Chthonic - wikipedia Chthonic This article is about the Greek deities. For the band, see Chthonic ( band ). For Cthulhu mythos creatures, see Chthonian ( Cthulhu mythos ). For other uses, see Chthon ( disambiguation ). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2015 ) The Remorse of Orestes, where he is surrounded by the Erinyes, who were identified as chthonic beings, by William - Adolphe Bouguereau, 1862 Greek mythology Deities Primordial Titans Olympians Nymphs Sea - deities Earth - deities Heroes and heroism Heracles / Hercules ( Labors ) Achilles Hector ( Trojan War ) Odysseus ( Odyssey ) Jason Argonauts ( Golden Fleece ) Perseus ( Medusa Gorgon ) Oedipus ( Sphinx ) Orpheus ( Orphism ) Theseus ( Minotaur ) Bellerophon ( Pegasus Chimera ) Daedalus ( Labyrinth ) Atalanta Hippomenes ( Golden apple ) Cadmus ( Thebes ) Aeneas ( Aeneid ) Triptolemus ( Eleusinian Mysteries ) Pelops ( Ancient Olympic Games ) Pirithous ( Centauromachy ) Amphitryon ( Teumessian fox ) Narcissus ( Narcissism ) Meleager ( Calydonian Boar ) Otrera ( Amazons ) Related Satyrs Centaurs Dragons Demogorgon Religion in Ancient Greece Mycenaean gods Greek mythology portal Greek deities series Primordial deities Titans and Twelve Olympians Mycenaean deities Aquatic deities Personified concepts Other deities Chthonic deities Angelos Demeter Erinyes Gaia Hades Hecate Melinoe Persephone Triptolemus Trophonius Chthonic ( UK : / ˈkθɒnɪk /, US : / ˈθɒnɪk / from Ancient Greek : χθόνιος, translit. khthonios ( khthónios ), `` in, under, or beneath the earth '', from χθών khthōn `` earth '' ) literally means `` subterranean '', but the word in English describes deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in Ancient Greek religion. The Greek word khthon is one of several for `` earth '' ; it typically refers to that which is under the earth, rather than the living surface of the land ( as Gaia or Ge does ), or the land as territory ( as khora χώρα does ). Contents 1 Chthonic Cults 2 Distinction from Olympian cults 2.1 Cult type versus function 2.2 Ambiguities in assignment 3 References in psychology and anthropology 4 References in structural geology 5 References 5.1 Citations 5.2 Bibliography Chthonic cults Triptolemus standing between Demeter and Kore, relief from the National Archaeological Museum of Athens Chthonic, a form of khthonie and khthonios, has a precise meaning in Greek ; it refers primarily to the manner and method of offering sacrifices to a specific deity or deities, generally referred to as chthonic or chthonian deities. These include, but are perhaps not strictly limited to, Persephone and Hades in classical mythology. Nocturnal ritual sacrifice was a common practice in many chthonic cults. When the sacrifice was a living creature, the animal was placed in a bothros ( βόθρος, `` pit '' ) or megaron ( μέγαρον, `` sunken chamber '' ). In some Greek chthonic cults, the animal was sacrificed on a raised bomos ( βωμός, `` altar '' ). Offerings were usually burned whole or buried rather than being cooked and shared among the worshippers. In his book The Mycenaean World, John Chadwick argues that many chthonic deities may be remnants of the native Pre-Hellenic religion and that many of the Olympian deities may come from the Proto - Greeks who overran the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula in the late third millennium BC. He does, however, note that this may be somewhat of an overgeneralization and that the origins of chthonic and Olympian deities are probably