Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses

Although Greek and Roman gods and goddesses have been well covered in reference books, few resources try to encompass a complete worldview. Basing his compilation on standard religious reference books, including specialized titles for lesser-known sects, the author of this volume lists more than 2,500 deities from Sumerian, Egyptian, Australian Aboriginal, Akkadian-Babylonian, Hindu, Hittite-Hurrian, Greek, Hebrew, Mayan, Celtic, and Buddhist religions, among others. He focuses on names that readers would be likely to encounter in iconographic and mythological texts. The second edition corrects the underrepresentation of Pacific Islander cultures of the first edition (Encyclopedia of the Gods, 1993) and expands the bibliography to include new religious reference titles. Cross-references have been increased, and a comprehensive index facilitates research access.