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A water deity is a deity in
mythology Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...
associated with
water Water (chemical formula ) is an Inorganic compound, inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living ...
or various bodies of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great river was more important. Another important focus of worship of water deities has been springs or
holy well A holy well or sacred spring is a well, spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christian or pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualities, through the numinous presence of its guar ...
s. As a form of animal worship,
whale Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea, i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and ...
s and
snake Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more j ...
s (hence dragons) have been regarded as godly deities throughout the world (as are other animals such as
turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked t ...
s, fish, crabs, and
shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachi ...
s). In Asian lore, whales and dragons sometimes have connections. Serpents are also common as a symbol or as serpentine deities, sharing many similarities with dragons.


Africa and the Mediterranean


Sub-Sahara Africa


Western Niger-Congo

Benin * Ezili, goddess of sweet water, beauty, and love. Dogon *
Nommos The Nommo or Nummo are primordial ancestral spirits in Dogon religion and cosmogony (sometimes referred to as demi deities) venerated by the Dogon people of Mali. The word Nommos is derived from a Dogon word meaning "to make one drink." Nommos ...
, amphibious spirits that are worshiped as ancestors. Serer * Mindiss (or Mindis) is not a deity in Serer religion, but a
pangool Pangool (in Serer and Cangin) singular: Fangool (var : ''Pangol'' and ''Fangol''), are the ancient saints and ancestral spirits of the Serer people of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania. The Pangool play a crucial role in Serer religion and hist ...
with goddess–like attributes. She is a female protector of the Fatick Region. Offerings are made in her name at the River Sine. She appears to humans in the form of a
manatee Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus ''Trichechus'') are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae, representing three of the four living speci ...
, She is one of the best known ''fangool'' (singular of ''pangool''). She possess the attributes of a typical ''water fangool'', yet at the same time, she is a ''blood fangool''. The Senegalese Ministry of Culture added the ''Mbind Ngo Mindiss'' site to its list of monuments and historic sites in Fatick. It is the site where offerings are made, situated on the arms of the sea which bears her name, in the Sine. Yoruba *
Oshun Ọṣun, is an orisha, a spirit, a deity, or a goddess that reflects one of the manifestations of the Yorùbá Supreme Being in the Ifá oral tradition and Yoruba-based religions of West Africa. She is one of the most popular and venerated ...
, a orisha of fresh “sweet” waters and the Osun River. *
Olokun Olokun (Yoruba: Olókun) is an orisha spirit in Yoruba religion. Olokun is believed to be the parent of Aje, the orisha of great wealth and of the bottom of the ocean. Olokun is revered as the ruler of all bodies of water and for the authority ov ...
, an ocean orisha and is the owner of all waters. * Yemoja, originally only the orisha of the Ogun River but became orisha over the sea waves by way of the Trans-Atlantic Slabe Trade. * Olosa, wife of Olokun, orisha over lagoons. * Oya, orisha of storms and the Niger River. * Oba, orisha of the Oba River. *
Yewa The Ẹgbado, now Yewa, are a subgroup of the Yoruba people and inhabit the eastern area of Ogun West Senatorial District, Ogun State, in south-west Nigeria, Africa. In 1995 they changed their name to the Yewa which comes from the Yewa River wh ...
, orisha of the Yewa River. * Otín, orisha if the Otín River. *Yemoo, original wife of Obatala and orisha over waters and maternity. Said to be the original form of most female water orishas Lugandan * Sezibwa, goddess of the Sezibwa River. Batonga * Nyami Nyami, a river spirit of the Batonga of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Kongo * Bunzi, goddess of rain, rainbow and waters. * Chicamassichinuinji, king of oceans. * Funza, goddess of waters, twin phenomenon and malformations in children. Wife of Mbumba. * Kalunga, god of death and border between world of Alives and world of dead. * Kimbazi, goddess of sea storms. * Kuitikuiti, serpent god of Congo river. * Lusunzi, god of spring and waters. * Mamba Muntu, goddesses of waters and sexuality. * Makanga. * Mbantilanda. * Mbumba, rainbow serpent of terrestrial waters and warriors. * Mboze. * Mpulu Bunzi, god of rain and waters. * Mundele, albino gods of the sea. * Simbi dia Maza, nymphs or goddesses of waters, lakes and rivers.


Mediterranean

''Hamito-Semitic regions of North Africa, Arabia, and the Levant.''


Canaanite

*
Yam (god) Yam (also ''Yamm''; Semitic: ) is the god of the sea in the Canaanite pantheon. He takes the role of the adversary of Baal in the Ugaritic '' Baal Cycle''. The deity's name derives from the Canaanite word for "Sea", and is one name of the Ug ...
, god of the sea.


Egyptian

*
Anuket Anuket was the ancient Egyptian goddess of the cataracts of the Nile and Lower Nubia in general, worshipped especially at Elephantine near the First Cataract. Etymology In ancient Egyptian, she was known as Anuket, Anaka, or Anqet. Her name ...
, goddess of the Nile and nourisher of the fields. *Bairthy, goddess of water, was depicted with a small pitcher on her head, holding a long spear-like sceptre. * Hapi, god of the annual flooding of the Nile. *
Khnum Khnum or also romanised Khnemu (; egy, 𓎸𓅱𓀭 ẖnmw, grc-koi, Χνοῦβις) was one of the earliest-known Egyptian deities, originally the god of the source of the Nile. Since the annual flooding of the Nile brought with it silt an ...
, god of the source of the Nile. * Nephthys, goddess of rivers, death, mourning, the dead, and night. * Nu, uncreated god, personification of the primordial waters. *
Osiris Osiris (, from Egyptian ''wsjr'', cop, ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲉ , ; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎𐤓, romanized: ʾsr) is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He wa ...
, god of the dead and afterlife; originally a god of water and vegetation. *
Satet Satet, Satit or Satjet, Satjit in Ancient Egyptian ( egy, Sṯt or ', ."Pourer" or "Shooter"), Greek: Satis, also known by numerous related names, was an Upper Egyptian goddess who, along with Khnum and Anuket, formed part of the Elephantin ...
, goddess of the Nile River's floods. *
Sobek Sobek (also called Sebek or Sobki, cop, Ⲥⲟⲩⲕ, Souk) was an ancient Egyptian deity with a complex and elastic history and nature. He is associated with the Nile crocodile or the West African crocodile and is represented either in its f ...
, god of the Nile river, is depicted as a crocodile or a man with the head of a crocodile. *
Tefnut Tefnut ( egy, ; cop, ⲧϥⲏⲛⲉ ) is a deity of moisture, moist air, dew and rain in Ancient Egyptian religion.The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, George Hart She is the sister and consort of the air god Shu and the ...
, goddess of water, moisture, and fertility. * Wadj-wer, personification of the Mediterranean Sea or represented the lagoons and lakes in the northernmost Nile Delta.


Hebrew

*
Leviathan Leviathan (; he, לִוְיָתָן, ) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Amos, and, according to some ...
, sea serpent.


Mesopotamian

*
Abzu The Abzu or Apsu ( Sumerian: ; Akkadian: ), also called (Cuneiform:, ; Sumerian: ; Akkadian: — ='water' ='deep', recorded in Greek as ), is the name for fresh water from underground aquifers which was given a religious fertilising qual ...
, god of fresh water, father of all other gods. *
Enbilulu Enbilulu ( sux, ) was a Mesopotamian god associated with irrigation, and by extension with both canals and rivers. The origin of his name is unknown, and there is no agreement among experts in which way he was related to the similarly named dei ...
, god of rivers and canals. * Enki, god of water and of the river
Tigris The Tigris () is the easternmost of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, and empties into the ...
. * Marduk, god associated with water, vegetation, judgment, and magic. * Nammu, goddess of the primeval sea. * Nanshe, goddess of the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...
, justice, prophecy, fertility and fishing. *
Tiamat In Mesopotamian religion, Tiamat ( akk, or , grc, Θαλάττη, Thaláttē) is a primordial goddess of the sea, mating with Abzû, the god of the groundwater, to produce younger gods. She is the symbol of the chaos of primordial crea ...
, goddess of salt water and chaos, also mother of all gods. * Sirsir, god of mariners.


