Deities associated with death take many different forms, depending on the specific culture and religion being referenced. Psychopomps, deities of the underworld, and resurrection deities are commonly called death deities in comparative religions texts. The term colloquially refers to deities that either collect or rule over the dead, rather than those deities who determine the time of death. However, all these types will be included in this article.
Many have incorporated a god of death into their mythology or religion. As death, along with birth, is among the major parts of human life, these deities may often be one of the most important deities of a religion. In some religions with a single powerful deity as the source of worship, the death deity is an antagonistic deity against which the primary deity struggles. The related term death worship has most often been used as a derogatory term to accuse certain groups of morally abhorrent practices which set no value on human life.
In polytheistic religions or mythologies which have a complex system of deities governing various natural phenomena and aspects of human life, it is common to have a deity who is assigned the function of presiding over death. The inclusion of such a "departmental" deity of death in a religion's pantheon is not necessarily the same thing as the glorification of death which is commonly condemned by the use of the term "death-worship" in modern political rhetoric.
In the theology of monotheistic religion, the one god governs both life and death. However, in practice this manifests in different rituals and traditions and varies according to a number of factors including geography, politics, traditions and the influence of other religions.
Ereshkigal, first lady of the Underworld
Nergal, second lord of the Underworld
Mictecacihuatl, the chief death goddess; Queen of Mictlan (underworld) or Lady of the Dead
Mictlantecuhtli, the chief death god; lord of the Underworld.
Cihuateteo, dead, roaming spirits; envoys of Mictlan
Coatlicue, minor goddess of death, as well as the goddess of life and rebirth.
Itztlacoliuhqui, personification of winter-as-death.
Tlaloc, water god and minor death god; ruler of Tlalocan, a separate underworld for those who died from water-related death.
Xipe Totec, hero god, death god; inventor of warfare and master of plagues.
Xolotl, god of sunset, fire, lightning, and death
Arawn
Cichol
Crom Cruach
Donn
Mannanan
Emperor(s) of Youdu (Capital City of the Underworld)
Yin Changsheng
Wang Yuan
Yan Luo (Buddhist/Chinese Yama)
Jiang Ziwen
Kings of the Ten Underworld Palaces
Chiang Ziwen
Bao Zheng
Dong Ji
Huang Xile
The rest only have surnames including Li, Yu, Lu, Bi, Lu and Xue
Four Kings of the Underworld
Bao Zheng
Han Qinhu
Fan Zhongyan
Kou Zhun
Ghost Kings of the Five Regions
Cai Yulei
Zhao He
Zhang Heng
Duzi Ren
Zhou Qi
Ghost Kings of the Five Regions(Ver.2)
Shen Cha
Yang Yun
Yan Di (Shenlong)
Ji Kang
Immortal Wang
Governors of Fengdu
Deng Ai
Ji Ming
Imperial Censor of Fengdu
Han Yi
Zeng Yuanshan
Jiao Zhongqing
Ma Zhong
Song Youqing
Guan Yu (Note: Different from the famous general of three kingdom)
Wu Lun
Tu Cha
Four Generals of the Direct Alter of Fengdu
Ma Sheng
Ma Chuanzhong
Chen Yuanbo
Guo Zhongyou
Eight Generals of the Inner Alter of Fengdu
Wei Tin, Ghost Capturing General
Liu Chu, Ghost Restraining General
Wang Jian, Ghost Flailing General
Meng E, Ghost Interrogating General
Che Zi, Guardian of the East Gate
Xia Dali, Guardian of the West Gate
Lie Weizhi, Guardian of the South Gate
Sang Tongguai, Guardian of the North Gate
Eight Generals of the Outer Alter of Fengdu
Zhang Yuanlian
Chen Yuanqing
Li Yuande
