Skip to Content

Goddess Of Light: 20+ Sun Goddesses And Their Myths

Please note that posts on this site may contain affiliate links

Many people believe that deities of the sun are usually male in nature, but many cultures have a goddess of light. Sun goddesses are more common than you might think .

In fact, in Egypt, the earliest sun deities were all female. From Japan to Finland, sun goddesses ruled over the day and were worshipped for their role in fertility and creation.

Here are some of the sun goddesses from many world religions.

Sun goddesses are known for providing warmth and life. Sun setting over a field.
It’s a myth that solar deities are always male

Amaterasu

This Japanese Shinto goddess rules over the sun and is the claimed ancestor of the Japanese royal family. Her name means “Great shining heaven”.

[lasso ref=”sun-goddess-statue-link” id=”39257″ link_id=”2449″]

Arinna

In Hittite mythology, she was the queen of all lands and the chief goddess.

She was the wife of the weather god Tarhunna and protected the Hittite kingdom.

The deer was sacred to this goddess.

A beautiful sunrise.
Many myths have a sun goddess or goddess of sunset

Hebat

Hebat was the mother goddess of the Hurrians. Arinna and Hebat were assimilated as the same deity.

A prayer from Queen Puduhepa says:

To the Sun-goddess of Arinna, my lady, the mistress of the Hatti lands, the queen of Heaven and Earth. Sun-goddess of Arinna, thou art Queen of all countries! In the Hatti country thou bearest the name of the Sun-goddess of Arinna; but in the land which thou madest the cedar land thou bearest the name Hebat.

Shemesh / Shepesh

She was the Canaanite goddess of the sun and the daughter of El and Asherah.

As well as a sun goddess, she was a judge among the gods and a saviour of humankind.

Rituals with horses and chariots were associated with her.

Sol / Sunna

This sun goddess was worshipped extensively through Germany and Scandinavia.

Her epithets include “the shining god” and “Bright bride of heaven.”

A golden sky filled with sunlight.
The earliest Egyptian myths told of an Egyptian sun goddess

Wadjet

The sun disk known as the uraeus is her symbol, and was the emblem on the crown of Lower Egypt’s rulers.

As well as being a sun goddess, she was a protector of kings and women in childbirth.

Sekhmet

Sekhmet is an Egyptian goddess of the sun. She also represented war, destruction, plagues, and healing.

She is an incredibly powerful goddess and one of the oldest deities in the Egyptian pantheon.

She also wears the Uraeus or sun disk.

[lasso ref=”sunna-or-sol-sun-goddess-candle-link” id=”39259″ link_id=”2450″]

Hathor

Hathor was a solar goddess and feminine counterpart to male sun gods like Horus and Ra. She was also a goddess of the sky, women, fertility, and love.

She was often depicted in the form of a cow.

A huge sun in a golden sky surrounded by clouds
Sun worship is even seen in the Bible

Bast

This fierce lioness goddess was also a warrior goddess of the sun.

One of her epithets is “goddess of the rising sun”.

Shams / Shamsun

In Arabian mythology, Shamsun is a sun goddess and patron goddess of the Himyarite Kingdom.

Saule

Similar to the Norse Sol, Saulė is a Baltic solar deity. Her name is the conventional name for the sun.

She is also the goddess of life, fertility, warmth, and health. She protects orphans and other unfortunate souls.

She was married to Menuo, the moon god.

Sun shining over a mountain range
If you do any sun worship rituals, you can include one of these solar goddesses in your practice

Grian

Grian’s name literally means “sun”. She is assumed to be an Irish goddess of the sun.

Sulevia

Sulevia is suggested to be a Celtic solar goddess worshipped in Gaul, Britain, and Galicia.

Olwen

Olwen is a Welsh goddess that some believe was originally a sun goddess.

This is because she has light-related attributes and her name means “white footprint”.

Brighid

Brighid is an immensely popular deity and a member of the Tuatha De Danann.

Among her many correspondences includes flames and the sun. In this aspect her attributes are light, inspiration, inner healing, vital energy, and skills associated with fire.

The sun in a celestial sky
Who are the goddesses of fire and light?

Xihe

A Chinese solar deity, Xihe is the mother of ten suns that almost destroyed the earth.

Päivätär

In Finnish mythology, Päivätär is the sun goddess of the day, light, and life. She spins silver yarn and makes clothes from it.

She is described as beautiful, and in the Kalevala young maidens ask Päivätär to give them some of her silver jewelry and clothes.

Beiwe

Beaivi, Beiwe, Bievve, Beivve or Biejje is the Sami sun deity. She is usually seen as female, though sometimes as male.

Many Sami live in an area where the sun never rises during the winter. It is obvious, then, that the sun would be incredibly important to these people.

Along with being a goddess of the sun, she is also the goddess of sanity, spring, and fertility.

A white animal, usually a reindeer, is sacrificed to Beiwe during winter solstice.

A hiker looking out over the mountains at the sun
Solar mythology has a few common themes among most cultures.

Bila

Bila is a sun goddess of the Adnyamathanha people of Australia. Many Australian aboriginal people see the sun as female.

Bila is also seen as a cannibal that roasts her victims over a fire. That is the origin of sunlight.

Walo

Wala, Walo, or Walu is another Australian aboriginal sun goddess.

[lasso ref=”tarot-sun-goddess-quartz-earrings-link” id=”39261″ link_id=”2451″]

Bomong

Bomong is the sun goddess of the Minyong in India.

When her sister dies, she covers herself with a giant rock. When her sister is revived by a carpenter, she re-emerges accompanied by singing birds and animals.

Sun shining over golden waves of a lake
Solar goddess associations often include creation, warmth, protection, and royalty.

Chaxiraxi

For the aboriginal Guanche people of the Canary Islands, Chaxiraxi is a sun goddess.

Known as the Sun Mother, she was later associated with the appearance of the Virgin of Candelaria.

Unelanuhi

Unelanuhi is a Cherokee sun goddess. She is a healer and protector of her people.

Malina

Malina is a sun goddess of the Inuit religion. Found most often in Greenland legends, she is constantly being chased by her brother the moon.

She is known for her passion, courage, and beauty.

FAQs

Who is the Greek god goddess of light?

The Greek goddess of light is Theia, also known as Euryphaessa, who was the mother of Helios, Selene, and Eos.

Who is the goddess of sun or light?

The goddess of sun or light is Amaterasu, who is the chief deity of the Shinto religion and is revered as the goddess of the sun and universe in Japanese mythology.

Who is the goddess of light and beauty?

The goddess of light and beauty is Theia, who was revered as a Titaness in Greek mythology and was associated with brightness, splendor, and vision.

Who is the Egyptian goddess of light?

The Egyptian goddess of light is Hathor, who was revered as the goddess of beauty, music, love, and motherhood, and was associated with the sun, sky, and fertility.

Who is the goddess of light and dawn?

The goddess of light and dawn is Eos, who was the Greek goddess of the dawn and was associated with the illumination of the sky before sunrise.

Is there a Greek goddess of the sun?

Yes, there is a Greek goddess of the sun named Alectrona, who was the daughter of the sun god Helios and was associated with the shining light of the sun.

Who is the goddess of sunset?

The goddesses of sunset is the Hesperides, who were the nymph daughters of Atlas and were associated with the golden light of the setting sun and the guardian of Hera’s famous golden apples.

[lasso ref=”litha-pdf” id=”38701″ link_id=”2452″]