much more complex. Distinction from Olympian cults Cult type versus function The myths associating the underworld chthonic deities and fertility were not exclusive. Myths about the later Olympian deities also described an association with the fertility and prosperity of Earth, such as Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, who both watched over aspects of the fertility of the land, but Demeter had a typically Olympian cult while Persephone had a chthonic one, possibly due to her association with Hades, by whom she had been captured. Also, Demeter was worshiped alongside Persephone with identical rites, and yet occasionally was classified as an `` Olympian '' in late poetry and myth. The absorption of some earlier cults into the newer pantheon versus those that resisted being absorbed is suggested as providing the later myths. Ambiguities in assignment The categories Olympian and chthonic were not, however, completely separate. Some Olympian deities, such as Hermes and Zeus, also received chthonic sacrifices and tithes in certain locations. The deified heroes Heracles and Asclepius might be worshipped as gods or chthonic heroes, depending on the site and the time of origin of the myth. Moreover, a few deities are not easily classifiable under these terms. Hecate, for instance, was typically offered puppies at crossroads -- a practice neither typical of an Olympian sacrifice nor of a chthonic sacrifice to Persephone or the heroes -- but because of her underworld roles, Hecate is generally classed as chthonic. References in psychology and Anthropology In analytical psychology, the term chthonic has often been used to describe the spirit of nature within, the unconscious earthly impulses of the Self, that is one 's material depths, not necessarily with negative connotations. See also anima and animus or shadow. The term chthonic also has connotations with regard to gender in cultural anthropology ; del Valle 's Gendered Anthropology describes the existence of `` male and female deities at every level... men associated with the above, the sky, and women associated with the below, with the earth, water of the underground, and the chthonic deities ''. This was by no means universal ; in Ancient Egypt the main deity of the earth was the male god Geb, his female consort was Nut, otherwise known as the sky. Greek mythology likewise has female deities associated with the sky, such as Dike, goddess of justice, who sits on the right side of Zeus as his advisor, and Eos, goddess of dawn -- and Hades ( a male ) as god of the underworld. References in structural geology The term allochthon in structural geology is used to describe a large block of rock that has been moved from its original site of formation, usually by low angle thrust faulting. From the Greek `` allo '', meaning other, and `` chthon '', designating the process of the land mass being moved under the earth and connecting two horizontally stacked décollements and thus `` under the earth ''. References Citations Jump up ^ Chthonios, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek -- English Lexicon, at Perseus. Jump up ^ Kearns, Emily ( 2011 ). Finkelberg, Margalit, ed. `` Chthonic deities ''. The Homer encyclopedia. Wiley. Retrieved 4 May 2017. Jump up ^ Elden, Stuart ( 9 September 2013 ). The birth of territory. University of Chicago Press. pp. 39 -- 40. ISBN 9780226041285. Jump up ^ Dillon 2002, p. 114. Jump up ^ `` The sacrifice for gods of the dead and for heroes was called enagisma, in