Greek / Hellenic

*
Achelous In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. According to Hesiod, he ...
, Greek river god. * Aegaeon, god of violent sea storms and ally of the Titans. * Alpheus, river god in Arcadia. *
Amphitrite In ancient Greek mythology, Amphitrite (; grc-gre, Ἀμφιτρίτη, Amphitrítē) was the goddess of the sea, the queen of the sea, and the wife of Poseidon. She was a daughter of Nereus and Doris (or Oceanus and Tethys).Roman, L., & Ro ...
, sea goddess and consort of Poseidon and thus queen of the sea. *
Anapos Anapos was a water god of eastern Sicily in Greek mythology. When he opposed the rape of Persephone along with the nymph Cyane, Hades turned them into a river (the river Anapo in southern Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_ ...
, water god of eastern Sicily. *
Asopus Asopus (; grc, Ἀ̄σωπός ''Āsōpos'') is the name of four different rivers in Greece and one in Turkey. In Greek mythology, it was also the name of the gods of those rivers. Zeus carried off Aegina, Asopus' daughter, and Sisyphus, who h ...
, river god in Greece *
Asterion In Greek mythology, Asterion ( Greek: , gen.: , literally "starry") or Asterius () may refer to the following figures: * Asterion, one of the Potamoi. * Asterius, one of the Giants. * Asterion, an attendant of the starry-god Astraeus. * As ...
, river-god of Argos *
Brito-Martis Britomartis (; grc-gre, Βριτόμαρτις) was a Greek goddess of mountains and hunting, who was primarily worshipped on the island of Crete. She was sometimes believed to be an oread, or a mountain nymph, but she was often conflated or sy ...
, the goddess Brito-Martis is always depicted in arms. * Brizo, goddess of sailors. * Carcinus, a giant crab who allied itself with the Hydra against Heracles. When it died, Hera placed it in the sky as the constellation
Cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
. * Ceto, goddess of the dangers of the ocean and of sea monsters. * Charybdis, a sea monster and spirit of whirlpools and the tide. *
Cymopoleia In Greek mythology, Cymopoleia or Cymopolia (; Ancient Greek: Κυμοπόλεια ''Kymopoleia'') was a daughter of sea god Poseidon and the wife of Briareus, one of the three Hundred-Handers. Her only known mention occurs in the Hesiodic ''Th ...
, a daughter of Poseidon and goddess of giant storm waves. * Doris, goddess of the sea's bounty and wife of Nereus. * Eidothea, prophetic sea nymph and daughter of Proteus. * Electra, an Oceanid, consort of Thaumas. * Enipeus, a river god * Eurybia, goddess of the mastery of the seas. * Galene (Γαλήνη), goddess of calm seas. *
Glaucus In Greek mythology, Glaucus (; grc, Γλαῦκος, Glaûkos, glimmering) was a Greek prophetic sea-god, born mortal and turned immortal upon eating a magical herb. It was believed that he came to the rescue of sailors and fishermen in storms ...
, the fisherman's sea god. * Gorgons, three monstrous sea spirits. **
Euryale In Greek mythology, Euryale ( ; grc, Εὐρυάλη, lit=far-roaming") was the name of the following characters: * Euryale (Gorgon), Euryale, one of the Gorgons. * Euryale, daughter of Minos, possible mother of the great hunter Orion (mythology) ...
**
Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...
**
Stheno In Greek mythology, Stheno ( or ; Greek: Σθενώ, 'forceful') was the eldest of the Gorgons, vicious female monsters with brass hands, sharp fangs and "hair" made of living venomous snakes. Mythology The daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, Sthe ...
* The Graeae, three ancient sea spirits who personified the white foam of the sea; they shared one eye and one tooth between them. * Hippocampi, the horses of the sea. * The
Ichthyocentaurs In late Classical Greek art, ichthyocentaurs ( el, ἰχθυοκένταυρος, plural: ) were centaurine sea beings with the upper body of a human, the lower anterior half and fore-legs of a horse, and the tailed half of a fish. The earliest e ...
, a pair of centaurine sea-gods with the upper bodies of men, the lower fore-parts of horses, ending in the serpentine tails of fish. *Kymopoleia, daughter of Poseidon and goddess of violent sea storms. * Leucothea, a sea goddess who aided sailors in distress. * Nerites, watery consort of Aphrodite and/or beloved of Poseidon. *
Nereus In Greek mythology, Nereus ( ; ) was the eldest son of Pontus (the Sea) and Gaia ( the Earth), with Pontus himself being a son of Gaia. Nereus and Doris became the parents of 50 daughters (the Nereids) and a son ( Nerites), with whom Nereus ...
, the old man of the sea, and the god of the sea's rich bounty of fish. *
Nymph A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label= Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ...
s ** Naiades, freshwater nymphs. **
Nereid In Greek mythology, the Nereids or Nereides ( ; grc, Νηρηΐδες, Nērēḯdes; , also Νημερτές) are sea nymphs (female spirits of sea waters), the 50 daughters of the ' Old Man of the Sea' Nereus and the Oceanid Doris, sisters ...
es, sea nymphs. ** Oceanides, nymphs of freshwater sources. * Oceanus, Titan god of the Earth-encircling river Okeanos, the font of all the Earth's fresh water. * Palaemon, a young sea god who aided sailors in distress. * Phorcys, god of the hidden dangers of the deep. *
Pontus Pontus or Pontos may refer to: * Short Latin name for the Pontus Euxinus, the Greek name for the Black Sea (aka the Euxine sea) * Pontus (mythology), a sea god in Greek mythology * Pontus (region), on the southern coast of the Black Sea, in modern ...
, primeval god of the sea, father of the fish and other sea creatures. *
Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ...
, Olympian god of the sea and king of the sea gods; also god of flood, drought, earthquakes, and horses. His Roman equivalent is Neptune. *
Potamoi The Potamoi ( grc-gre, Ποταμοί, "Rivers") are the gods of rivers and streams of the earth in Greek mythology. Mythology The river gods were the 3000 sons of the great earth-encircling river Oceanus and his wife Tethys and the brothers of ...
, deities of rivers, fathers of Naiads, brothers of the Oceanids, and as such, the sons of Oceanus and Tethys. *
Proteus In Greek mythology, Proteus (; Ancient Greek: Πρωτεύς, ''Prōteus'') is an early prophetic sea-god or god of rivers and oceanic bodies of water, one of several deities whom Homer calls the "Old Man of the Sea" ''(hálios gérôn)''. ...
, a shape-shifting, prophetic old sea god, and the herdsman of Poseidon's seals. *
Psamathe Psamathe may refer to: Greek mythology * Psamathe (Nereid) * Psamathe (Crotopus), Daughter of Crotopus Other * Psamathe (moon), moon of Neptune * ''Psamathe'' (polychaete), polychaete Polychaeta () is a paraphyletic class of generally marine ...
, goddess of sand beaches. * Scylla, a sea monster, later authors made up a backstory of her being a Nereid transformed into a monster due to Circe's jealousy. * The
Telchines In Greek mythology, the Telchines ( grc, Τελχῖνες, ''Telkhines'') were the original inhabitants of the island of Rhodes and were known in Crete and Cyprus. Family Their parents were either Pontus and Gaia or Tartarus and Nemesis or else ...
, sea spirits native to the island of Rhodes; the gods killed them when they turned to evil magic. * Tethys, Titan goddess of the sources fresh-water, and the mother of the rivers (
Potamoi The Potamoi ( grc-gre, Ποταμοί, "Rivers") are the gods of rivers and streams of the earth in Greek mythology. Mythology The river gods were the 3000 sons of the great earth-encircling river Oceanus and his wife Tethys and the brothers of ...
), springs, streams, fountains and clouds. * Thalassa, primordial goddess of the sea. * Thaumas, god of the wonders of the sea and father of the Harpies and the rainbow goddess
Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...
. *
Thetis Thetis (; grc-gre, Θέτις ), is a figure from Greek mythology with varying mythological roles. She mainly appears as a sea nymph, a goddess of water, or one of the 50 Nereids, daughters of the ancient sea god Nereus. When described as ...
, leader of the Nereids who presided over the spawning of marine life in the sea, mother of Achilles. * Triteia, daughter of Triton and companion of Ares. * Triton, fish-tailed son and herald of Poseidon. *
Tritones Tritones may refer to: * Tritones (mythology) ** Triton (mythology) ** Daimones of the sea, see daemon (classical mythology) Daimon or Daemon (Ancient Greek: , "god", "godlike", "power", "fate") originally referred to a lesser deity or guiding ...
, fish-tailed spirits in Poseidon's retinue. *
Aspidochelone According to the tradition of the '' Physiologus'' and medieval bestiaries, the aspidochelone is a fabled sea creature, variously described as a large whale or vast sea turtle, and a giant sea monster with huge spines on the ridge of its back. ...
, colossal sea monster from the medieval bestiary ''
Physiologus The ''Physiologus'' () is a didactic Christian text written or compiled in Greek by an unknown author, in Alexandria; its composition has been traditionally dated to the 2nd century AD by readers who saw parallels with writings of Clement of Al ...
''.


