One of the most majestic of the animal kingdom is the wolf. Dating back thousands of years are stories of wolf gods and goddesses. Shamans of nearly every culture have revered the wolf for its swiftness, instinctual abilities and wild freedom. Wolf medicine is strong medicine. Unfortunately, in past years wolves were killed off because of superstition, so there aren’t nearly as many wolves as there once was. But still, they live on. And so do the myths of gods and wolves.
Gods and goddesses of the ancient world often held a special connection with wolves. Some say this is because the beliefs of our ancestors were animistic – they believed everything in nature had consciousness including animals. Wildlife was thought of as sacred in ancient times, and there are scholars who believe ancient land guardian spirits were worshiped by ancient tribes and would eventually rise to become great gods and goddesses. To find an image of a god or goddess in the likeness of an animal was commonplace. Some of the more obvious animal-god connections can be seen on the ancient temple walls in Egypt. For example, the ibis-headed god Thoth. Or the hawk-headed god Horus. Wolf gods and goddesses were depicted with the heads of wolves, transformed into wolves, or were strongly associated with wolves.
The wolf is one of those animals that many of us have a life long obsession with. They are wild. They are majestic. And they represent parts of us that we tend to suppress. The wolf represents pack-mentality, loyalty, and being fierce in the face of the enemy when it comes to protecting one’s family. It also reminds us of our primality, the primitive life and instincts many of us feel we have lost in modern society. The gods particularly favor wolves, and my belief is that is because of their ferocity. In Old Norse society, wolves were invoked by warriors called the Ulfhednar in order to defeat their enemy.
Artemis is the Greek Goddess of the hunt, the forest, archery, chastity, and the moon. She was also a protector of women and children and was known to heal women’s injuries and disease. When depicted, Artemis was nearly always shown with animals of some kind – most often with dogs or deer. This is because her domain was the forest, and therefore all wildlife within the forest was under her guidance. This would have included wolves.
If you are to research Artemis, you will find mostly references to her link with hunting dogs. The greek god Pan gave Artemis a pack of hunting dogs of which Artemis takes seven when she goes hunting. Her connection with the moon serves to tell us that any animal with a draw towards the moon would be favored in Artemis’ eyes. Therefore, wolves, the primal original canines who so love to howl at the moon are also Artemis’ animals.
Diana, the Roman Goddess of the Moon, was thought to be Artemis’ Roman equivalent. They had many of the same qualities and attributes including domain over the forest and wildlife therein. Diana was the Roman Goddess of the Moon, just as Artemis was the Greek Goddess of the Moon. She ruled over the woodland creatures, which would include wolves. She was also a protector of women and children. In recent times, wolves have come to be associated with the “primal” or “wild” woman, essentially taking us back to our primitive instincts and intuition. Diana’s inseparable link with women and the fact that she was a wild forest goddess makes her connection with wolves palpable.
It’s no wonder Artemis is thought to have wolves in her compendium of animal guardians and helpers, as Artemis’ mother in Greek mythology was Leto. Leto was born on the island of Kos and her parents were Titans. Leto had relations with Zeus and gave birth to Artemis and Apollo. She was a goddess of womanhood and motherhood, and thus the birth of Apollo and Artemis are significant to the Leto myth. The legend says that Leto labored for days to deliver the twins Artemis and Apollo – this is related to wolves’ difficult delivery of their young. The journey that Leto took from the Hyperboreoi to Delos took twelve days, which is the time it took for wolves to deliver their young in Greek mythology. This made her one of the Greek wolf goddesses. She might have been the original Greek wolf goddess!
Leto was also believed to have had the ability to shift into the form of a wolf. Sometimes she was said to have been a she-wolf and so is linked to Lycia a.k.a. wolf-country. Leto honored and adored wolves because they were thought to have provided her assistance in her times of need.
The Morrigan is an ancient Irish (Celtic) goddess of life and death, wisdom, magic, shapeshifting, and war and also one of the Celtic wolf goddesses. She might have originally been three separate goddesses that eventually were merged into a triple-goddess. The Morrighan in her three aspects include Badh, Macha, and Nemain. The Morrighan is almost always seen as a fierce, aggressive goddess with a yearning for blood on the battlefield. She takes no prisoners, and shows little mercy to those who are her enemies. For those she loves – she will do whatever it takes to help them, including shapeshifting into various forms. One of those forms is in the shape of a large grey-red wolf, making her an ancient wolf goddess.