contradistinction to thysia, which was the portion especially of the celestial deities. It was offered on altars of a peculiar shape : they were lower than the ordinary altar bomos, and their name was ischara, ' hearth '. Through them the blood of the victims, and also libations, were to flow into the sacrificial trench. Therefore they were funnel - shaped and open at the bottom. For this kind of sacrifice did not lead up to a joyous feast in which the gods and men took part. The victim was held over the trench with its head down, not, as for the celestial gods, with its neck bent back and the head uplifted ; and it was burned entirely. '' ( Source The Heroes of the Greeks, C. Kerenyi pub. Thames & Hudson 1978 ). Jump up ^ Chadwick 1976, p. 85. Jump up ^ `` Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece - The British Museum ''. www.ancientgreece.co.uk. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 01. Jump up ^ `` DEMETER - Greek Goddess of Grain & Agriculture ''. Theoi Greek Mythology. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 01. Jump up ^ `` Which cities had chthonic Zeus cults ? ''. mythology.stackexchange.com. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 01. Jump up ^ Jung, C.G. ( 2012 - 02 - 01 ). Man and His Symbols. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 9780307800558. Jump up ^ Teresa del Valle, Gendered Anthropology, Routledge, 1993, ISBN 0 - 415 - 06127 - X, p. 108. Jump up ^ Geraldine Pinch, `` Handbook of Egyptian Mythology '' ' ABC - CLIO, ISBN 1 - 57607 - 242 - 8, p. 135. Jump up ^ DiPietro, Joseph A. ( December 21, 2012 ). Landscape Evolution in the United States : An Introduction to the Geography, Geology, and Natural History. Newnes. p. 343. ISBN 9780123978066. Retrieved 10 February 2016. Bibliography Chadwick, John ( 1976 ). The Mycenaean World. New York : Cambridge University Press. p. 85. ISBN 978 - 0 - 521 - 29037 - 1. Dillon, Matthew ( 2002 ). Girls and Women in Classical Greek Religion. London : Routledge. ISBN 0415202728. Ancient Greek deities by affiliation Primordial deities Achlys Aether Aion / Chronos Ananke Chaos Erebus Eros / Phanes Gaia Hemera Nyx The Ourea Pontus / Thalassa Tartarus Uranus Fates Atropos Clotho Lachesis Titan deities Titanes ( male ) Coeus Crius Cronus Hyperion Iapetus Oceanus Ophion Titanides ( female ) Dione Eurybia Mnemosyne Phoebe Rhea Tethys Theia Themis Hyperionides Eos Helios Selene Koionides Asteria Leto Krionides Astraeus Pallas Perses Iapetionides Atlas Epimetheus Menoetius Prometheus Mousai ( Muses ) Aoide Arche Melete Mneme Olympian deities Dodekatheon Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Demeter Dionysus Hephaestus Hera Hermes Hestia Poseidon Zeus Theoi Olympioi Asclepius Deimos Ganymede Eileithyia Enyo Eris Iris Harmonia Hebe Heracles Paean Pan Phobos Mousai ( Muses ) Daughters of Zeus Calliope Clio Euterpe Erato Melpomene Polyhymnia Terpsichore Thalia Urania Daughters of Apollo Apollonis Borysthenis Cephisso Muses of the Lyre Hypate Mese Nete Muses at Sicyon Polymatheia Charites ( Graces ) Aglaea Antheia Euphrosyne Hegemone Pasithea Thalia Horae ( Hours ) Dike Eirene Eunomia Styktides Bia Kratos Nike Zelos Aquatic deities Theoi Halioi Amphitrite Benthesikyme Brizo Calypso Ceto Glaucus The Ichthyocentaurs Kymopoleia Leucothea Melicertes Nereus Nerites The Nesoi Oceanus Phorcys Pontus / Thalassa Poseidon Proteus Rhodos Tethys Thaumas Thetis Triton Oceanids Acaste Admete Adrasteia Amalthea Asia Callirrhoe Ceto Clytie Dione Dodone Doris Electra