List of Mycenaean deities

This is an incomplete list of Mycenaean Greek deities^{[n 1]} and of the way their names, epithets or titles are spelled and attested in Mycenaean Greek, written in Linear B,^{[n 2]} a syllabary, along with, at places, reconstructions and equivalent forms thereof in later Greek and in the Greek alphabet.

Deities

Gods

• Anemoi - attested through *Anemohiereia or *Anemon Hiereia, "Priestess of the Winds" (Linear B: 𐀀𐀚𐀗𐀂𐀋𐀩𐀊, a-ne-mo-i-je-re-ja, 𐀀𐀚𐀗𐄀𐀂𐀋𐀩𐀊, a-ne-mo,i-je-re-ja)^{[1][2][3][4][n 3][n 4][n 5][n 6]}

• Ares (Linear B: 𐀀𐀩, a-re)^{[1][8][9][10][11]}

• Despotas(?) - unclear, perhaps house deity (Linear B: 𐀈𐀡𐀲, do-po-ta)^{[11][12][13][n 7][n 8][n 9]}

• Dionysus (Linear B: 𐀇𐀺𐀝𐀰, di-wo-nu-so)^{[11][18][n 10]}

• Dipsioi - perhaps "the Thirsty and hence the Dead Ones"; perhaps related to Thessalian month Dipsos, meaning obscure (Linear B: 𐀇𐀠𐀯𐀍𐀂, di-pi-si-jo-i)^{[11][24][25][26][27][n 11]}

• Drimios - unknown, in later times, son of Zeus, perhaps a predecessor of Apollo (Linear B: 𐀇𐀪𐀖𐀍, di-ri-mi-jo)^{[11][26][29][n 7][n 12]}

• Enesidaon - possibly a theonym; possibly an epithet of Poseidon, assumed to mean "Earthshaker" or something similar (Linear B: 𐀁𐀚𐀯𐀅𐀃𐀚, e-ne-si-da-o-ne)^{[2][29][32][n 9][n 13][n 14]}

• Enyalius - a later epithet of Ares (Linear B: 𐀁𐀝𐀷𐀪𐀍, e-nu-wa-ri-jo)^{[2][11][20][26]}

• Hephaestus - regarded as indirectly attested by the name *Haphaistios or *Haphaistion, a name presumed to be theophoric (Linear B: 𐀀𐀞𐀂𐀴𐀍, a-pa-i-ti-jo)^[19][21][35]

• Hermes (Linear B: 𐀁𐀔𐁀, e-ma-*25 or e-ma-ha)^{[11][30][36][37][38][n 15]}
  • Areias - epithet (Linear B: 𐀀𐀩𐀊, a-re-ja)^{[30][40][n 7]}

• Marineus(?) - unknown deity, perhaps "God of the Woolens", meaning obscure (Linear B: 𐀔𐀪𐀚, ma-ri-ne(-u?), 𐀔𐀪𐀚𐀸, ma-ri-ne-we, 𐀔𐀪𐀚𐀺, ma-ri-ne-wo)^{[11][19][21][41][42]}

• Pade(?) - possibly unknown god, thought to be Cretan, Minoan in origin (Linear B: 𐀞𐀆 pa-de, 𐀞𐀆𐀂 pa-de-i)^{[1][2][11][43]}

• Paean - a precursor of Apollo (Linear B: 𐀞𐀊𐀍𐀚, pa-ja-wo-ne)^{[2][44][45][n 16]}

• Poseidon - chief deity (Linear B: 𐀡𐀮𐀆𐀃, po-se-da-o, 𐀡𐀮𐀆𐀺𐀚, po-se-da-wo-ne)^{[11][47][48][n 9]}

• Trisheros - theonym, "Thrice-Hero"; thought to attest, and pertain to, an ancestor cult (Linear B: 𐀴𐀪𐀮𐀫𐀁, ti-ri-se-ro-e)^{[11][26][54][55][56][n 17][n 18][n 19]}