Roman

* Coventina, Romano-British goddess of a sacred spring at Carrawburgh on Hadrian's Wall. *
Fontus Fontus or Fons (plural ''Fontes'', "Font" or "Source") was a god of wells and springs in ancient Roman religion. A religious festival called the Fontinalia was held on October 13 in his honor. Throughout the city, fountains and wellheads were ado ...
, god of wells and springs. *
Juturna In the myth and religion of ancient Rome, Juturna, or Diuturna, was a goddess of fountains, wells and springs, and the mother of Fontus by Janus. Mythology Juturna was an ancient Latin deity of fountains, who in some myths was turned by Jupi ...
, goddess of fountains, wells, and springs. * Neptune, god-king of the sea. His Greek counterpart was
Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ...
. * Salacia, goddess of saltwater. Neptune's consort. * Tiberinus, the genius of the river
Tiber The Tiber ( ; it, Tevere ; la, Tiberis) is the third-longest List of rivers of Italy, river in Italy and the longest in Central Italy, rising in the Apennine Mountains in Emilia-Romagna and flowing through Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, where ...
. *
Volturnus The VolturnUS is a floating concrete structure that supports a wind turbine, designed by University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center and deployed by DeepCwind Consortium in 2013. The VolturnUS can support wind turbines in water ...
, a god of the
Tiber The Tiber ( ; it, Tevere ; la, Tiberis) is the third-longest List of rivers of Italy, river in Italy and the longest in Central Italy, rising in the Apennine Mountains in Emilia-Romagna and flowing through Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, where ...
who may originally have been a god of all rivers.


Anatolian - Hittite

* Aruna, god of the sea.


Armenian

*
Astłik In the earliest prehistoric period Astłik ( hy, Աստղիկ) had been worshipped as the Armenian deity of fertility and love, later the skylight had been considered her personification, and she had been the consort of Vahagn. In the later heathe ...
, goddess of water sources. * Tsovinar, goddess of seas and storms.


Persian Zorostarian

* Ahurani, Ahurani is a water goddess from ancient Persian mythology who watches over rainfall as well as standing water. *
Anahita Anahita is the Old Persian form of the name of an Iranian goddess and appears in complete and earlier form as ('), the Avestan name of an Indo-Iranian cosmological figure venerated as the divinity of "the Waters" (Aban) and hence associate ...
, the divinity of "the Waters" (
Aban Apas (, ae, āpas) is the Avestan language term for "the waters", which, in its innumerable aggregate states, is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters. ''Āb'' (plural ''Ābān'') is the Middle Persian-language form. Introduc ...
) and associated with fertility, healing, and wisdom. *
Apam Napat Apam Napat is a deity in the Indo-Iranian pantheon associated with water. His names in the Vedas, ''Apām Napāt'', and in Zoroastrianism, ''Apąm Napāt'', mean "child of the waters" in Sanskrit and Avestan respectively. '' Napāt'' ("grandson ...
, the divinity of rain and the maintainer of order. *
Haurvatat Haurvatat /ˈhəʊrvətət/ (Avestan: ') is the Avestan language word for the Zoroastrian concept of "wholeness" or "perfection." In post-Gathic Zoroastrianism, Haurvatat was the Amesha Spenta associated with water (''cf.'' '' apo''), prosper ...
, the Amesha Spenta associated with water, prosperity, and health in post-Gathic Zoroastrianism. * Tishtrya,
Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil within the framework of a monotheistic ...
benevolent divinity associated with life-bringing rainfall and fertility.


Northwest Eurasia


Balto-Slavic


Lithuanian

* Bangpūtys, god of sea and storm. *
Laumė Latvian Lauma or Lithuanian Laumė is a fairy-like woodland spirit, and guardian spirit of orphans in Eastern Baltic mythology. Originally a sky spirit, her compassion for human suffering brought her to earth to share our fate. In Lithuanian ...
, goddess of wild spaces, including waters.


Slavic

*
Kostroma Kostroma ( rus, Кострома́, p=kəstrɐˈma) is a historic types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast, Russia. A part of the Golden Ring of Russia, Golden Ring of Russian cities, it is lo ...
, goddess of fertility. After discovering that her husband, Kupala, is her brother, she jumped into the forest lake (in other legends into the river Ra). After her death, she became a
mavka ''Mavka'' ( uk, Мавка) is a type of female spirit in Ukrainian folklore and mythology. She is a long-haired figure, sometimes naked, who may be dangerous to young men. Terminology There is variation in the names and spelling, including u ...
(or rusalka). * Mati-syra-zemla, moist mother, also the Earth goddess. *
Mokosh Mokosh ( orv, Мóкошь) is a Slavic goddess mentioned in the Primary Chronicle, protector of women's work and women's destiny. She watches over spinning and weaving, shearing of sheep, and protects women in childbirth. Mokosh is the Mother G ...
, moistness, lady of waters, goddess of moisture. *
Dodola Dodola (also spelled ''Dodole'', ''Dudola'', ''Dudula'' etc.) and Perperuna (also spelled ''Peperuda'', ''Preperuda'', ''Preperuša'', ''Prporuša'', ''Papaluga'' etc.), are Balkan rainmaking pagan customs practiced until the 20th century. The tr ...
, goddess of rain. * Morskoy Tsar, the god and king of the sea. * Moryana, a giant female sea spirit. * Rusalki, female ghosts, water nymphs, succubi or mermaid-like demons that dwell in waterways. * Veles, god of Earth, waters, and the underworld. * Vodyanoi, water demon who lived in lakes and rivers.


