olympic gods was not respected because they considered indifferent to the loss of human life and suffering.
Thanatos was the son of the god of the darkness of Erebus and the goddess of the night by anybody.He had a twin brother of Hypnos (god of dreams).According to legend, Thanatos brings people dreams, after which it was impossible to wake up.God of death depicted with huge wings behind him and extinguished torches, symbolizing the fading life.
According to legends, Thanatos is not just losing people.Thus, Hercules was not afraid to fight with him to rescue Alcestis from Hades.And all the king Sisyphus managed to double deceive the god of death and imprison him in chains for several years.What he was eventually punished and condemned to eternal suffering and meaningless.
Orcus Orcus, or Orc - this is the first god of death of the classical Roman mythology.Orcus Etruscan tribe considered one of the demons of the low hierarchy, but then his influence has increased.Idol represented a huge winged creature with sharp horns, fangs and a tail.It served as the prototype of the modern Orcus demons and the devil.
Before the Romans underwent Greek influence, their god of death was considered the ruler of the underworld and something reminiscent of another deity - Dis Pater.Then, the features and functions of Orcus completely switched to Pluto.
way, Orcus became the prototype of today not only demons and the devil, but creatures like orcs.
Pluto Pluto - the death of the chief god of the Romans.He became a kind of embodiment of the Greek Hades.According to legend, Pluto was the brother of the gods Neptune and Jupiter.He reigned in the underworld, and went to the ground only for the souls of men.Therefore, it is very afraid.Incidentally, Pluto was considered hospitable god, he admitted to his underworld all who wish.But back was impossible.
According to legend, Pluto was traveling in a chariot drawn by four jet-black stallion.During his visits to the earth god of death I sought not only the soul, but the cracks in the earth's crust to the sun's rays never penetrated his underworld.Once, traveling on the ground, Pluto met the goddess Proserpina plants.He forcibly made her his wife and sat on the throne of Gadis.And now together they ruled the underground kingdom of the dead.
Romans portrayed Pluto menacing, bearded man with clenched tight lips and a gold crown on his head.In one hand the god held a trident, and the other - a huge key.This key was a symbol of the fact that out of the realm of the dead will not succeed.
In honor of Pluto ancient Romans did not build temples.However, always made sacrifices to appease God.Once in a hundred years we held Centenary Games.And on that day I was allowed to sacrifice only Pluto black animals.
Osiris Osiris - the first Egyptian god of death.According to legend, it was not only the god of the underworld, but also the forces of nature.It was he obliged the Egyptians for winemaking skills, ore mining, agriculture, construction and healing.
Father Osiris was the god of the earth Geb and his mother - the sky goddess Nut.According to one legend, he even was the Pharaoh of Egypt.People respected him because, before you pick up someone in the world of the dead, he judged for all the sins committed by man in his life, and was known for his justice.In Osiris was evil brother Seth - god of the desert.He tricked Osiris lay down in an enchanted sarcophagus, locked it and threw it into the Nile.But a faithful wife Isis found him and his son, conceived by Gore, who later avenged his father.Osiris put together piece by piece, and the sun god Ra raised him.However, the deity did not want to come back to earth.Osiris gave reign to his son Horus, and he went to the underworld, where to administer justice.
Ancient Egyptians represented Osiris in the form of a man with green skin, a figure which twine vine.He personified the nature, which dies and is reborn.However, it was believed that during the dying god did not lose their power of fertilization.In ancient Egypt, Osiris was identified with the Greek god of wine Dionysus.
Anubis Anubis
- another god of death among the ancient Egyptians.He was the son of Osiris and his assistant.Anubis escorted souls of the dead to the underworld, and his father helped judge the sinners.
Before ancient Egypt there was a cult of Osiris, Anubis is considered the chief 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 the jackals - the harbingers of death.These cunning animals fed on carrion, and reminded them howling cries of the desperate.
In the hands of Anubis was the balance of Truth.It is they who decide the fate of the souls of the dead.On one scale put a feather of the goddess Maat, which was a symbol of justice, but on the other - the heart of the deceased.If the heart was as light as a feather, the person was considered a pure spirit, and found himself in paradise field.If the heart was heavier, the deceased was considered a sinner, and he was waiting for a terrible punishment: a monster Amat (a creature with a crocodile head and lion's body) eats the heart.This meant that human existence came to an end.
Anubis was regarded as the patron saint of cemeteries and funeral rites creator.He was called the god of embalming and mummification.
ancient gods of death
Each nation had its own gods and goddesses of death.For example, the Scandinavians rule the worlds beyond the grave Hel.She was the daughter of the god Loki tricks.The kingdom of the dead she received from Odin.Hel depicted a tall woman, whose body is half-covered with blue spots rigor.
The Shinto goddess of death played a role Izanami.She along with her husband Izanagi was considered the creator of all life on earth.But after her son Kagu-Tsuchi scorched goddess of fire Izanami went into the world of darkness.There she settled surrounded by demons, and even the Izanagi could not bring her back.
Satan
Christians and Muslims played the role of the god of death, Satan.That he is the main enemy of God (Allah).Satan has many names: Devil Shaitan, Mephistopheles, Lucifer, and others.According to the Bible, he was once an angel, clean and bright.But then the proud and considered himself equal to God.For which he was expelled along with his associates, who became demons to the ground.There he manages the realm of the dead - hell, where fall after the death of all sinners.