Fan YuanZhang
Du YuanZhen
Liu Yuanfu
Chang Yuan
Jia Taoyuan
Ten Masters of the Underworld
A Bang, Bull Head
Luo Cha, Horse Face
Xie Bian, Wondering God of the Day
Fan Wujiu, Wondering God of the Night
He Wuchang (Black Impermanence)
Bai Wuchang (White Impermanence)
Huangfeng (responsible for insects)
Paowei (responsible for animals)
Yusai (responsible for fishes)
Guaiwang (responsible for Hungry Ghosts)
(Note: In some versions, Xie Bian and Fanjiu are the He Wuchang and Bai Wuchang)
Four Strongmen of Fengdu
Zhang Yuanzhen, Taiyi Strongman
Hu Wenzhong, Tri-day Strongman
Sun Zhongwu, Demon-smiting Strongman
Tang Bocheng, Ghost-smiting Strongman
Two Agents of Fengdu
Xun Gongda, Great God of the Black Sky
Liu Guangzhong, Great God of the Black Fog
Wardens of the Nine Prison of Fengdu
Wang Yuanzhen
Zhen Yan
Yao Quan
Shi Tong
Zhou Sheng
Diao Xiao
Kong Sheng
Wu Yan
Wang Tong
Administers of the Six Paths of Rebirth of Fengdu
Cao Qing, Administer of the Path of Heaven
Tien Yan, Administer of the Path of Ghosts
Cui Cong, Administer of the Path of Earth
Ji Bie, Administer of the Path of Gods
Chen De, Administer of the Path of Hungry Ghosts
Gao Ren, Administer of the Path of Beasts
Judges of Fengdu
Cui (Chief Judge)
Wang Fu
Ban Jian
Zi He
Jia Yuan
Zhao Sheng
Zhang Qi
Yang Tong
Fu Po
Zhu Shun
Li Gong
Xue Zhong
Rong Zhen
Lu Zhongce
Chen Xun
Huang Shou
Zhou Bi
Bian Shen
Cheng De
Liu Bao
Dong Jie
Guo Yuan
Sacha Bonpuri
Yeomra - King of Underworld
Shiwang - The Ten kings of the Underworld
Cheonjiwang Bonpuri
Daebyeol - Supreme King of the Underworld
Jeoseung Sacha - Gods/messenger of death
Gangnim Doryeong - Leader of the Death Gods
Hwadeok Sacha - Reaper of Death in Fire
Yonggung Sacha - Reaper of Death at Sea
Danmul Sacha - Reaper of Death in Wells
Tusok Sacha - Reaper of Death by Rock or Stone
Jangseung - Korean totem poles
Cheonha Daejanggun - Village guardian and the Great General of all under Heaven
Jihayeojanggun - Village guardian and The Great General of the Underworld
Supay
Vichama
Death gods - also known as shinigami
Izanami - The queen of Yomi
Anubis, guardian of the dead, mummification and the afterlife in ancient Egyptian religion.
Osiris, lord of the Underworld.
Nephthys, Anubis' mother, and sister of Osiris, was also a guardian of the dead. She was believed to also escort dead souls to Osiris.
Seker, A falcon god of the Memphite necropolis who was known as a patron of the living, as well as a god of the dead. He is known to be closely tied to Osiris.
Aker (god)
Aqen
Andjety
Duamutef
Hapi (Son of Horus)
Imiut fetish
Imset
Kherty
Qebehsenuef
Tuoni, with his wife and children.
Hades, king of Underworld
Persephone, queen of the Underworld, wife of Hades and goddess of spring growth
Thanatos, spirit of death
Macaria, goddess of the blessed death (not to be confused with the daughter of Heracles)
Melinoe, goddess of propitiation
Angelos, a daughter of Zeus and Hera who became an underworld goddess
Lampades, torch-bearing Underworld nymphs
Gorgyra
Orphne, a Lampad nymph of Hades, mother of Askalaphos
Erebus, the primeval god of darkness, his mists encircled the underworld and filled the hollows of the earth
Tartarus, the darkest, deepest part of the underworld
Keres, goddesses of violent death, sisters of Thanatos
Keuthonymos, an Underworld spirit and father of Menoetes
Lamia, a vampiric Underworld spirit or spirits in the train of Hecate
Menoetes, an Underworld spirit who herded the cattle of Hades
Mormo, a fearsome Underworld spirit or spirits in the train of Hecate
Styx, goddess of the river Styx, a river that formed a boundary between Earth and the Underworld, one of the seven rivers of the Underworld.