Celtic

* Belisama, goddess of lakes and rivers, fire, crafts, and light. *
Grannus Grannus (also ''Granus'', '' Mogounus,'' and ''Amarcolitanus'') was a Celtic deity of classical antiquity. He was regularly identified with Apollo as Apollo Grannus and frequently worshipped in conjunction with Sirona, and sometimes with Mars and ...
, a god associated with spas, the sun, fires and healing thermal and mineral springs. * Nantosuelta, river goddess of fire, the earth, healing, and fertility. *
Nodens *''Nodens'' or *''Nodons'' ( reconstructed from the dative ''Nodenti'' or ''Nodonti'') is a Celtic healing god worshipped in Ancient Britain. Although no physical depiction of him has survived, votive plaques found in a shrine at Lydney Park ...
, god associated with healing, the sea, hunting and dogs. * Damona, water goddess associated with healing and rivers *
Selkie In Celtic and Norse mythology, selkies (also spelled ', ', ') or selkie folk ( sco, selkie fowk) meaning 'seal folk' are mythological beings capable of therianthropy, changing from seal to human form by shedding their skin. They are found ...
*
Llŷr Llŷr ( cy, Llŷr Llediaith (); ''Lleddiaith'' meaning "half-speech" or "half-language") is a figure in Welsh mythology, probably originally a deity, probably derived from Irish Ler ("the Sea"), father of '' Manannán mac Lir''. Other than his p ...


English Folklore

*Father Thames, human manifestation and/or guardian of the
River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
that flows through Southern England, while his ancient worship is obscure, he has become a popular symbol of the river in modern times, it being the subject of the song "Old Father Thames" and the model of several statues and reliefs scattered around
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. * Davy Jones, the
Devil A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of ...
of the seas in Western piratical lore.


Gaulish

* Acionna, a water goddess/ genius loci of the Orleanais region and the
Essonne Essonne () is a department of France in the southern Île-de-France region. It is named after the river Essonne. In 2019, it had a population of 1,301,659 across 194 communes.Condatis, god of the River Wear and healing. * Segeta, goddess of the
Loire The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...
. *
Sequana In Gallo-Roman religion, Sequana is the goddess of the river Seine, particularly the springs at the source of the Seine, and the Gaulish tribe the Sequani. The springs, called the ''Fontes Sequanae'' ("The Springs of Sequana"), are located in a va ...
, goddess of the
River Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...
. * Souconna, goddess of the
Saône The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île. The name ...
. *
Sirona In Celtic polytheism, Sirona was a goddess worshipped predominantly in East Central Gaul and along the Danubian limes. A healing deity, she was associated with healing springs; her attributes were snakes and eggs. She was sometimes depicted with A ...
, a goddess associated with healing springs.


Irish

*
Brigid Brigid ( , ; meaning 'exalted one' from Old Irish),Campbell, MikBehind the Name.See also Xavier Delamarre, ''brigantion / brigant-'', in ''Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise'' (Éditions Errance, 2003) pp. 87–88: "Le nom de la sainte irlandais ...
, a goddess sometimes associated with water and where three streams join together (relating to her being a Triple Goddess). * Boann, goddess of the
River Boyne The River Boyne ( ga, An Bhóinn or ''Abhainn na Bóinne'') is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newberry Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through C ...
. * Danu (Dana), Continental Celtic river goddess. Her Irish variation was an ancestor/mother goddess. *
Manannán mac Lir Manannán or Manann, also known as Manannán mac Lir ("son of the sea"), is a warrior and king of the Otherworld in Irish mythology who is associated with the sea and often interpreted as a sea god, usually as a member of the Tuatha Dé Dana ...
, god of the sea. * Lí Ban, water goddess. * Lir, god of the sea. * Sinann, goddess of the River Shannon.


Welsh

* Dylan Eil Ton, god of the sea *
Llŷr Llŷr ( cy, Llŷr Llediaith (); ''Lleddiaith'' meaning "half-speech" or "half-language") is a figure in Welsh mythology, probably originally a deity, probably derived from Irish Ler ("the Sea"), father of '' Manannán mac Lir''. Other than his p ...
, god of the sea.


Lusitanian

* Bandua, theonym associated with fountains. * Duberdicus, god of the sea and rivers. * Durius, personification of the
Douro The Douro (, , ; es, Duero ; la, Durius) is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province, central Spain, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the north-west part o ...
river.


Norse-Germanic

*
Ægir Ægir (anglicised as Aegir; Old Norse 'sea'), Hlér (Old Norse 'sea'), or Gymir (Old Norse less clearly 'sea, engulfer'), is a jötunn and a personification of the sea in Norse mythology. In the Old Norse record, Ægir hosts the gods in his halls ...
, personification of the sea. *
Freyr Freyr (Old Norse: 'Lord'), sometimes anglicized as Frey, is a widely attested god in Norse mythology, associated with kingship, fertility, peace, and weather. Freyr, sometimes referred to as Yngvi-Freyr, was especially associated with Sweden an ...
, god of rain, sunlight, fertility, life, and summer. *
Nehalennia Nehalennia (spelled variously) is a goddess of unclear origin, perhaps Germanic or Celtic. She is attested on and depicted upon numerous votive altars discovered around what is now the province of Zeeland, the Netherlands, where the Schelde Riv ...
, goddess of the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...
. *
Nerthus In Germanic paganism, Nerthus is a goddess associated with a ceremonial wagon procession. Nerthus is attested by first century AD Roman historian Tacitus in his ethnographic work ''Germania''. In ''Germania'', Tacitus records that a group of Germ ...
, mostly an earth goddess, but is also associated with lakes, springs, and holy waters. * Nine Daughters of Ægir, who personify the characteristics of waves. * Nix, water spirits who usually appear in human form. * Njord, god of the sea, particularly of
seafaring Seamanship is the Art (skill), art, knowledge and Competence (human resources), competence of operating a ship, boat or other craft on water. The'' Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford Dictionary'' states that seamanship is "The skill, techniques ...
. *
Rán In Norse mythology, Rán (Old Norse: ) is a goddess and a personification of the sea. Rán and her husband Ægir, a jötunn who also personifies the sea, have nine daughters, who personify waves. The goddess is frequently associated with a net, w ...
, sea goddess of death who collects the drowned in a net, wife of Ægir. *
Rhenus Pater ''Rhenus Pater'' ("Father Rhine", German ''Vater Rhein'') is the personification or river god of the Rhine, attested in epigraphy and associated with Neptunus, called "father of nymphs and rivers" by Martial (10.7). Because of his depiction with ...
, god of the
Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...
river *Rura, goddess of the Rur river * Sága, wisdom goddess who lives near water and pours Odin a drink when he visits. * Tiddy Mun, a bog deity once worshiped in Lincolnshire, England who had the ability to control floods.


