List of Proto-Indo-European deities

This is an overview of deities reconstructed from Proto-Indo-European mythology, based on the comparative method. Not all academics are in agreement about the existence of these entities, but the following are broadly accepted as reconstructed deities. For specifics on how each deity was deduced, refer to their separate articles.

List of Major Deities

• Dyḗws: Represents the daylight sky and is envisioned as a male god. His lineage includes deities like the Hittite Šiwat, Luwian Tiwaz, Ancient Greek Zeus, Roman Jupiter, Dis Pater, and Dius Fidius, Vedic Dyáuṣ, Albanian Zojz, Baltic Dievas, Norse Týr, among others.
• Dʰéǵʰōm: Considered a divine embodiment of Earth, depicted as a mother goddess and partner to *Dyḗws. Her descendants are found across Indo-European cultures, including Hittite Dankuiš Daganzipaš, Greek Chthonia (Gaia) and Demeter, Roman Terra, Vedic Prithvi and Bhūmi, Slavic Mat Zemlya, Lithuanian Žemyna, Norse Jörð, and others. Also known by the epithet *Pl̥th₂éwih₂
• Divine Twins: Sons of *Dyḗws associated with fertility, oath protection, divine battle aid, healing, and sea rescue, often linked to horses. Their analogs include Vedic Ashvins, Lithuanian Ašvieniai, and Greek and Roman Castor and Pollux, among possible others.
• Mitra-Varuna: A duo symbolizing law. Further correspondences are detailed under their collective entry.
• Perkʷunos: A deity of weather and thunder, with parallels in Luwian Tarḫunz, Slavic Perun, Baltic Perkūnas, Vedic Parjanya, Norse Fjörgynn, later Thor, Albanian Perëndi, etc.
• H₂éwsōs (*Bʰr̥ǵʰéntih₂): Dawn goddess, heralding light, and *Dyḗws's daughter. Equivalents include Vedic Ushas, Greek Eos, Roman Aurora, Armenian Ayg, Norse Aurvandill, Lithuanian Aušrinė, Slavic Zorya, Celtic Brigantia, German Eostre, Albanian Prende and among others.
• Seh₂ul, Sóh₂wl̥, Sh₂wélyos, or H₂rewis: A solar deity, envisioned as Dyḗws's eye, with counterparts like Vedic Surya, Zoroastrian Hvare-khshaeta, Greek Helios, Roman Sol Invictus, Norse Sol, and others across various traditions.
• Meh₁not or Mḗh₁n̥s: Moon deity with connections to Vedic Chandra, Norse Máni, Baltic Mėnuo, Slavic Myesyats, Zoroastrian Mah, Greek Mene (Selene), Roman Luna, Welsh Arianrhod, Anatolian Arma, among others.
• H₁n̥gʷnis: Fire personification, related to Vedic Agni, Albanian *En, Slavic Svarozhits, Norse Logi.
• H₂epom Nepōts: Underwater fire god, paralleled by Roman Neptune, Indo-Iranian Apam Napat, Irish Nechtan, etc.
• H₂weh₁-yú: Wind god, with similarities to Vedic Vayu, Zoroastrian Vayu-Vata, Baltic Vėjas, Slavic Stribog, and Norse Kári.
• Peh₂usōn: Pastoral deity overseeing roads and herds, found in Vedic Pushan, Greek Pan, and Roman Faunus.
• Fates: Three sisters governing fate and destiny, observed in Hittite Gulšeš, Greek Moirai, Roman Parcae, Vedic Tridevi, Slavic Rozhanitsy, Norse Norns, Irish Morrígna, Albanian Fatia, etc.
• H₂eryo-mén: Protector of roads, welfare, and community, mirrored in Vedic Aryaman, Zoroastrian Airyaman, Gaulish Ariomanus, Irish Érimón, and possibly Germanic Irmin.
• 'Unreconstructable' Smith God: A crafting deity, seen in Greek Hephaestus, Roman Vulcanus, Vedic Tvashtr, Ossetian Kurdalægon, Germanic Wayland, Slavic Svarog, Baltic Teliavelis, and others.
• Déh₂nu: River and fertility goddess, mother of the *Deh₂newyóes, with a legacy in rivers like Danube, Dnieper, Dniester, Don, and deities like Vedic Danu, Irish Danu and Anu, Welsh Dôn.
• Pria: Garden and love goddess, linked to Vedic Parvati, Proto-Germanic Frijjō, Czech Příje, Russian Paraskeva Friday, and their masculine counterparts like Graeco-Roman Priapus, Norse Freyr, possibly Vedic Vanaspati and Polabian Pripegala.
• Wérunos: Cattle and livestock deity, potentially related to Slavic Veles, Volos, Baltic Velnias, Celtic Vellaunus, Germanic Ullr.
• Ḱolyo, Móros, Moreh₂: Death goddess with the power over life, paralleled by Norse Hel, Greek Calypso, Hindu Śarva, Mṛtyu, Mara, Zoroastrian Sauruua, Slavic Morana, Morena, Mara, Roman Morta.

Lesser Deities

• These entities, while not lesser in importance, have less evidence supporting their existence and are less frequently reconstructed.
• Mawōrts: Ancestor to Mars and Maruts, likely more cosmological than martial, and not related to Ares.
• A trifunctional goddess linked to Juno, Anahita, and Athena.
• A decay goddess based on Vedic Nirṛti and Roman Lūa Mater, associated with body decomposition.
• A medical god compared between Vedic Rudra and Greek Apollo, both disease inflicters and healers associated with rodents.
• Rudlos: A wild god, with etymology uncertain between "rend, tear apart" and "howl".
• A horse goddess, H₁eḱwoneh₂, echoing in Epona, Macha, Rhiannon, suggesting a theme of fertility and marriage.
• DiwHōneh₂: Proposed consort of Dyēws, seen in Dione and possibly Indrānī, with thematic connections to marriage and prophecy protectresses like Hera, Juno, Frigg, and Shakti.

Heroes

• Mónus: The first priest, linked to Mithra.
• YémHos: The first sacrificial victim and possible god of death, associated with Varuna.
• Tritós: The first warrior, connected to Perkʷunos.

Minor Heroes

• H₂nḗrtos: A hero who overcame the Deh₂newyóes and their leader Bel.
• A mythical craftsman, H₃r̥bʰew, paralleled in Greek Orpheus and Vedic Ribhus.
• Promāth₂ew: A hero akin to Prometheus and Mātariśvan, involved in the theft of heavenly fire.
• Medʰéwih₂: A legendary princess in a king-virgin motif, with parallels in Irish Medb and Hindu Mādhāvi.

Creatures

• Nymphs: Divine spirits of nature.
• Ḱérberos: A hellhound.
• The Primordial Cow: Nurtured the primordial twins, *Mónus and *YémHos.
• H₂n̥gʷʰis: A giant multi-headed water serpent defeated by *Tritós.
• Helper deities similar to Germanic elves and Hindu ribhus, though their exact nature is debated and not universally accepted.

References

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