Acheron, god of the river Acheron, one of the seven rivers of the Underworld.
Alpheus, god of the river Alpheus, one of the seven rivers of the Underworld.
Cocytus, god of the river Cocytus, one of the seven rivers of the Underworld.
Eridanos, god of the river Eridanos, one of the seven rivers of the Underworld.
Lethe, goddess of the river Lethe, one of the seven rivers of the Underworld.
Phlegethon, god of the river Phlegethon, one of the seven rivers of the Underworld.
Charon, Ferryman of Hades
Erinyes, Chthonic deities of vengeance
Rhadamanthus, Judge of the dead
Minos, Judge of the dead
Aeacus, Judge of the dead
Atropos, One of the three Moirai associated with death.
Clotho, One of the three Moirai.
Lachesis, One of the three Moirai.
Odin presides over Valhalla, and chooses half of those who die in battle to be escorted by Valkyries to spend their afterlife there.
Freya presides over Fólkvangr and also chooses half of those who die in battle to spend their afterlife there.
Hel, goddess of the dead and queen of Helheim
Dis Pater, god of the underworld
Proserpina, Queen of the underworld.
Mania, goddess of death
Mors, personification of death
Orcus, punisher of broken oaths; usually folded in with Pluto
Pluto, ruler of the underworld
Di inferi, Ancient Roman deities associated with death and the underworld.
Viduus, God who separated the soul and body after death.
Dea Tacita, Goddess of the dead.
Morta (mythology), Goddess of the dead, and one of the three Parcae.
Nenia Dea, Goddess of funerals.
Soranus (mythology), Underworld Sabine god adopted by the ancient Romans.
Manes, Spirits of the dead.
Lemures, The malevant dead.
Libitina, Goddess of funerals and burial
Aita, god of the underworld.
Culga, a female underworld spirit.
Februus, god of purification, death, the underworld, and riches.
Mani, spirits of the dead.
Mania (mythology), goddess of the dead.
Mantus, god of the underworld.
Orcus, god of the underworld.
Tuchulcha, an underworld demon.
Vanth, winged demon of the underworld.
Iku (Yoruba religion), Yoruba influenced syncretic religions such as Santería, Umbanda and Candomblé
Ogbunabali (Igbo mythology)
Guédé or Ghede (Haitian Vodou)
Baron Samedi (Haitian Vodou)
Maya death gods known under various names (Hunhau, Uacmitun Ahau, Kisin, Yum Kimil) Lord of Underworld in Maya mythology
Santa Muerte (Saint Death), in Mexico
San La Muerte (Saint Death), in Paraguay, the Northeast of Argentina and Southern Brazil
El Tío, lord of the underworld, in Cerro Rico, Bolivia
Anguta, Gatherer of the dead, Inuit mythology
Chepi
Aipaloovik, (Inuit mythology).
Pana, (Inuit mythology).
Baron Cimetiere, (Haitian Vodou).
Baron La Croix, (Haitian Vodou).
Luison, (Guarani mythology).
Muut, (Native American mythology).
Maximón
San Pascualito
Ta'xet, (Haida mythology).
Alakshmi
Chhinnamasta
Chitragupta
Dhumavati
Jyeshtha
Kalantaka
Kali
Mahākāla
Mahakali
Mara
Nirṛti
Varuna
Yama
Yami
Erlik, is the god of death and underworld in Turkic and Mongolian mythology
Batara Kala, (Balinese mythology) god of the underworld in traditional Javanese and Balinese mythology, ruling over it in a cave along with Setesuyara. Batara Kala is also named the creator of light and the earth. He is also the god of time and destruction, who devours unlucky people. He is related to Hindu concept of Kala, or time. In mythology, he causes eclipses by trying to eat the Sun or the Moon.
