Dawn deities explained

A dawn god or goddess is a deity in a polytheistic religious tradition who is in some sense associated with the dawn. These deities show some relation with the morning, the beginning of the day, and, in some cases, become syncretized with similar solar deities.

Africa

In Egyptian mythology, Tefnut, in part of her being goddess of the morning dew.

Americas

In Sioux mythology, Anpao, the spirit of the dawn, has two faces.

Asia

Indo-European

• Hindu-Vedic – Ushas

Israel

• Lucifer and Jesus of The Bible are both referred to as the “morning star” since in ancient time, the morning star had been referred to as an entity of great power.

Japan

• Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto (Uzume) is a Shinto spirit with a temperament very similar to Ushas and Eos.

Philippines

See main article: article and List of Philippine mythological figures.

• Munag Sumalâ: the golden Kapampangan serpent child of Aring Sinukuan; represents dawn^[1]
• Tala: the Tagalog goddess of stars;^[2] daughter of Bathala and sister of Hanan;^[3] also called Bulak Tala, deity of the morning star, the planet Venus seen at dawn^[4]
• Hanan: The Tagalog goddess of the morning; daughter of Bathala and sister of Tala
• Liwayway: the Tagalog goddess of dawn; a daughter of Bathala^[5]

Europe

Indo-European

• Proto-Indo-European – Hausos (reconstructed proto-goddess)
• Albanian – Afërdita, Prende
• Armenian – Ayg, Arshaluys
• Greek – Eos
• Germanic – Ēostre
• Hindu - Ushas
  • Norse – Dellingr Roman – Aurora (and later Mater Matuta)
• Slavic – Zorya
• Irish – Brigid
• Lithuanian – Aušra or Aušrinė
• Latvian – Austra
• Mesopotamian - Aya

Non-Indo-European

• Etruscan – Thesan, Albina (possibly)
• Georgian – Dali

See also

• Aurvandil
• Proto-Indo-European religion
• List of Lithuanian mythological figures
• List of Philippine mythological figures
• List of solar deities

Notes and References

1. Nicdao, A. (1917). Pampangan Folklore. Manila.
2. Calderon, S. G. (1947). Mga alamat ng Pilipinas. Manila : M. Colcol & Co.
3. Jocano, F. L. (1969). Philippine Mythology. Quezon City: Capitol Publishing House Inc.
4. Pardo, F. (1686–1688). Carte [...] sobre la idolatria de los naturales de la provincia de Zambales, y de los del pueblo de Santo Tomas y otros cicunvecinos [...]. Sevilla, Spain: Archivo de la Indias.
5. Romulo, L. (2019). Filipino Children's Favorite Stories. China: Tuttle Publishing, Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.