• Wanax - "the King"; in this case it's considered to be a theonym in the dative case; perhaps an epithet of Zeus (Linear B: 𐀷𐀙𐀏𐀳, wa-na-ka-te)^{[11][26][64][n 20][n 21]}

• Zeus - God of the sky (Linear B: 𐀇𐀸, di-we, 𐀇𐀺, di-wo)^[11][67][68]
  • Diktaios - local epithet of Zeus on Crete (Linear B: 𐀇𐀏𐀲𐀍 𐀇𐀸, di-ka-ta-jo di-we)^{[1][11][69][70][n 22][n 23]}

Goddesses

• Artemis (Linear B: 𐀀𐀳𐀖𐀵, a-te-mi-to, 𐀀𐀴𐀖𐀳, a-ti-mi-te)^{[11][72][73][74][75]}

• Diwia - possibly the female counterpart of Zeus, possibly Dione in later Greek (Linear B: 𐀇𐀄𐀊, di-u-ja, 𐀇𐀹𐀊, di-wi-ja)^{[2][11][13][26]}

• Doqeia(?) - possibly an unknown goddess but could be only a feminine adjective (Linear B: 𐀈𐀤𐀊, do-qe-ja)^{[76][77][78][n 24]}

• Eileithyia - attested in the Cretan Eleuthia form; perhaps Minoan in origin (Linear B: 𐀁𐀩𐀄𐀴𐀊, e-re-u-ti-ja)^{[2][11][80][81][82]}

• Erinys - both forms of the theonym are considered to be in the singular number (Linear B: 𐀁𐀪𐀝, e-ri-nu, 𐀁𐀪𐀝𐀸, e-ri-nu-we)^{[1][11][47][83][84][n 25]}

• Hera (Linear B: 𐀁𐀨, e-ra)^[11][26][86]

• Iphemedeia - theonym; probably variant form of the name of the mythological person found in Homer's Odyssey (Linear B: 𐀂𐀟𐀕𐀆𐀊, i-pe-me-de-ja)^{[11][13][26][87]}

• Komawenteia(?) - possibly unknown deity, possibly meaning "long-haired goddess" (Linear B: 𐀒𐀔𐀸𐀳𐀊 ko-ma-we-te-ja)^{[13][88][n 26]}

• Manasa - unknown goddess (Linear B: 𐀔𐀙𐀭, ma-na-sa)^{[11][26][76][91][92][n 7][n 27]}

• Mater Theia - possibly Mother of the Gods or Mother Goddess (Linear B: 𐀔𐀳𐀩𐄀𐀳𐀂𐀊, ma-te-re,te-i-ja)^{[11][93][94][n 28]}

• Pipituna - unknown deity, considered to be Pre-Greek or Minoan (Linear B: 𐀠𐀠𐀶𐀙, pi-pi-tu-na)^{[1][2][11][27][29][97][98][n 29]}

• Posidaeia - probably the female counterpart to Poseidon (Linear B: 𐀡𐀯𐀅𐀁𐀊, po-si-da-e-ja)^{[11][13][n 7]}

