ALTERNATIV

E DEITIES
Nathaniel
Risper & Scott
Sorrell

CERNUNNOS
(CELTIC)

A Celtic god of fertility, life, animals,

wealth, and the underworld. Cernunnos
is shown with the antlers of a stag, and
is sometimes shown carrying a purse
full of coins. He is born during the
winter solstice, marries the goddess at
Beltane, and dies at the summer
solstice.

CERNUNNOS

The name Cernunnos is only been found on the "Pillar

of the Boatmen He has Antlers of a Stag, and is
normally seen with a Torc either in his hand or on his
antlers as pictured above. He is also normally pictured
with animals surrounding him, an sometimes holding a
snake. Though the bottom half of the pillar is destoryed
it is assumed that he is sitting in the lotus position.
(In spite of the name Cernunnos being
attested nowhere else, it is commonly used
in Celtological literature as describing all

Gundestrup Cauldron. thought to date to the 1st

century BC is another depiction we have of
Cernunnos. Though no name found with this cauldron
the likeness of the character to the one found in the
Pillar of the Boatmen so it is widely assumed to be
him.

HERNE THE HUNTER

(BERKSHIRE REGION)

He is seen as a aspect of Cerninnos because he is found

nowhere else besides the Berkshire but has his own
legened behind his existence.
Herne is said to have been a huntsman in the employ of
King Richard II in and around Windsor Forest. He saved
the King's life when he was attacked by a cornered
white hart, but was mortally wounded himself in the
process. A local wizard brought him back to health
using his magical powers, which entailed tying the dead
animal's antlers on Herne's head. In return, however,
Herne had to give up his hunting skills. The king's other
huntsmen framed him as a thief. As a result he lost the
favour of the king. He was found the next day, hanging
dead from a lone oak tree.
According to local legend Herne only appears in times of
need. He is also seen as a bad omen to the royal family.

KHONVOUM
(AFRICAN)

Khonvoum is the supreme god and creator of the Bambuti

Pygmy people in central Africa. He is the 'great hunter',
god of the hunt, and carries a bow made of two snake which
appears to mortals as a rainbow. He rules the heavens and
when the sun sets, he gathers pieces of the stars and
throws it at the sun so that it may rise the next day in its
full splendor. He contacts people by means of the mythical
elephant Gor (the thunderer) or through a chameleon.
Khonvoum created black and white people from black and
white clay, and the Pygmies from red clay. For them he also
created the jungle with its lush vegetation and animal life.

WODEN (OLD ENGLISH)

Woden features prominently in both English and

Continental folklore as the leader of the Wild Hunt.
Woden was worshipped during the Migration period, until
the 7th or 8th century, when Germanic paganism was
gradually replaced by Christianity. In Christianised AngloSaxon England, Woden was rationalised as a historical king.
Remnants of worship were continued into modern times as
folklore. Some believe he is a precursor of the English
Father Christmas, and the American Santa Claus

OPOCHTLI
(AZTEC)

The Aztec god of fishing, hunting,

and bird snaring.
He is noted as one of the only gods
in history to be Left handed.
Sometimes also called He Who
Divides the Waters
He is credited with the invention
of the atlatl and harpoon

was a giant huntsman in Greek mythology whom Zeus

placed among the stars as the constellation of Orion.
He is mentioned in Homer's Iliad (the oldest surviving
Greek literature) Orion is described as a constellation, and
the star Sirius is mentioned as his dog. In the Odyssey,
Odysseus sees him hunting in the underworld with a bronze
club, a great slayer of animals

ORION
(GREEK)
In some versions of his story he is the son
of Poseidon, and because of this he could
walk water.
In other stories he was hunting and
threated to kill every beast on earth.
Mother earth not liking this sent a giant
scorpion to kill him. When the beast
succeeded, he was placed amongst the

TEKKEITSERTOK & NANOOK

(INUIT)

Tekkeitsertok: is a god of the earth, hunting and the

master of deer, and is one of the most important hunting
gods in the pantheon, In Inuit mythology.
Nanook: (from the Inuit language for polar bear )was the
master of bears, meaning he decided if hunters had
followed all applicable taboos and if they deserved success
in hunting bears.

RUDRA
(HINDU)

Rudra first appears in early

Hinduism

God, associated with wind or

storm, and the hunt. Also
considered to have been the
god of death.
Translated as "The Roarer",
or "The Howler
Rudra became a beneficent
and beautiful god, the lord of
the animals and the patron of
hunters, and he eventually
evolved into the god Shiva,
one of the most prominent
deities of Hinduism.
He is placed as a frightening

OGOUN
(YORUBA & VOODOO)

God that presides over fire, iron, hunting, politics and

war. He is seen as a powerful deity of metal work, and a
traditional warrior.
Ogun the wounded warrior. He assumes a Christ-figure
pose which the people know well from their Christian
associations.

OGOUN
(YORUBA & VOODOO)

He is also prominently
represented as Saint George in
the syncretic traditions of
contemporary Brazil.