List of knowledge deities

A statue of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom

A knowledge deity is a deity in mythology associated with knowledge, wisdom, or intelligence.

African mythology

• Anansi, the spider trickster and spirit of all stories, best known from Akan and Ashanti folklore; according to some tales, also creator of the sun, moon and stars, and teacher of agriculture to humans.
• Orunmila, god of wisdom, knowledge, and divination.

Armenian mythology

• Tir, the god of written language, schooling, rhetoric, wisdom, and the arts.

Caribbean mythology

• Papa Legba, loa of speech, communication, understanding, and guardian of the crossroads.

Celtic mythology

• Ogma, a figure from Irish and Scottish mythology, said to have invented the Ogham alphabet.
• Lugh, a figure from Irish mythology, said to be skilled in all arts.
• Brighid, a triple deity of poetry, healing, and smithing.

Chinese mythology

• Wenchang Wang, the god of literature and scholarship.
• Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom.

Egyptian mythology

• Neith, goddess sometimes associated with wisdom.
• Thoth, originally a moon deity, later became god of wisdom and scribe of the gods.
• Sia, the deification of wisdom.
• Seshat, goddess of wisdom, knowledge and writing. Scribe of the gods. Credited with the invention of writing and the alphabet. Later demoted in pantheon of Egyptian deities to consort of Thoth.
• Isis, goddess of wisdom, magic, health and marriage.
• Serapis, god of fertility, healing and the afterlife.

Etruscan mythology

• Menrva, goddess of wisdom, war, art and medicine.

Gnostic mythology

• Sophia, feminine personification of divine wisdom.

Greek mythology

• Apollo, Olympian god of light, music, poetry, knowledge, and the sun.
• Athena, Olympian goddess of wisdom, architecture, art, war strategy, and civilization
• Coeus, Titan of intellect.
• Hephaestus, Olympian god of inventing and fire.
• Hermes, Olympian psychopomp and god of wisdom, heraldry, trickery, omens, language, education, thievery, luck, rustic poetry, animal fables, trade, travel, and athletics
• Metis, Oceanid of wisdom and wise counsel.
• Muses, personifications of knowledge, wisdom and the arts.
• Prometheus, Titan of forethought.
• Phoebe, Titan of prophecy.
• Hecate, goddess of sorcery, magic, witchcraft, necromancy, ghosts, prophecy, fire, light, crossroads, darkness, night, the moon, wilderness, and dogs.
• Helios, the “all-seeing”, god of the sun.

Hindu mythology

Ganesha, the Hindu god of knowledge and wisdom

• Ganesha, god of intellect and wisdom
• Saraswati, goddess of knowledge, creativity and speech
• Brihaspati, Guru of the gods, bestower of knowledge and eloquence
• Shukra, Guru of the demons, bestower of knowledge
• Dakshinamurthy, aspect of the god Shiva as a guru and bestower of knowledge
• Hayagriva, god of knowledge and wisdom.
• Brahma, god of creativity and wisdom.
• Gayatri, goddess of knowledge and hindu scriptures.
• Savitri, goddess of wisdom.

Hittite mythology

• A'as, god of wisdom.
• Kamrusepa
• Joanna, goddess of life on earth, wisdom, and maidens

Japanese mythology

• Fukurokuju, god of wisdom and longevity.
• Kuebiko, scarecrow god of wisdom and agriculture.
• Omoikane, Shinto god of wisdom and intelligence.
• Tenjin, god of scholarship.
• Benzaiten, a Japanese form of Saraswati, goddess of everything that flows: water, words, speech, eloquence, music and by extension, knowledge.

Mesopotamian mythology

• Al-Kutbay, Nabataean god of knowledge, commerce, writing, and prophecy.
• Enki, god of intelligence, crafts, mischief, water and creation.
• Nabu, Babylonian god of wisdom and writing.
• Nidaba, Sumerian goddess of writing, learning, and the harvest.

Muisca mythology

• Bochica, messenger god of knowledge.

Norse mythology

• Tīwaz/Týr, "Týr, known for his great wisdom and courage".
• Odin, the ruler of Asgard, who sacrificed his eye and was hung for nine days from the world tree Yggdrasil in order to gain the wisdom of the ages.
• Mímir, a god renowned for his knowledge and wisdom; Odin is advised by his severed head.
• Sága, goddess of wisdom.
• Vör, goddess associated with wisdom.
• Snotra, goddess associated with wisdom.
• Gefjon, goddess of knowledge, chastity and agriculture.
• Kvasir, god of wisdom and poetry.
• Bragi, god of knowledge, poetry, and music.

Persian mythology

• Anahita, goddess of 'the Waters' (Aban) - fertility, healing and wisdom.
• Ahura Mazda, Zoroastrian god of light, benevolence, creation, truth, and perfect wisdom.
• Chista, goddess of wisdom and knowledge, she leads the mortals to the right way in life and the afterlife; she is also the goddess of religion in Zoroastrian mythology.

Polynesian mythology

• Anulap, god of magic and knowledge.
• Eijebong

Roman mythology

• Egeria, water nymph who gives wisdom and prophecy in return for libations of water or milk at her sacred grove.
• Fabulinus, the god who teaches children to speak.
• Minerva, goddess of wisdom and the Roman equivalent of Athena.
• Apollo, Greco-Roman god of light, knowledge, intellect, and the sun.
• Providentia, goddess of forethought.

Slavic mythology

• Gamayun, symbol of knowledge and wisdom.

Turco-Mongol mythology

• Mergen, Turkic deity of abundance and wisdom. Mergen symbolizes intelligence and thought.

References