Hindu-Vedic

* Ap, group of water goddesses. *
Apam Napat Apam Napat is a deity in the Indo-Iranian pantheon associated with water. His names in the Vedas, ''Apām Napāt'', and in Zoroastrianism, ''Apąm Napāt'', mean "child of the waters" in Sanskrit and Avestan respectively. '' Napāt'' ("grandson ...
, god of fresh water, such as in rivers and lakes. * Danu, goddess of primordial waters, mother of
Vritra Vritra () is a danava in Hinduism. He serves as the personification of drought, and is an adversary of the king of the devas, Indra. As a danava, he belongs to the race of the asuras. Vritra is also known in the Vedas as Ahi (Sanskrit: ', lit ...
and the
Danavas In Hindu mythology, the danavas are a race descending from Kashyapa and his wife Danu, a daughter of the progenitor god, Daksha. It is mentioned that there are one hundred danavas. Origin The danavas are a mythological race of demigods, t ...
. * Ganga, goddess of the Ganges river and purity. *
Yami Yamuna is a sacred river in Hinduism and the main tributary of the Ganges River. The river is also worshipped as a Hindu goddess called Yamuna. Yamuna is known as Yami in early texts, while in later literature, she is called Kalindi. In Hindu scr ...
, goddess of
Yamuna The Yamuna ( Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of B ...
river. * Sarasvati, goddess of knowledge, music and the
Sarasvati river The Sarasvati River () is a deified river first mentioned in the Rigveda and later in Vedic and post-Vedic texts. It played an important role in the Vedic religion, appearing in all but the fourth book of the Rigveda. As a physical river, i ...
. * Kaveri, celestial nymph, avatar of Parvati, goddess of the Kaveri rive

*
Tapati Tapati ( sa, तपती, tapatī) is a goddess in Hinduism. She is known also as the goddess of the river Tapati and mother-goddess of the South (home of the sun) where she brings heat to the earth. According to certain Hindu texts, Tapati wa ...
, goddess of Tapti river. *
Varuna Varuna (; sa, वरुण, , Malay: ''Baruna'') is a Vedic deity associated initially with the sky, later also with the seas as well as Ṛta (justice) and Satya (truth). He is found in the oldest layer of Vedic literature of Hinduism, such ...
, god of the water and the celestial ocean. * Mariamman, goddess of the rains, medicine, and disease *
Makara ''Makara'' ( sa, मकर, translit=Makara) is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn. Makara appears as the vahana (vehicle) of the river goddess Ganga, Narmada, a ...
, mystical creature of waters. Ossetia * Donbettyr, master of all waters.


Uralic

Finnish * Ahti, god of the depths and fish. *
Iku-Turso Iku-Turso (, "the eternal Turso"; also known as Iku-Tursas, Iki-Tursas, Meritursas, Tursas, Turisas among others) is a malevolent sea monster in Finnish mythology, best known for appearing in the ''Kalevala''. Nowadays ''Meritursas'' means octop ...
, a malevolent sea monster. * Vedenemo, a goddess of water. * Vellamo, the wife of Ahti, goddess of the sea, lakes, and storms.


Asia-Pacific / Oceania


Far East Asia


Taoism and Chinese folk religion

* Emperor the Water Official (shuǐguān) * Ehuang & Nuying, goddesses of the Xiang River. * Gonggong, red-haired dragon with the head of a man and water god who, together with his associate Xiang Yao, is responsible for the great floods. * Hebo, god of the
Yellow River The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the sixth-longest river system in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Ha ...
. * Longmu, goddess of the Xijiang River in the Lingnan area. * Mazu, goddess of the sea and protector of seafarers. *
Shuimu Shuimu (), or Shuimu Niangniang (), is a water demon, spirit or witch of Buddhist and Taoist origin in Chinese mythology. She is also identified with the youngest sister of the transcendent White Elephant (Buddha’s gate-warder). According to Chi ...
, goddess of the water. * Shui Wei Niang, goddess of the water. * Shuidexianjun (水德星君) *
Tam Kung Tam Kung () or Tam Tai Sin () is a sea deity worshiped in Hong Kong and Macau. In Chinese folk legends, Tam Kung was one of gods who could forecast the weather. He was born in Huizhou Prefecture. It was said that he could cure patients in hi ...
, sea deity worshiped in Hong Kong and Macau with the ability to forecast weather. * Honorable Kings of the Water Immortals (''Shuixian Zunwang''). **Han Ao or Lu Ban, the inventors. **
Qu Yuan Qu Yuan ( – 278 BCE) was a Chinese poet and politician in the State of Chu during the Warring States period. He is known for his patriotism and contributions to classical poetry and verses, especially through the poems of the '' ...
,
Wu Zixu :''Note: names are in simplified characters followed by traditional and Pinyin transliteration.'' Wu Yun (died 484 BC), better known by his courtesy name Zixu, was a Chinese military general and politician of the Wu kingdom in the Spring and Aut ...
, and
Xiang Yu Xiang Yu (, –202 BC), born Xiang Ji (), was the Hegemon-King (Chinese: 霸王, ''Bà Wáng'') of Western Chu during the Chu–Han Contention period (206–202 BC) of China. A noble of the Chu state, Xiang Yu rebelled against the Qin dyna ...
, famous suicides lost in rivers. **
Yu the Great Yu the Great (大禹) was a legendary king in ancient China who was famed for his introduction of flood control, his establishment of the Xia dynasty which inaugurated dynastic rule in China, and his upright moral character. He figures promine ...
, tamer of China's Great Flood. *
Dragon King The Dragon King, also known as the Dragon God, is a Chinese water and weather god. He is regarded as the dispenser of rain, commanding over all bodies of water. He is the collective personification of the ancient concept of the '' lóng'' in C ...
s of the Four Seas. ** Ao Kuang, Dragon King of the Eastern Sea. ** Ao Qin, Dragon King of the Southern Sea. ** Ao Run, Dragon King of the Western Sea. ** Ao Shun, Dragon King of the Northern Sea.


Japanese

* Ebisu, god of fortunes and fishery, often being referred to marine megafaunas such as whales and
whale shark The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, ...
s (hence being also called "Ebisu-shark"). *Hanzaki Daimyojin, gigantic
Japanese giant salamander The Japanese giant salamander (''Andrias japonicus'') is a species of fully aquatic giant salamander endemic to Japan. With a length of up to ,Kuraokami, one of Suijin. *
Mizuchi The is a type of Japanese dragon or legendary serpent-like creature, either found in an aquatic habitat or otherwise connected to water. Some commentators perceived it to have been a water deity. It is described in the ancient pseudo-chronicle '' ...
,
Japanese dragon Japanese dragons (, ''Nihon no ryū'') are diverse legendary creatures in Japanese mythology and folklore. Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and the Indian subcontinent. The ...
and sea god. * Ōyamatsumi, god of mountains, sea and war. *
Ryūjin Ryūjin ( 龍神), which in some traditions is equivalent to Ōwatatsumi, was the tutelary deity of the sea in Japanese mythology. In many versions Ryūjin had the ability to transform into a human shape. Many believed the god had knowledge on ...
or
Watatsumi , also pronounced Wadatsumi, is a legendary ''kami'' (神, god; deity; spirit), Japanese dragon and tutelary water deity in Japanese mythology. is believed to be another name for the sea deity Ryūjin (龍神, Dragon God) and also for the , wh ...
, Japanese dragon and tutelary deity of the sea. * Suijin,
Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
god of water. *
Sumiyoshi sanjin is the generic name for the three Shinto gods ''Sokotsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (底筒男命), ''Nakatsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (中筒男命), and ''Uwatsutsu no O no Mikoto'' (表筒男命). The Sumiyoshi sanjin are regarded as the gods of the sea and ...
, god of ocean and sailing. * Susanoo, Shinto god of storms and the sea. *
Watatsumi , also pronounced Wadatsumi, is a legendary ''kami'' (神, god; deity; spirit), Japanese dragon and tutelary water deity in Japanese mythology. is believed to be another name for the sea deity Ryūjin (龍神, Dragon God) and also for the , wh ...
, dragon king and ocean god. *
Yamata no Orochi , or simply , is a legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed Japanese dragon/ serpent. Mythology Yamata no Orochi legends are originally recorded in two ancient texts about Japanese mythology and history. The 712 AD transcribes this dragon nam ...
, serpentine monster but also regarded as an incarnation of violent river. Ainu * Amemasu, monster in the lakes. * Rep-un-kamui, god of the sea, often referring to
orca The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white ...
.