Eurynome Idyia Melia Metis Nemesis Perse Pleione Plouto Styx Telesto Zeuxo Nereides Amphitrite Arethusa Dynamene Galatea Galene Psamathe Thetis Potamoi Achelous Almo Alpheus Anapos Asopus Asterion Axius Caanthus Cebren Cephissus Clitumnus Enipeus Kladeos Meander Nilus Numicus Phyllis Peneus Rivers of the Underworld Cocytus Eridanos Lethe Phlegethon Styx Sangarius Scamander Simoeis Strymon Naiads Aegina Achiroe Aganippe The Anigrides Argyra Bistonis Bolbe Caliadne Cassotis Castalia Cleocharia Creusa Daphne Drosera Harpina The Ionides Ismenis Larunda Lilaea Liriope Melite Metope Minthe Moria Nana Nicaea Orseis Pallas Pirene Salmacis Stilbe The Thriae Corycia Kleodora Melaina Tiasa Chthonic deities Theoi Chthonioi Angelos Demeter Gaia Hades Hecate The Lampads Macaria Melinoë Persephone Zagreus Erinyes ( Furies ) Alecto Megaera Tisiphone Earthborn Cyclopes Gigantes Hecatonchires Kouretes Meliae Telchines Typhon Apotheothenai Trophonius Triptolemus Orpheus Aeacus Minos Rhadamanthus Personifications Children of Nyx Achlys Apate Dolos Eleos Elpis Epiphron Eris Geras Hesperides Hybris Hypnos Ker The Keres The Moirai Aisa Clotho Lachesis Momus Moros Oizys The Oneiroi Epiales Morpheus Phantasos Phobetor Nemesis Philotes Sophrosyne Thanatos Children of Eris Algos Amphillogiai Ate The Androktasiai Dysnomia Horkos Hysminai Lethe Limos Machai Phonoi Ponos Neikea Pseudea Logoi Children of other gods Aergia Aidos Alala Aletheia Angelia Arete Bia Caerus The Younger Charites Eucleia Eupheme Euthenia Philophrosyne Corus Deimos The Erotes Anteros Eros Hedylogos Hermaphroditus Hymen Eupraxia Hedone Homonoia Iacchus Kratos The Litae Homonoia Nike Peitho Phobos Tyche Zelos Others Adephagia Alala Alke Amechania Anaideia Alastor Apheleia Aporia The Arae Dikaiosyne Dyssebeia Ekecheiria Eulabeia Eusebeia Gelos Heimarmene Homados Horme Ioke Kakia Kalokagathia Koalemos Kydoimos Lyssa The Maniae Methe Nomos Palioxis Peitharchia Penia Penthus Pepromene Pheme Philotes Phrike Phthonus Pistis Poine Polemos Poros Praxidike Proioxis Prophasis Roma Soter Soteria Techne Thrasos Other deities Sky deities The Anemoi The Astra Planeti Stilbon Eosphorus Hesperus Pyroeis Phaethon Phaenon Aura Chione The Hesperides The Hyades Nephele The Pleiades Alcyone Sterope Celaeno Electra Maia Merope Taygete Agricultural deities Aphaea Ariadne Carmanor Demeter Despoina Eunostus Philomelus Plutus Health deities Asclepius Aceso Epione Iaso Hygieia Panacea Telesphorus Rustic deities Aetna The Alseids The Auloniads Amphictyonis The Anthousai Aristaeus Attis Britomartis The Cabeiri Comus The Dryades Erato Eurydice The Hamadryades Chrysopeleia The Epimeliades Hecaterus Leuce Ma The Maenades The Meliae The Napaeae The Nymphai Hyperboreioi The Oreads Adrasteia Echo Helike Iynx Nomia Oenone Pitys The Pegasides Priapus Rhapso Silenus Telete Others Acratopotes Adrasteia Agdistis Alexiares and Anicetus Aphroditus Astraea Circe Eiresione Enyalius Harpocrates Ichnaea Palaestra Ancient Greek religion and mythology Classical religious forms Ancient Greek religion Gnosticism Paleo - Balkan mythology Proto - Indo - European religion Hellenistic religion Alchemy Orphism Pythagoreanism Mycenaean deities Mystery religions and Sacred mysteries Dionysian Mysteries Eleusinian Mysteries Imbrian Mysteries Mithraism Samotracian Mysteries Main beliefs Apotheosis Euhemerism Greek Heroic Age Monism Mythology Nympholepsy Paganism Paradoxography Polytheism Theism Texts / Epic poems / Ode Aretalogy Argonautica Bibliotheca Cyranides Derveni papyrus Ehoiai