Dyeus

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*Dyēus is the reconstructed chief god of the Proto-Indo-European pantheon. He was the god of the daylit sky, and his position may have mirrored the position of patriarch or king in society.

Later gods who are etymologically connected with Dyeus include:

Dyēus group:

• Greek Zeus
• Roman Iuppiter
• Irish The Dagda
• Gallo-Roman Dis Pater
• Vedic Dyauṣ Pitār
• possibly Dionysos, and Phrygian Sabazios (from Saba Zeus?)

Rooted in the related but distinct Indo-European word *deiwos is the Latin word for god, deus. The Latin word is also continued in English divine, deity, and the original Germanic word remains visible in Tuesday (originally "Day of Tiwaz").

Deiwos group:

• Germanic Tiwaz (later known as Tyr)
• Latin Deus
• Baltic Dievas
• Slavic Div

Dyeus was addressed as Dyeu Ph₂ter, literally "Sky Father" or "shining father", as reflected in Latin Jupiter, Dispater and deus pater, Greek Zeu pater, Sanskrit Dyàuṣpítaḥ. In his aspect as a Father god, his consort was Pltvi Mh₂ter, "Earth mother".

As the pantheons of the individual mythologies related to the Proto-Indo-European religion evolved, attributes of Dyeus were sometimes redistributed to other, newer gods. In Greek and Roman mythology, Dyeus remained the chief god, while in Vedic mythology, the etymological continuant of Dyeus became a very abstract god, and his original attributes, and his dominance over other gods, were transferred to gods whose names cannot be reconstructed for Proto-Indo-European times, such as Indra.

According to Alex Sandalov, the Sky-god was in some mythologies the father or creator of the demigod Cultural Hero, who often was the ancestor of humanity.

[edit] See also

• Proto-Indo-European religion

[edit] References

• Julius Pokorny, Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch (1959).