Korean

* Imoogi or Imugi, giant serpents of Korean folklore which later become true dragons. * King Munmu, a king who wished to become a dragon before his death to protect Korea from the
Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, i ...
(East Sea). * Yongwang, an undersea deity believed to determine the fortunes of fishermen and sailors.


South Asia


Hindu

In Hindu culture, each water body is worshipped as a form of God. Hence, the rivers are worshipped as goddesses and the ocean is worshipped as a god. *
Varuna Varuna (; sa, वरुण, , Malay: ''Baruna'') is a Vedic deity associated initially with the sky, later also with the seas as well as Ṛta (justice) and Satya (truth). He is found in the oldest layer of Vedic literature of Hinduism, such ...
, the God of the ocean and rains and water. * Indra, King of the Gods, God of weather, and bringer of rain, thunderstorms and clouds. * Saptasindhu, the seven holy rivers of India, namely: * Ganga, the Goddess of the Ganges River. *
Yamuna The Yamuna ( Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of B ...
, the Goddess of the Yamuna River. *
Saraswati Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a g ...
, the divine Goddess of knowledge and wisdom who was personified as a river that dried up in ancient times. * Indus, also called Sindhu. The river is considered the eldest daughter of the Himalaya mountains. * Narmada, the river Goddess often worshipped as a deity and daughter of Lord
Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
. *
Godavari The Godavari (IAST: ''Godāvarī'' od̪aːʋəɾiː is India's second longest river after the Ganga river and drains into the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakeshwa ...
, the longest river of South India. The river is also considered as Dakshina Ganga. *
Kaveri The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery, the anglicized name) is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri (hill), Karnataka, Brahmagiri range in th ...
, a river of South India, worshipped by people as a goddess who was previously incarnated as
Lopamudra Lopamudra, ( sa, लोपामुद्रा) also known as Kaushitaki and Varaprada, was a philosopher according to ancient Vedic Indian literature. She was the wife of the sage Agastya who is believed to have lived in the Rigveda period ( ...
, the wife of Sage Agastya. *Rivers such as Tapi, also known as Tapati, is worshipped as a daughter of the sun god, Surya. *The river
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, worshipped as Krishnaveni Devi/Krishna Mai, is considered to be Lord
Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...
born as a river. * Tungabhadra, a tributary of Krishna, is worshipped as a goddess. The river is also known as Pampa. *
Pamba River The Pamba River (also called Pampa River) is the longest river in the Indian state of Kerala after Periyar and Bharathappuzha, and the longest river in the erstwhile former princely state of Travancore. Sabarimala temple dedicated to Lord Ayy ...
and Suvarnamukhi
River A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of w ...
flowing past the holy temple towns of Sabarimala in Kerala and
Tirupati Tirupati () is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirupati district. The city is home to the important Hindu shrine of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple and other historic temples and is re ...
and Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh, respectively. *The river Brahmaputra is the only river to have a male personification, whose name means "son of Brahma", the creator. Mariamman, regional goddess of the rain and medicine


Manipuri

*
Wangbren ) * Wangpuren ( omp, Wangpulen) * Wangbaren ( omp, Wangpulen) * Wangbren ( omp, Wangpulen) * Wangpurel ( omp, Wangpulel) * Wangbarel ( omp, Wangpulel) * Wangbrel ( omp, Wangpulel) , hiro = , Old_Norse = , script_name = Ancient M ...
, the Sea God who holds storm, rain and disaster . * Poubi Lai, the giant dragon who ruled its tyranny in the
Loktak lake , image = , caption = Different scenes of the Loktak lake of Manipur , alt = View of Loktak Lake and Phumdis , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = Manipur , coords ...
. *
Irai Leima ) , deity_of = Goddess of water and aquatic life , member_of = Lairembis , image = IRAI LEIMA.jpg , alt = , caption = The name "Irai Leima", written in Meitei Mayek abugida , other_names = * Ireima ( omp, I ...
, the Goddess of water and aquatic life.


Meitei

*
Irai Leima ) , deity_of = Goddess of water and aquatic life , member_of = Lairembis , image = IRAI LEIMA.jpg , alt = , caption = The name "Irai Leima", written in Meitei Mayek abugida , other_names = * Ireima ( omp, I ...
, goddess of water, sent down to Earth to teach humanity to build a civilisation * Ngāreima, goddess of fish * Wangbren, god of the underwater world * Thongjarok Lairembi of Thongjaorok River * Iril Lairembi of Iril River * Imphal Turel Lairembi of Imphal River * Kongba Turel Lairembi of Kongba River * Loktak Lairembi of Loktak Lake * Pumlenpat Lairembi of Pumlenpat Lake