Greek Magical Papyri Homeric Hymns Iliad Odyssey Papyrus Graecus Holmiensis Telegony The golden verses of Pythagoras Theogony Works and Days Epic Cycle Theban Cycle Rites and practices Amphictyonic League Amphidromia Animal sacrifice Apotheosis Baptes Curse tablet Daduchos Delphinion Funeral and burial practices Hymns Hero cult Heroon Hierophany Hierophant Hierophylakes Hieros gamos Hypsistarians Iatromantis Interpretatio graeca Libations Mystagogue Nekyia Necromancy Necromanteion Nymphaeum Panegyris Pharmakos Prayers Orgia Sacrifices Temenos Temples Votive offerings Sacred places Athenian sacred ships Cave of Zeus Cretea Delphi Delos Dodona Eleusis Hiera Orgas Olympia Olympus Psychro Cave Sacred Way Mythical beings Dragons in Greek mythology Greek mythological creatures Greek mythological figures List of minor Greek mythological figures Deities Primordial deities Aether Aion Ananke Chaos Chronos Erebus Eros Gaia Hemera Nyx Phanes Pontus Thalassa Tartarus Uranus Titans First generation Coeus Crius Cronus Hyperion Iapetus Mnemosyne Oceanus Phoebe Rhea Tethys Theia Themis Second generation Asteria Astraeus Atlas Eos Epimetheus Helios Leto Menoetius Metis Pallas Perses Prometheus Selene Third generation Hecate Hesperus Phosphorus Twelve Olympians Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Demeter Dionysus Hephaestus Hera Hermes Hestia Poseidon Zeus Aquatic deities Amphitrite Alpheus Ceto Glaucus The Naiads The Nereids Nereus The Oceanids Phorcys Poseidon The Potamoi Potamides Proteus Scamander Thaumas Thetis Triton Love deities Erotes Anteros Eros Hedylogos Hermaphroditus Himeros Hymen / Hymenaeus Pothos Aphrodite Aphroditus Philotes Peitho War deities Adrestia Alala Alke Amphillogiai Androktasiai Ares Athena Bia Deimos Enyalius Enyo Eris Gynaecothoenas Homados Hysminai Ioke Keres Kratos Kydoimos Ma Makhai Nike Palioxis Pallas Perses Phobos Phonoi Polemos Proioxis Chthonic deities Psychopomps Hermanubis Hermes Thanatos Achlys Angelos Hades / Pluto Hecate Hypnos Keres Lampad Macaria Melinoe Persephone Health deities Aceso Aegle Artemis Apollo Asclepius Chiron Eileithyia Epione Hebe Hygieia Iaso Paean Panacea Telesphorus Sleep deities Empusa Epiales Hypnos Morpheus Pasithea Phantasos Phobetor Oneiroi Messenger deities Angelia Arke Hermes Iris Trickster deities Apate Dolos Hermes Momus Magic deities Circe Hecate Hermes Trismegistus Triple deity Other major deities Azone The Erinyes Harmonia The Muses Nemesis Pan Unknown God Zelus Heroes / Heroines Abderus Achilles Actaeon Aeneas Argonauts Ajax the Great Ajax the Lesser Akademos Amphiaraus Amphitryon Antilochus Atalanta Autolycus Bellerophon Bouzyges Cadmus Chrysippus Cyamites Daedalus Diomedes Dioscuri ( Castor and Pollux ) Echetlus Eleusis Erechtheus Eunostus Ganymede Hector Heracles Icarus Iolaus Jason Meleager Odysseus Oedipus Orpheus Pandion Peleus Pelops Penthesilea Perseus Theseus Triptolemus Mythical tribes Amazons Anthropophage Atlantians Bebryces Curetes Dactyls Gargareans Halizones Korybantes Lapiths Lotus - eaters Myrmidons Pygmies Telchines Oracles / Seers Aesacus Aleuas Amphiaraus Amphilochus Ampyx Anius Asbolus Bakis Branchus Calchas Carnus Carya Cassandra Delphic Sibyl Elatus Ennomus Halitherses Helenus Iamus Idmon Manto Melampus Mopsus Munichus Phineus Polyeidos Polypheides Pythia Sibyl Telemus Theiodamas Theoclymenus Tiresias Magic Apotropaic magic Greek Magical Papyri Philia Mythical realms Aethiopia Atlantis Hyperborea Libya Nysa Panchaea Scythia Themiscyra Underworld Entrances to the underworld