Water deity

A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with water 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 were springs or holy wells.

List of water deities

Greek/Roman mythology

Poseidon, Greek god of seas and waters

• Poseidon (Greek) and Neptune (Roman)
• Phorcys (Phorkys), son of Pontus and Gaia
• Oceanus and Tethys
• Proteus
• Triton
• Nereus
• Water nymph
  • Helead (fen)
  • Oceanids (daughters of Oceanus and Tethys, any water but usually salt water)
  • Sangarius, son of Oceanus and Tethys
• Nereids (daughters of Nereus, the Mediterranean Sea)
• Naiads (usually fresh water)
  • Crinaeae (fountains)
  • Limnades/Limnatides (lakes)
  • Pegaeae (springs)
  • Potameides (rivers)
  • Eleionomae (marshes)
• Anapos (water god of eastern Sicily in Greek mythology)

Norse/Germanic

• Aegir, personification of the sea
• Rán, sea goddess of love who collects the drowned in a net
• Njord, god of the sea, particularly of seafaring
• Nerthus, goddess of lakes, springs, holy waters
• Nix, water spirits who usually appear in human form
• Lud, a river god of Celtic mythology

Hindu/Vedic Mythology

• Ganga goddess of the Ganges River
• Varuna (celestial ocean)
• Various rivers associated with goddesses in the Rigveda, such as Sarasvati (Sarasvati River) and Yamuna

Water deities in other cultures

• Egyptian mythology
  • Hapy - god of the river Nile

• Sumerian mythology
  • Enki - god of water and of the River Tigris

• Celtic
  • Manannán mac Lir (Irish)
  • Dylan Eil Ton (Welsh)
  • Manawydan (Welsh)
  • Llŷr (Welsh)
  • Boann - goddess of the River Boyne (Irish)
  • Sinann - goddess of the River Shannon (Irish)
  • Sequana - goddess of the River Seine (Gaulish)

• Lusitanian mythology
  • Nabia - goddess of rivers and lakes

• Chinese traditional religion
  • Mazu

• Inuit mythology
  • Idliragijenget
  • Sedna
  • Aipaloovik
  • Arnapkapfaaluk

• Lithuanian mythology
  • Bangpūtys

• Japanese mythology
  • Susanoo - Shinto god of storms and sea
  • Ryūjin or Watatsumi - Japanese dragon and sea god

• Ainu mythology
  • Repun Kamui

• Māori mythology
  • Tangaroa

• Tonga (Zambizi Valley Zimbabwe)
  • Nyami Nyami

• Yoruba religion/Afro-American religions
  • Yemaja who is seen as the divinity of the sea by some believers of Yoruba religion; and for other believers as the deity responsible for the meeting between the river's and the ocean's waters.
  • Mami Wata
  • Ochún/Oxum

• Canaanite religion
  • Yam (god)

• Pirate lore
  • Davy Jones - the Devil of the seas

See also

• Sea monster
• Nature worship
• Holy wells