Southeast Asia


Filipino

*Sirinan: the Isnag spirit of the river *Limat: the Gaddang god of the sea *Oden: the Bugkalot deity of the rain, worshiped for its life-giving waters *Ocean Deity: the Ilocano goddess of the ocean whose waters slammed the ediface of salt being built by Ang-ngalo and Asin, causing the sea's water to become salty *Gods of the Pistay Dayat: Pangasinense gods who are pacified through the Pistay Dayat ritual, where offerings are given to the spirits of the waters who pacify the gods *Anitun Tauo: the Sambal goddess of win and rain who was reduced in rank by Malayari for her conceit *Sedsed: the Aeta god of the sea *Apûng Malyari: the Kapampangan moon god who lives in Mt. Pinatubo and ruler of the eight rivers *Lakandanum: variant of the Kapampangan Naga, known to rule the waters *
Bathala In the indigenous religion of the ancient Tagalogs, Bathala Maykapal was the transcendent Supreme Being, the originator and ruler of the universe. He is commonly known and referred to in the modern era as Bathala, a term or title which, in ea ...
: the Tagalog supreme god and creator deity, also known as Bathala Maykapal, Lumilikha, and Abba; an enormous being with control over thunder, lightning, flood, fire, thunder, and earthquakes; presides over lesser deities and uses spirits to intercede between divinities and mortals *Anitun Tabu: the Tagalog goddess of wind and rain and daughter of Idianale and Dumangan *Lakapati: the Tagalog hermaphrodite deity and protector of sown fields, sufficient field waters, and abundant fish catch *Amanikable: the Tagalog god of the sea who was spurned by the first mortal woman; also a god of hunters *Amansinaya: the Tagalog goddess of fishermen *Haik: the Tagalog god of the sea who protects travelers from tempests and storms *Bulan-hari: one of the Tagalog deities sent by Bathala to aid the people of Pinak; can command rain to fall; married to Bitu-in *Makapulaw: the Tagalog god of sailors *Great Serpent of Pasig: a giant Tagalog serpent who created the Pasig river after merchants wished to the deity; in exchange for the Pasig's creation, the souls of the merchants would be owned by the serpent *Quadruple Deities: the four childless naked Tau-buid Mangyan deities, composed of two gods who come from the sun and two goddesses who come from the upper part of the river; summoned using the paragayan or diolang plates *Afo Sapa: the Buhid Mangyan owner of rivers *Apu Dandum: the Hanunoo Mangyan spirit living in the water *Tubigan: the Bicolano god of the water *Dagat: the Bicolano goddess of the sea *Bulan: the Bicolano moon god whose arm became the earth, and whose tears became the rivers and seas *Magindang: the Bicolano god of fishing who leads fishermen in getting a good fish catch through sounds and signs *Onos: the Bicolano deity who freed the great flood that changed the land's features *Hamorawan Lady: the Waray deity of the Hamorawan spring in Borongan, who blesses the waters with healing properties *Maka-andog: an epic Waray giant-hero who was friends with the sea spirits and controlled wildlife and fish; first inhabitant and ruler of Samar who lived for five centuries; later immortalized as a deity of fishing *Maguayan: the Bisaya god who rules over the waters as his kingdom; father of Lidagat; brother of Kaptan *Maguyaen: the Bisaya goddess of the winds of the sea *Magauayan: the Bisaya sea deity who fought against Kaptan for eons until Manaul intervened *Lidagat: the Bisaya sea deity married to the wind; daughter of Maguayan *Bakunawa: the Bisaya serpent deity who can coil around the world; sought to swallow the seven "Queen" moons, successfully eating the six, where the last is guarded by bamboos *Makilum-sa-tubig: the Bisaya god of the sea *Kasaray-sarayan-sa-silgan: the Bisaya god of streams *Magdan-durunoon: the Bisaya god of hidden lakes *Santonilyo: a Bisaya deity who brings rain when its image is immersed at sea *Magyawan: the Hiligaynon god of the sea *Manunubo: the Hiligaynon and Aklanon good spirit of the sea *Launsina: the Capiznon goddess of the sun, moon, stars, and seas, and the most beloved because people seek forgiveness from her *Kapapu-an: the Karay-a pantheon of ancestral spirits from whom the supernatural powers of shamans originated from; their aid enables specific types of shamans to gush water from rocks, leap far distances, create oil shields, become invisible, or pass through solid matter *Neguno: the Cuyonon and Agutaynen god of the sea that cursed a selfish man by turning him into the first shark *Polo: the benevolent Tagbanwa god of the sea whose help is invoked during times of illness *Diwata Kat Sidpan: a deity who lives in the western region called Sidpan; controls the rains *Diwata Kat Libatan: a deity who lives in the eastern region called Babatan; controls the rain *Tagma-sa-Dagat: the Subanon god of the sea *Tagma-sa-uba: the Subanon god of the rivers *Diwata na Magbabaya: simply referred as Magbabaya; the good Bukidnon supreme deity and supreme planner who looks like a man; created the earth and the first eight elements, namely bronze, gold, coins, rock, clouds, rain, iron, and water; using the elements, he also created the sea, sky, moon, and stars; also known as the pure god who wills all things; one of three deities living in the realm called Banting *Dadanhayan ha Sugay: the evil Bukidnon lord from whom permission is asked; depicted as the evil deity with a human body and ten heads that continuously drools sticky saliva, which is the source of all waters; one of the three deities living in the realm called Banting *Bulalakaw: the Bukidnon guardian of the water and all the creatures living in it *Python of Pusod Hu Dagat: the gigantic Bukidnon python living at the center of the sea; caused a massive flood when it coiled its body at sea *Bulalakaw: the Talaandig deity who safeguards the creatures in the rivers; the lalayon ritual is offered to the deity *Tagbanua: the Manobo god of rain *Yumud: the god of water *Pamulak Manobo: the Bagobo supreme deity and creator of the world, including the land, sea, and the first humans; throws water from the sky, causing rain, while his spit are the showers *Eels of Mount Apo: two giant Bagobo eels, where one went east and arrived at sea, begetting all the eels of the world; the other went west, and remained on land until it died and became the western foothills of Mount Apo *Fon Eel: the Blaan spirit of water *Fu El: the T;boli spirit of water *Fu El Melel: the T'boli spirit of the river *Segoyong: the Teduray guardians of the classes of natural phenomena; punishes humans to do not show respect and steal their wards; many of them specialize in a class, which can be water, trees, grasses, caves behind waterfalls, land caves, snakes, fire, nunuk trees, deers, and pigs *Tunung: the Maguindanao spirits who live in the sky, water, mountain, or trees; listens to prayers and can converse with humans by borrowing the voice of a medium; protects humans from sickness and crops from pests *Tonong: divine Maranao spirits who often aid heroes; often lives in nonok trees, seas, lakes, and the sky realm *Umboh Tuhan: also called Umboh Dilaut, the Sama-Bajau god of the sea and one of the two supreme deities; married to Dayang Dayang Mangilai *Umboh Kamun: the Sama-Bajau totem of mantis shrimp *Sumangâ: the Sama-Bajau spirit of sea vessels; the guardian who deflects attacksStacey, N. (2007). Boats to Burn: Bajo fishing activity in the Australian fishing zone. Canberra, Australia: ANU E Press.


Indonesian

*
Dewi Danu Dewi Danu is the water goddess of the Balinese Hindus, who call their belief-system Agama Tirta, or ''belief-system of the water''. She is one of two supreme deities in the Balinese tradition. See also *Danu (Asura) Danu () is a Hindu primo ...
, Balinese Hindu water goddess. * Dewi Lanjar, Javanese Queen of the North Sea. * Nyai Roro Kidul, Javanese Queen of the South Sea (Indian Ocean).


Vietnam

* Động Đình Quân, Kinh Dương Vương's father-in-law, grandfather of Lạc Long Quân, he was a Long Vương who lived in
Dongting Lake Dongting Lake () is a large, shallow lake in northeastern Hunan Province, China. It is a flood basin of the Yangtze River, so its volume depends on the season. The provinces of Hubei and Hunan are named after their location relative to the la ...
. * Lạc Long Quân, he is the ancestor of the Vietnamese people and is also one of the top Long Vươngs under the Water Palace. * Bát Hải Long Vương or Vua Cha Bát Hải Động Đình, he is a Long Vương and also the father of Mẫu Thoải. He is the son of Lạc Long Quân and one of the heads of the Water Palace. * Đông Hải Long Vương, was the 25th son of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ who ruled the whole Bồ Sào region, ruled the Red River, gathered people scattered because of floods to re-explore the hamlets, and kept quiet villages throughout the delta form Ngã ba Hạc to the sea estuary. * Mẫu Thoải, the head goddess of all rivers, lakes and seas. She governs water and all things related to water. * Long Vương, the Long Vương is a common name for the gods who rule over the sea and ocean. * Tô Lịch Giang Thần, god of Tô Lịch River. * Hà Bá, the god who manages the rivers (note that each river has its own governing god, and each person's power may be less or more powerful than Hà Bá). * Bà Thủy, goddess with a job similar to Hà Bá * Cá Ông, this god often appears in the form of large fish (such as whales, dolphins, sperm whales,...) to help ships that have accidents due to weather at sea. * Độc Cước, god of protection for the people of the sea. * Thuồng Luồng or Giao Long, They can be water monsters, they can also be water gods.


Turkic

* Talay, god of ocean.


Polynesian


Fijian

* Dakuwaqa, a shark god. *
Daucina In Fijian mythology (Fiji), Daucina ("torchbearer") is the great god of seafaring Fiji. When Daucina was a toddler, he was only quiet when looking at a lamp. His mother tied fiery reeds to his head so that he would be calm. He has roamed the cora ...
, god of seafaring.


Hawaiian

* Kamohoalii, shark god. *
Kanaloa In the traditions of ancient Hawaii, Kanaloa is a god symbolized by the squid or by the octopus, and is typically associated with Kāne. It is also an alternative name for the island of Kahoolawe. In legends and chants, Kāne and Kanaloa are ...
or
Tangaroa Tangaroa (Takaroa in the South Island) is the great of the sea, lakes, rivers, and creatures that live within them, especially fish, in Māori mythology. As Tangaroa-whakamau-tai he exercises control over the tides. He is sometimes depicted a ...
, god of the ocean and magics and underworld with forms of cephalopod. *
Nāmaka In Hawaiian mythology, Nāmaka (or Nā-maka-o-Kahai, the eyes of Kahai) appears as a sea goddess in the Pele family. She is an older sister of Pele-honua-mea. She is the daughter of Ku-waha-ilo and Haumea, whose other children are Pele, the H ...
, sea goddess. * Ukupanipo, shark god who controls the amount of fish close enough for the fisherman to catch.


