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Dagon

File:Statue_of_Zeus_dsc02611-.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Also known as Dagan

Dagon or Dagan (; ) was a god worshipped in ancient Syria, across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attestations of his cult come from cities such as Mari and Emar as well. In settlements situated in the upper Euphrates area, he was regarded as the "father of gods" similar to Mesopotamian Enlil or Hurrian Kumarbi, as well as a lord of the land, a god of prosperity, and a source of royal legitimacy. A large number of theophoric names, both masculine and feminine, attests that he was a popular deity. He was also worshiped further east, in

Key facts

Deity.type
Mesopotamian
Deity.name
Dagon
Deity.image
Statue of Zeus dsc02611-.jpg
Deity.caption
Statue of Dagon/Marnas from Gaza portrayed in the style of Zeus. Roman period Dagon/Marnas was the chief divinity of Gaza (Istanbul Archaeology Museum).
Deity.god_of
God of prosperity and Syrian father of gods
Deity.cult_center
Tuttul, Terqa, Mari, Emar
Deity.consort
Shalash
Deity.children
Hadad (Ugaritic Baal), possibly Hebat
Deity.equivalent1_type
Mesopotamian
Deity.equivalent1
Enlil
Deity.equivalent2_type
Hurrian
Deity.equivalent2
Kumarbi
Deity.equivalent3_type
Ugaritic
Deity.equivalent3
El

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Wikidata facts

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Dagon.gif
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Commons category
Dagan
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Article

20 sections
Contents
  • Etymology
  • Divine genealogy and syncretism
  • Dagan, Enlil and Kumarbi
  • Dagan and weather gods
  • Dagan and Nisaba
  • Character
  • Worship
  • Mesopotamian reception
  • Mythology
  • Ugarit
  • Dagan, El, and Baal's parentage
  • Iron Age Phoenicia
  • Later relevance
  • Jewish and Christian scriptures
  • Fish-god interpretation
  • Dagon and Marnas
  • In popular culture
  • Citations
  • General and cited references
  • External links

Dagon or Dagan (; ) was a god worshipped in ancient Syria, across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attestations of his cult come from cities such as Mari and Emar as well. In settlements situated in the upper Euphrates area, he was regarded as the "father of gods" similar to Mesopotamian Enlil or Hurrian Kumarbi, as well as a lord of the land, a god of prosperity, and a source of royal legitimacy. A large number of theophoric names, both masculine and feminine, attests that he was a popular deity. He was also worshiped further east, in Mesopotamia, where many rulers regarded him as the god capable of granting them kingship over the western areas.

Attestations of Dagan from coastal areas are much less frequent and come mostly from the northern city of Ugarit, where Dagan's cult had a limited scope. According to the Hebrew Bible, Dagan was also the national god of the Philistines, with temples at Ashdod and Gaza, but there is no extrabiblical evidence confirming this. The extrasolar object designated Fomalhaut b is named after Dagon.

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