In the Irish epic tale The Cattle Raid of Cooley, the Morrigan takes on many forms in the presence of Cu Chulainn. She is an eel and a wolf, among other things. Because the Morrigan is seen as a wild, liberated and independent goddess, it only makes sense that the wolf is one of her sacred familiars.
A favorite of the wolf goddesses in ancient Scandinavia was Skadi. Skadi is a Norse Goddess of the Winter and a Giantess. Her plight for revenge against the gods for her father’s death was met with a trick – Odin tricked her into marrying Njord, a god of the sea, instead of Odin’s son, Baldur, of whom Skadi was determined to marry. The two lived together for a short time but the marriage was doomed, as Skadi’s heart was in the mountains and Njord’s was in the sea. Eventually Skadi fell in love with Ulle and they lived in the snowy mountains together.
Skadi often has wolves at her sides, as the Poetic Edda shows. Njord, after returning to the sea from his stay in the mountains with Skadi, mentions how the howling of the wolves kept him awake at night. But Skadi doesn’t mind the howls, she welcomes them. She is one of the wolf pack, and she will forever guard the mountains as her sacred home.
Lycaon, also known as Arcadia, was a mythological king of Arcadia. There were many Greek myths surrounding Lycaon’s life, but the most popular tells of Zeus turning Lycaon into a wolf after Lycaon tried to trick Zeus. Here again we see the “trickster” archetype alive in the myth of Lycaon who is then turned into the trickster-creature – the wolf. The term lycanthropy is directly related to the name Lycaon, and is a disorder in which a person believes he or she is actually a wolf.
In ancient Rome, there was a wild fertility festival that happened every year on February 15th called Lupercalia. This festival involved a number of bawdy and lascivious acts, including men running around naked chasing women, beating women with sticks to ensure fertility throughout the year, and animal sacrifices of goats and a dog. The priesthood known as the Luperci (brothers of the wolf) were to perform these rites. This festival was put on every year until approximately the fifth century AD, when all pagan holidays and celebrations were outlawed by the Church. What does this have to do with a god and his association to wolves?
If we identify the term Lupercalia, we find that luper translates roughly to wolf. The ancient Romans and Greeks held wolves in high honor and regard, and so the war and agriculture god would come to be associated with the wolves. Romulus and Remus, twin brothers associated with the founding of Rome, were said to have been orphaned by Mars and their orphan mother then suckled by a large she-wolf in a cave known as Lupercal. Fun Harry Potter fact: there is a professor known as Remus Lupin who makes a debut appearance in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Where do you think JK Rowling thought up his name?
Often we see Odin, the all-father of Norse mythology, shown with two ravens; however, when Odin is not accompanied by his large corvid friends he is flanked by two great wolves named Geri and Freki. The mention of Odin’s wolves comes from the Prose and Poetic Edda. Their characters in the Poetic and Prose Edda demonstrate a warrior quality, in particular a greed for blood and corpses. The names Geri and Freki are translated to be “greedy” and “the ravenous one”. They are destruction that makes way for creation.
Odin has been associated with the greek god Apollo, who also has an evident connection with wolves and ravens. The Ulfednar in Norse Mythology are wolf-warriors and are referred to as Odin’s fighters. They always wore the pelts of wolves when going into battle.
Apollo, the Greek wolf god of the Sun, healing, archery, poetry and more. Old sources say Apollo was “wolf-born”, which refers to his mother Leto (see above). Some say Apollo was once an anthropomorphic wolf-god who later took on more human characteristics. Basically, Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were raised by a she-wolf and around wolves.
Loki, Norse God of Trickery and Transformation, is yet another wolf god. Or, at least, a god who has close connections with these magnificent creatures. Loki is the father of many gods and creatures, including Fenrir, the wolf who will destroy Odin at the end of the world. Being a god of mischief and transformation, I’d venture to say Loki would have no problem shapeshifting into wolf form when the need arose.
Nehalennia is a lesser-known Celtic, possibly Germanic, wolf goddess from the first and second century. Most evidence of her comes from The Netherlands, Sweden and islands off the coast of Europe. She is almost always depicted with a wolf-hound at her feet, symbols of the sea, and carries a basket of fruit or bread. She is associated with the harvest, wolves, fertility, the ocean, trading, shipping and horticulture.