Māori

*
Ikatere In Māori and Polynesian mythology, Ikatere, also spelled Ika-tere, ('fast fish') is a fish god, the father of all sea creatures, including mermaids. He is a son of Punga, and a grandson of Tangaroa, and his brother is Tū-te-wehiwehi (Grey 1 ...
, a fish god, the father of all the sea creatures including mermaids. * Kiwa, a guardian of the sea. * Rongomai, a whale god. * Ruahine, an eel god. *
Taniwha In Māori mythology, taniwha () are large supernatural beings that live in deep pools in rivers, dark caves, or in the sea, especially in places with dangerous currents or deceptive breakers (giant waves). They may be considered highly respected ...
, deities or monsters (often take forms resembling dragons). *
Tangaroa Tangaroa (Takaroa in the South Island) is the great of the sea, lakes, rivers, and creatures that live within them, especially fish, in Māori mythology. As Tangaroa-whakamau-tai he exercises control over the tides. He is sometimes depicted a ...
, god of the sea. * Tawhirimātea, god of the weather, rain, storms and wind *
Tinirau In Polynesian mythology, stories about Tinirau are found throughout the islands of Polynesia. He is a guardian of fish. Many themes recur in the various versions. Often he travels to another land in search of his wife, or his wife travels to anot ...
, a guardian of the sea. * Tohora ( Maori name for southern right whales), the great whale who saved legendary hero
Paikea is a notable ancestor who originated in Hawaiki according to Māori tradition. He is particularly known to tribes with origins in the Gisborne District such as , and . is the name assumed by because he was assisted by a whale to survive an at ...
, famously known as the
Whale Rider ''Whale Rider'' is a 2002 New Zealand drama film written and directed by Niki Caro. Based on the 1987 novel ''The Whale Rider'' by Witi Ihimaera, the film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve-year-old Māori girl whose a ...
, (also the Maori name for
humpback whale The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh up to . The hu ...
s) from drowning and carried him to land. This led to the creation of New Zealand.


Samoan


''other island nations''

* Agunua, serpentine god of the sea of
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
. *
Ayida-Weddo Ayida-Weddo is a loa of fertility, rainbows, wind, water, fire, and snakes in Vodou, especially in Benin and Haiti. Ayida-Weddo is known as the "Rainbow Serpent". Variants of Ayida-Weddo's name include Aida-Weddo, Ayida-Wedo, Aido Quedo, and A ...
, serpentine spirit among several island nations.
Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...
*Tangaroa, God of the Ocean and Seas *Momoke, fair maidens, said to be water spirits with skin as pale as milk. These 'white ones' approach those on land during the night, emerging from deep pools of water to collect food or to seduce men before returning to the water depths. It is said that the Momoke come from an underwater nation, though some have said that this watery kingdom is also 'Avaiki'; paradise, heaven and the source of all of creation.


Australia

* Eingana, mother of all. *
Rainbow Serpent The Rainbow Serpent or Rainbow Snake is a common deity often seen as the creator God, known by numerous names in different Australian Aboriginal languages by the many different Aboriginal peoples. It is a common motif in the art and religion ...
s, creators of
dreamtime The Dreaming, also referred to as Dreamtime, is a term devised by early anthropologists to refer to a religio-cultural worldview attributed to Australian Aboriginal beliefs. It was originally used by Francis Gillen, quickly adopted by his co ...
. * Ungud, serpent god bring fortunes. *
Wirnpa Wirnpa is a rainmaking snake who according to Aboriginal legend created the land around the Percival Lakes in Wirnpa country, Australia in the Dreamtime The Dreaming, also referred to as Dreamtime, is a term devised by early anthropolog ...
, creator of rain. * Yurlungur, the copper serpent.


Native Americas


North America


Inuit

* Aipaloovik, an evil sea god associated with death and destruction. *
Alignak In Inuit mythology, Alignak is a lunar deity and god of weather, water, tides, eclipses, and earthquakes. See also * List of lunar deities A lunar deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. Lunar deities and Moon worship c ...
, a lunar deity and god of weather, water, tides, eclipses, and earthquakes. * Arnapkapfaaluk, a fearsome sea goddess. *
Idliragijenget In Inuit mythology, Idliragijenget is the goddess, god of the ocean. References

Inuit goddesses Sea and river goddesses Underworld goddesses {{NorthAm-myth-stub ...
, god of the ocean. *Kanajuk, the scorpionfish god and husband of the goddesses Nuliajuk and Isarraitaitsoq. * Nootaikok, god who presided over icebergs and glaciers. * Nuliajuk and Isarraitaitsoq, goddesses of the sea's depths and its creatures among the Netsilik Inuit. * Sedna, goddess of the sea and its creatures.


Central America and the Caribbean


Mexica

* Atlaua, god of water, archers, and fishermen. *
Chalchiuhtlicue Chalchiuhtlicue (from ''chālchihuitl'' "jade" and ''cuēitl'' "skirt") (also spelled Chalciuhtlicue, Chalchiuhcueye, or Chalcihuitlicue) ("She of the Jade Skirt") is an Aztec deity of water, rivers, seas, streams, storms, and baptism. Chalch ...
, goddess of water, lakes, rivers, seas, streams, horizontal waters, storms, and baptism. * Opochtli, god of fishing and birdcatchers. *
Tlāloc Tlaloc ( nci-IPA, Tlāloc, ˈtɬaːlok) is a deity in Aztec religion. The supreme god of the rain, Tlaloc is also a god of earthly fertility and of water. He was widely worshipped as a beneficent giver of life and sustenance, as well as feared f ...
, god of water, fertility, and rain. * Tlaloque, a group of rain, water, and mountain gods.


Ewe / Fon

* Agwé, a sea loa. * Clermeil, a river loa. * Mami Wata, a water loa. * Pie, a lake and river loa.


Mayan

* Chaac, god of rain. * Kukulcan, god of the seas, oceans, and storms


Taíno

*
Atabey (goddess) Atabey is an ancestral mother of the Taino, one of two supreme ancestral spirits in the Taíno religion. She was worshipped as a zemi, which is an embodiment of nature and ancestral spirit, (not to be confused with a goddess, how she is common ...
, Mother goddess of fresh water and fertility. Female counterpart of the god Yúcahu.


South America


Tupi-Guarani (Brazilian Myth)

* Amanasy, Goddess of the rain and frogs * Iara, Guardian of the water and of the Amazon River * Ipupiara, Guardian of the sea * Luruaçu, Goddess of the storms * Tupã, God of the thunder, weather, storms and clouds


Incan

*
Pariacaca Pariacaca, Paria Caca'','' Paryaqaqa, Parya Qaqa, (possibly from Quechua ''parya'' reddish; copper; sparrow, ''qaqa'' rock) or Tullujuto (possibly from Quechua ''tullu'' bone, ''qutu'' heap, "bone heap") is the highest mountain in the Pariacaca ...
, god of water and rainstorms. * Paricia, god who sent a flood to kill humans who did not respect him adequately.


Panche/

Muisca The Muisca (also called Chibcha) are an indigenous people and culture of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Colombia, that formed the Muisca Confederation before the Spanish conquest. The people spoke Muysccubun, a language of the Chibchan langu ...

* Mohan, a mischievous entity associated with rivers, lakes and water in general.


See also

* Holy wells * Nadi (yoga) * Nature worship *
Sea monster Sea monsters are beings from folklore believed to dwell in the sea and often imagined to be of immense size. Marine monsters can take many forms, including sea dragons, sea serpents, or tentacled beasts. They can be slimy and scaly and are of ...
* Water chakra * Water spirit


References

{{Authority control * Water deities