Rivers Acheron Cocytus Eridanos Lethe Phlegethon Styx Lakes / Swamps Acherusia Avernus Lake Lerna Lake Caves Cave at Cape Matapan Cave Charonium Cave at Lake Avernus Cave at Heraclea Pontica Ploutonion Pluto 's Gate Places Elysium Erebus Fields of Asphodel Fields of Punishment Isles of the Blessed Tartarus Judges of the underworld Aeacus Minos Rhadamanthus Guards Cerberus Ferryman Charon Charon 's obol Symbols - Objects Bident Cap of invisibility Animals - Daemons / Spirits Ascalaphus Ceuthonymus Eurynomos Hade 's cattle Mythological wars Amazonomachy Attic War Centauromachy Gigantomachy Cranes - Pygmies war Theomachy Titanomachy Trojan War Mythological and religious objects Adamant Aegis Ambrosia Apple of Discord Ara Baetylus Caduceus Cornucopia Dragon 's teeth Diipetes Galatea Golden apple Golden Fleece Gorgoneion Greek terracotta figurines Harpe Ichor Lotus tree Minoan sealstone Moly Necklace of Harmonia Omphalos Orichalcum Palladium Panacea Pandora 's box Petasos ( Winged helmet ) Philosopher 's stone Ring of Gyges Rod of Asclepius Sacrificial tripod Sceptre Shield of Achilles Shirt of Nessus Sword of Damocles Talaria Thunderbolt Thymiaterion Thyrsus Trident Trojan Horse Winnowing Oar Wheel of Fortune Wheel of fire Xoanon Symbols Arkalochori Axe Labrys Ouroboros Owl of Athena Mythological powers Anthropomorphism Divination Eternal youth Evocation Fortune - telling Immortality Language of the birds Nympholepsy Magic Ornithomancy Shamanism Shapeshifting Weather modification Storage containers / Cups Amphora Chalice Ciborium Cotyla Hydria Hydriske Kalathos Kalpis Kylix Kantharos Lebes Lekythos Loutrophoros Oenochoe Pelike Pithos Skyphos Stamnos Musical Instruments Aulos Barbiton Chelys Cithara Cochilia Crotalum ( Castanets ) Epigonion Kollops Lyre Pan flute Pandura Phorminx Psaltery Salpinx Sistrum Tambourine Trigonon Tympanum Water organ Games Panhellenic Games Olympic Games Pythian Games Nemean Games Isthmian Games Agon Panathenaic Games Rhieia Festivals / Feasts Actia Adonia Agrionia Amphidromia Anthesteria Apellai Apaturia Aphrodisia Arrhephoria Ascolia Bendidia Boedromia Brauronia Buphonia Chalceia Diasia Delphinia Dionysia Ecdysia Elaphebolia Gamelia Haloa Heracleia Hermaea Hieromenia Iolaia Kronia Lenaia Lykaia Metageitnia Munichia Oschophoria Pamboeotia Pandia Plynteria Pyanopsia Skira Synoikia Soteria Tauropolia Thargelia Theseia Thesmophoria Vessels Argo Phaeacian ships Modern offshoot religions Discordianism Gaianism Hellenismos Decline of Greco - Roman polytheism Modern popular culture Greek mythology in popular culture Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chthonic&oldid=817540469 '' Categories : Chthonic beings Ancient Greek culture Greek deities Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from March 2015 All articles needing additional references Articles containing Ancient Greek - language text All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from April 2017 Articles with unsourced statements from March 2015 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Asturianu Български Català Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Français Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Lietuvių Magyar Nederlands Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Slovenščina Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 29 December 2017, at 01 : 45. 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Question: who were the gods and goddesses who were considered the chthonic gods
Answer: Persephone