Saturday, December 16, 2006

The Berber Pantheon





The traditional Berber pantheon contains a variety of gods. Although most Berbers are now Muslim (and none profess paganism), vestiges of their previous religion remain, including traditions such as "the bride of Anzar" (literally "rain", originally believed to have been a Berber god) among the Kabyles.
  • GURZIL: Berber god of war, represented by a head of bull at the Luwata nomads. This same god is taken by Dihya in her battles against the Arabs.
  • IDIR: Name of a divinity. From Edder, to live, which is also found in Baliddir:"the alive God".(Ball or Baal:suffix from Phoenician meaning: god or lord)
  • IGUC: or Iyuc (as is frequent in Berber, G, becomes Y, etc), god of the rain at Berghwata of Morocco.
  • LILU: a Berber god, synonymous with rainwater. Probably alternative of ILLU, a god among the Tuaregs.
  • MAKURGUN: Berber god, of Punico-Berber origin.
  • IFRU: the ethymology of this name is probably related to the verb Fru: to regulate, solve, sort.
  • MAQURTAM: God Amazigh, of Punico-Berber origin.
  • NABEL: name of a divinity,
  • SINIFER: God of war among the Luwata.
  • SUGGAN: or Seggen, name of a Berber divinity, name which is nowadays found in Aïn Me Lila - Algeria.
  • TILILWA: name of a Berber divinity.
  • WARSISIMA: a Berber God Amazigh, this name is a composed name: name + prefix: wer+isem (without name)
  • WARSUTIMA: name of a Berber divinity, made up of wer + utim.
  • WIHINAM: name of a Berber divinity.
  • YAM: name of a Berber divinity.
  • YUKUS: Berber god, alternative: Yakuc,
  • YUNAN: Berber god.
  • YUR: the moon, but also a Berber god.
  • AFRIKA: a Berber goddess.
  • GURAYA: Name of a saint in Kabylie; sponsor of Bgayet and is also found in Tipasa.
  • ANZAR: god of the rain among the Kabyles.

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