11 Sun Gods & Goddesses From World History

The sun has been around for billions of years so it makes sense that humans who came billions of years later would come up with a way to explain the sun. Here's 11 of the most famous Sun Gods and Goddesses.

1. AMATERASU, Japan

Her whole name is Amaterasu-ōmikami which means, "the great august kami (god) who shines in the heaven". Her name was used in the TV Show Naruto as a ninjutsu for a flame that never goes out.

2. ARINNA (HEBAT), Hittite (Syrian)

The most important of the three solar deities. A city was named after her in Syria. Nothing consistent in her history, but there are a few stories out there.

3. HELIOS (APOLLO), Greek (Roman)

Helios (Apollo) has been variously recognized as a god of music, truth and prophecy, healing, the sun and light, plague, poetry, and more.

4. FREYR, Norse

Also know in a text as Frikko, he bestows peace and pleasure on mortals. Structures built to honor him are most likely phallic shaped.

5. GARUDA, Hinduism & Buddhism

He’s the mount of Lord Vishnu and Garuda is depicted as having the golden body of a strong man; with a white face, red wings, and an eagle's beak and with a crown on his head. This ancient deity was said to be massive, large enough to block out the sun.

6. HUITZILOPOCHTLI, Aztec

Huitzilopochtli was the smallest son of four; his mother and father instructed both him and Quetzalcoatl to bring order to the world. Together they made fire, the first male and female humans, created the Earth, and manufactured a sun.

7. INTI, Inca

Revered as the national patron of the Inca state most consider Inti the sun god. More appropriately he’s viewed as solar aspects, since the Inca divided his identity according to the stages of the sun.

8. LIZA, West Africa

Liza is the sun god to the Fon people of West Africa. His sister was the Moon god Mawu. The two were twins, but were also lovers.

9. RA, Egypt

All forms of life were believed to have been created by Ra, who called each of them into existence by speaking their secret names. Alternatively humans were created from Ra's tears and sweat, hence the Egyptians call themselves the "Cattle of Ra."

10. SHAPASH, Ugaritic

Shapash or Shapsh(u) (Ugaritic/Canaanite) was the Canaanite goddess of the sun, daughter of El and Asherah. She is known as "torch of the gods” and is considered an important deity in theCanaanite pantheon and among the Phoenicians.

11. SOL (SUNNA), Nordic

Sól drives the chariot of the Sun across the sky every day. Pulled by the horses Allsvinn ("Very Fast") and Arvak ("Early Rising"), the Sun-chariot is pursued by the wolf Skoll. It is said that sometimes he comes so close that he is able to take a bite out of the Sun, causing an eclipse.