• Potnia - “Mistress” or “Lady”; may be used as an epithet for many deities, but also shows up as a single deity (Linear B: 𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, po-ti-ni-ja)^{[11][100][101][102][n 9]}
  • Potnia Athena - or Potnia of At(h)ana (Athens(?)); reference of the latter is uncertain (Linear B: 𐀀𐀲𐀙𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, a-ta-na-po-ti-ni-ja)^{[2][11][94][n 30]}
  • Potnia Hippeia - Mistress of the Horses; later epithet of Demeter and Athena (Linear B: 𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊𐄀𐀂𐀤𐀊, po-ti-ni-ja,i-qe-ja)^{[11][94][n 31][n 32]}
  • Potnia of Sitos - Mistress of Grain, Bronze Age predecessor or epithet of Demeter (Linear B: 𐀯𐀵𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, si-to-po-ti-ni-ja)^{[11][76][94][104][n 33]}
  • Potnia of the Labyrinth (Linear B: 𐀅𐁆𐀪𐀵𐀍𐄀𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, da-pu₂-ri-to-jo,po-ti-ni-ja)^{[2][11][26][94]}
  • Potnia, at Thebes, of no attested name or title, other than that offers are made to her house, her premises (Linear B: 𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊𐄀𐀺𐀒𐀆, po-ti-ni-ja,wo-ko-de)^{[11][19][26][106][107][n 34]}
  • Potnia, of unidentified Pylos sanctuary - unknown local(?) goddess of pa-ki-ja-ne (*Sphagianes?) sanctuary at Pylos (Linear B: 𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, po-ti-ni-ja)^{[94][109][110][n 7][n 35][n 36]}
  • Potnia, of uncertain A place or epithet (Linear B: 𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊𐄀𐀀𐀯𐀹𐀊, po-ti-ni-ja,a-si-wi-ja)^{[11][115][n 37][n 38]}
  • Potnia, of unknown E place or epithet (Linear B: 𐀁𐀩𐀹𐀍𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, e-re-wi-jo-po-ti-ni-ja)^{[76][n 39]}
  • Potnia, of unknown N place or epithet (Linear B: 𐀚𐀺𐀟𐀃𐄀𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, ne-wo-pe-o,po-ti-ni-ja)^[11][76]
  • Potnia, of unknown U place or epithet (Linear B: 𐀄𐀡𐀍𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, u-po-jo-po-ti-ni-ja)^{[11][76][n 40]}
  • Potnia, of unknown ? place or epithet (Linear B: 𐀀𐀐𐀯𐄀𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊, (?)-a-ke-si,po-ti-ni-ja)^{[76][n 41]}

• Preswa(?) - generally interpreted as a dove goddess or an early form of Persephone (Linear B: 𐀟𐀩𐁚, pe-re-*82 or pe-re-swa)^{[11][13][91][119]}

• Qerasia(?) - unknown goddess, perhaps Minoan in origin or possibly connected with thēr (Linear B: 𐀤𐀨𐀯𐀊, qe-ra-si-ja)^{[1][2][11][26][76][120][121][122][n 42][n 43]}

• Qowia(?) - unknown deity, possibly meaning “She of the Cow(s)" (Linear B: 𐀦𐀹𐀊, qo-wi-ja)^{[13][66][76][n 7][n 44][n 45]}

• Wanasse(?) - "the Two Queens", possibly Demeter and Persephone, *wanassoin(?) regarded as a dative dual form (Linear B: 𐀷𐀙𐀰𐀂, wa-na-so-i)^{[11][26][109][n 20][n 21]}

Pantheon

• Pantes Theoi - a special invocation "to All the Gods", irrespectively of sex, etc.; recurrently attested at Knossos (Linear B : 𐀞𐀯𐀳𐀃𐀂, pa-si-te-o-i)^{[2][30][127][128][n 46][n 47][n 48]}

Heroes, mortals and other entities or concepts

• Proteus - could be the theonym of the sea-god Proteus, but probably just the anthroponym of a nobleman (Linear B: 𐀡𐀫𐀳𐀄, po-ro-te-u)^{[130][131][132]}

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Linear B, Mycenaean civilization.

For a list of words relating to Mycenaean Greek and Linear B, see the Mycenaean Greek language category of words in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Linear A
• Epigraphy
• Palaeography
• Leiden Conventions
• Aegean civilizations
• Cycladic civilization
• History of Greece
• History of religions
• History of writing

