30 Sec Answer: The oldest known god is thought to be Enlil, the ancient Mesopotamian god of air and storms who was worshiped by Sumerians.
Who is the Oldest Known God?
Humans have been seeking gods since time immemorial. From the monotheistic religions that rule the world today to polytheism practiced in certain parts of Asia, many cultures have a plethora of deities. But which one can lay claim to being the oldest? Let’s take a closer look at some of the contenders for this title.
Ancient Egyptian Gods
Ancient Egyptians worshipped several gods and goddesses as part of their polytheistic faith system. At the head of this pantheon was the great creator-god Ra, who was believed to be responsible for the formation of all things. He was sometimes referred to as ‘The Great God’ or ‘The Lord of Creation’ and often portrayed as a sun-disk with falcon wings, symbolizing his power over creation and life. Other prominent deities included Isis, Osiris, Horus, Anubis, Thoth, Bastet and Sekhmet. All these gods were believed to possess different powers and abilities that could aid mortals in their daily lives.
Ancient Mesopotamian Gods
Ancient Mesopotamian religions also embraced polytheism and had a wide range of gods and goddesses associated with them. In this culture, gods were seen as having control over nature and providing guidance to humans on how to live in harmony with it. One of the most powerful gods from this region was Enlil, the ancient Mesopotamian god of air and storms who was worshiped by Sumerians. According to historians, he is thought to be one of the oldest known gods in existence. He was often depicted as an eagle-headed man wielding a bow and arrow as symbols of his authority over weather phenomena such as wind, thunderstorms and rain.
Greek & Roman Gods
The Ancient Greeks developed their own religion centered around a vast number of Olympian gods including Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Apollo and Athena among others. These deities represented different aspects of life such as war, wisdom, fertility etc., and stories about them played a huge role in Ancient Greek culture for centuries. Similarly, Roman mythology also adopted many of these same deities but with different names (e.g., Zeus became Jupiter). Both religions focused heavily on worshipping these gods in order to maintain balance between mankind and nature – something which has remained unchanged even today in certain parts of Europe.
Norse Gods
The Vikings believed in an array of powerful gods called Æsir whose tales still fascinate people today through stories such as those found in Norse Mythology by Snorri Sturluson (1179–1241 AD). The two main figures were Odin (associated with knowledge) and Thor (associated with strength), both sons of Borr (another Aesir god) who may well be considered one of the oldest gods given his association with being a father figure. This belief system revolved around fate or wyrd which dictated how events unfolded according to preordained destinies woven into each individual’s life path.
Hindu Gods
Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest living faiths that believes in multiple gods but none more important than Brahma – the supreme being responsible for creating all other entities within this universe. It is said that he created four sacred texts known as Vedas which serve as guides on how to live harmoniously with others while respecting nature’s cycles and laws. Alongside him are other important figures like Vishnu (preserver), Shiva (destroyer) and Devi/Parvati (Goddess) whose roles provide balance between destruction/creation forces within our world.
Chinese & Japanese Deities
In Chinese mythology there are many gods revered by locals due to their association with either natural elements or specific regions within China itself. For example Taoist rituals honouring Xiwangmu (Queen Mother) date back over 5500 years ago when she was first worshipped for her power over death and fertility magic – making her potentially one of the oldest known Chinese goddesses if not even older than Enlil! Meanwhile Japan has its own set of Shinto kami which includes Amaterasu (Sun Goddess), Susanoo (Storm God) and Izanagi & Izanami – primordial creators responsible for creating islands using magic spears dipped into watery depths below them – further reinforcing Japan’s status as an ancient land steeped in rich mythology..
Native American Deities
Native Americans have been practicing various spiritual beliefs since pre-colonial times before they encountered Europeans upon their arrival on America’s east coast during 1492 CE onwards; hence why we now know so much about these peoples due to their oral traditions passing down stories from generation to generation until they eventually ended up documented via print publications like William Bartram’s ‘Travels’ which captured vivid accounts concerning Creek Nation spirituality around 1791 AD.. While each tribe has its own unique set of characters based upon their cosmology some popular ones include Gluskap – an omnipotent hero figure featuring in Mi’kmaq folktales while Apache tribes venerate Changing Woman or Asdzaa Nadleehe alongside Ahaiyuta – a Zuni Warrior Twin whose task it is protect humanity against evil spirits seeking revenge against them…
African Deities
Africa too has plenty examples that demonstrate its strong adherence towards animistic spiritual practises across myriad regions e.g Maasai shamans venerating Ngai – god(dess)of Mount Kilimanjaro whilst Yoruba people pray towards Olodumare – Supreme Creator behind every single thing seen & unseen throughout Universe plus numerous animal totem guardian spirit familiars protecting clansmen alike…. Finally amongst Bantu speaking populations Mwari serves dual purpose offering practical advice related farming issues whilst simultaneously serving wider moral messages designed nurture humankind’s connection Nature too thereby helping sustain human civilisation longterm……
Conclusion
From Ancient Egypt right through modern day Africa many societies venerate deities relating either natural phenomenon or key characteristics deemed desirable achieving optimum harmony between Mankind & Nature itself.. Despite varied regional distinctions two constants remain true regarding reverence shown towards celestial entities namely recognition important role(s) play aiding humanity’s evolutionary journey forward whereupon despite ultimate supremacy one deity resides above all others remains open debate…..