Kumakatok (Philippines) hooded and clocked harbingers of death that would knock on doors
Shinigami (Shinto) It is a demon that would possess humans makes humans want to die, and it is said that upon being possessed one would suddenly want to commit suicide
Shingon (nat) (Burmese)
Sidapa (Philippines) god of the death and lifespan in traditional Visayan mythology, resides in Mt. Majaas. Sidapa is prominently known for defeating the other gods in order to take Bulan a boy to be his consort or child-bride
Ankou (Breton people)
Grim Reaper, Europe, personification of Death
Erio (Basque mythology)
Giltinė (Lithuanian mythology)
Ishtar-Deela Nakh, Lord of Underworld
Māra (Latvian mythology)
Morana (Slavic mythology)
Banshee (Irish Mythology)
Dullahan (Irish Mythology)
Cu Sith (Scottish folklore)
Black Dog (ghost)
Chernobog, (Slavic mythology).
Djall, (Albanian mythology).
Horned God, (Wicca).
Xargi, (Siberian mythology).
Peckols, (Prussian mythology).
Peklenc, (Slavic mythology).
Veles, (Slavic mythology).
Nga (god), (Siberian mythology).
Misc Pacific Islands mythology
Hine-nui-te-pō (Maori mythology)
Whiro (Maori mythology)
Wuluwaid, (Australian Aboriginal mythology)
Degei, (Fijian mythology).
Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, the destructive spirit (Persian mythology)
Asto Vidatu or Astiwihad or Asto-widhatu, death deity (Persian mythology)
Aminon, Gatekeeper of the underworld (Ossetian mythology)
Azrael, the Archangel of Death (Islam, Sikhism)
Barastyr, the ruler of the underworld (Ossetian mythology)
Erlik (Turkic mythology)
Mot, (Canaanite)
Jabru, (Elamite mythology).
Namtar, (Mesopotamian mythology).
Ninsusinak, (Assyrian mythology).
Death is the protagonist in the science fantasy novel On a Pale Horse, book one in a series of 8 books, the "Incarnations of Immortality".
In the novel The Book Thief Death is the narrator of the story.
Death is the name of one of the "The Endless" in the DC Universe.
Death is a recurring character in the Discworld series written by Terry Pratchett. Books featuring Death include Mort, Reaper Man, Soul Music, Hogfather and Thief of Time.
In A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin the guild of assassins known as the Faceless Men believe that all death deities are simply different incarnations of the same god, known to them as the Many-Faced God or Him of Many Faces, while the Faith of the Seven worships The Stranger as one of Seven Aspects of God representing Death and the Unknown.
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially The Silmarillion, Nàmo AKA Lord Mandos is the Doomsman of the Valar, Judge of the Dead and Lord of the Halls of Mandos (where Elves await reincarnation and humans recreat before making the Journey into the Beyond), similar to Hades.
In the CW TV show Supernatural, Death makes a crucial appearance. He is portrayed as existing alongside God since the beginning of time, and being so ancient he cannot remember when he came into existence, he may even be older than God. In the show he is one, the oldest and most powerful, of the Four Horsemen- Death, Famine, War and Pestilence. He is not portrayed as a villain.
In the manga and anime of the popular hit series Sailor Moon, the tenth and last Sailor Soldier of the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Saturn, is the Sailor Soldier of all silence, destruction, oblivion, nothingness, ruin, and death. Her weapon is the Silent Glaive that is capable of utterly obliterating and destroying entire worlds and planets if used to its maximum potential.
In the Marvel Comics Universe, the personification of death is Mistress Death.
The Transformers mythos feature the character of Mortilus, a Cybertronian deity who represents death and who later betrayed his brethren and was destroyed, leading to the longevity of the Transformer race. A similar character is The Fallen, a member of the Thirteen Primes who is identified as the guardian of Entropy.