Notes and references

Notes

References

Sources

Books

• Ventris, Michael; Chadwick, John (1973). Documents in Mycenaean Greek: Three Hundred Selected Tablets from Knossos, Pylos, and Mycenae. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521085588. 
• Chadwick, John (1976). The Mycenaean World. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-29037-6. 
• Burkert, Walter (1985). Greek Religion. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674362810. 
• Castleden, Rodney (2003) [1990]. The Knossos Labyrinth. A New View of the `Palace of Minos' at Knossos. Rootledge. ISBN 9780415033152. 
• Anthology of Classical Myth: Primary Sources in translation. Edited and translated by Stephen M. Trzaskoma, R. Scott Smith, Stephen Brunet; with an Appendix on Linear B Sources by Thomas G. Palaima. Hackett Publishing. 2004. ISBN 0-87220-721-8. 
• Budin, Stephanie Lynn (2004). The Ancient Greeks. New Perspectives. Understanding Ancient Civilizations. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1576078140. 
• Schofield, Louise (2007). The Mycenaeans. The British Museum Press. ISBN 978-0-89236-867-9. 
• Fischer-Hansen, Tobias; Poulsen, Birte, eds. (2009). From Artemis to Diana. The Goddess of Man and Beast. 12 Acta Hyperborea. Collegium Hyperboreum and Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 9788763507882. 
• Duhoux, Yves; Morpurgo Davies, Anna, eds. (2011). A Companion to Linear B: Mycenaean Greek Texts and their World 2. Peeters. ISBN 9782758401162. 

Articles in journals, periodicals and of conferences

• Suppléments au Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique. La Crète mycénienne: Actes de la Table Ronde Internationale organisée par l'École française d'Athènes. . Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique 30 (Athens: Collections de l'Ecole française d'Athènes en ligne). 1997 [Date of Conference: 26–28 March 1991].  External link in |publisher= (help)
  • Hägg, Robin (1997). "Religious syncretism at Knossos and in post-palatial Crete?": 163–168. 
  • Hiller, Stefan (1997). "Cretan sanctuaries and mycenaean palatial administration at Knossos": 205–212. 
• Proceedings from the International Conference Antiquitas Viva. Antiquitas Viva. . Živa antika 50. 2000 [Date of Conference: 5–7 December 2000]. 
  • Gulizio, Joann (2000). Hermes and e-ma-a₂: The continuity of his cult from the Bronze age to the historical period (PDF). pp. 105–116. 
• Deger-Jalkotzy, Sigrid; Lemos, Irene S., eds. (2006) [Date of Conference: 22–25 January 2003]. Ancient Greece: From the Mycenaean Palaces to the Age of Homer. Edinburgh Leventis Studies 3. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 0748618899. 
  • Palaima, Thomas G. (2006), Wanaks and related power terms in Mycenaean and later Greek (PDF), pp. 53–72 
• Sacconi, A., ed. (2008) [Date of Conference: 20–25 February 2006]. (In two volumes)|chapter-format= requires |chapter-url= (help). Colloquium Romanum: atti del XII colloquio internazionale di micenologia. XII colloquio internazionale di micenologia. Rome. Pasiphae. et al. Eds. Pisa and Rome. ISBN 9788862270564. 
  • Gulizio, Joann (2008). "Mycenaean Religion at Knossos". Academia.edu. 

Online databases and dictionaries

Mycenaean Greek and Linear B

• Palaeolexicon. Word study tool of ancient languages. Ca. 2008 and forwards. 
• Aurora, Federico; Haug, Dag Trygve Truslew. Et alii. Ca. 2010 and forwards. "DĀMOS: Database of Mycenaean at Oslo". https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/ (University of Oslo. Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas).  External link in |work= (help)
• Raymoure, K.A. Ca. 2012 and forwards. "Linear B Transliterations". Dead Languages of the Mediterranean.  External link in |work= (help)

Ancient Greek, Latin and of English etymology

• A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. Revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1879.  At the Perseus Project, a digital library project of Tufts University.
• Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1889). An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press.  At the Perseus Project.
• Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1940). A Greek-English Lexicon. Revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie. Oxford: Clarendon Press.  At the Perseus Project.
• Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary. Ca. 2000 and forwards.