Cailleach is known as the divine Old Woman and is frequently the personification of Winter in Scotland and Ireland. There are many places named for the Cailleach and her name still exists in traditions and fairy tales, particularly in the Winter season. Interestingly, she was once also closely linked to wolves, before wolves went extinct in Scotland and Ireland. Being that Cailleach has the power to create and destroy, just like Winter, she was also a guardian of wolves. A creature that also holds birth and death in its claws.
Another lesser-known Celtic goddess also associated with wolves is Flidais. Her name pops up occasionally through Irish mythos and she is typically depicted as a Queen or mythical heroine. Sometimes even an ancestress to a sept of Old Irish families known as the Dal gCais. In at least two myths, Flidais’ name is mentioned in relation to “wolves” and the “blood of wolves”. Her attributes, along with her link to wolves, invoke the image of a Celtic goddess that mirrors the greek goddess Artemis. Flidais seems to be a guardian of the wild, as well as a fierce warrior and huntress.
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George | 6th Sep 22
Mamberi… God of wolves in Georgian mythology
Rina | 9th Jan 21
There’s also Wepwawet an Egyptian wolf God. He is the opener of the way.
Eddie / Eduarda Lamar | 9th May 21
There is. He’s true to what you say. And most have forgotten of his power in Egyptian culture. Thats why when those who remember and find of his power and name. If they worship with heart and soul, he will guard your soul and lead you through a clear way, until you pass and then he will lead it on the safe passage to the afterlife.
Haydot | 4th Sep 20
I thought Loki gave birth to two kids with a human Renic and Rein
Anyway good job
Anonymous | 10th Sep 20
Loki has several children. Jormungandr, Hel, and Fenrir are the most notorious, but there are also Sleipnir, Nari, and Vali.
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Ren Wolf | 25th May 20
You forgot that wolves are actually much more maternal than most of the deities you listed, despite being goddesses of women and such they were all quite active with hunting and killing, which most women didn’t do. I know that Artemis and other goddesses are like that, but come on. Wolves have more loyalty and honor than probably anyone alive today, which includes most deities.
Bella Bradley | 12th May 20
Hi, I’m currently studying to be a witch and wanted to know if it would be ok if I had one of my deceased dogs share an altar with a god/goddess. At least one of the wolf gods/goddesses. Do you think it would be offensive/rude/etc?
admin | 14th May 20
Not at all! I think any wolf god or goddess would appreciate being with a dog.
Pippa | 16th Jun 20
You’d be honouring both your deity and your deceased companion by combining the two as it shows that you go forth with the past and nature in mind whilst looking to the future and your chosen deity
Hayden | 27th Jan 22
make sure you ask the god/godless that you are working with/worshiping permission before doing so but most of them will love the idea.
| 19th Mar 20
What about Lupa? She is very important in roman mythology. She was the wolf who found and suckled Remus and Romulus and cared for them till they were found by humans. She is said to be the goddess of wolves, fertility, and maternal wealth
| 2nd Oct 19
You forgot one, Selene the Goddess of the Moon.
| 17th Nov 19
Umm. But she wasn’t a wolf god
Lunais Silverwing | 12th Dec 19
What about Fenrir, the Giant Wolf demi-god, son of Loki?
| 5th Apr 21
I know right? I knew something was missing.
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| 20th Mar 19
Hold on Odin was not known as a Trickster that goes with Loki. Sorry But you must have read something wrong. IN the Mythology odin does have wolves but Loki had a wolf child so fight me
admin | 20th Mar 19
I don’t know why I would “fight” you over something so silly. I agree, Loki was known as “the” trickster but Odin has his ways of testing us with riddles, unexpected journeys, etc. I’ll correct the post to be more succinct in my wording. Thanks for pointing it out.
Andrastei | 21st May 19
That would be Fenrir ,by any chance?
Pet Rescue Tags | 4th Mar 19
Very informative post.Really thank you! Cool.
Madison Simon | 22nd Jan 19
What about Apollo? You ditched that bit.
admin | 24th Jan 19
I didn’t mean to “ditch” it, just chose to focus on the ones here.
central london, harley street addiction counsellor | 15th Dec 18
Thanks again for the blog.Really thank you! Awesome.
Amira Peatry | 1st Dec 18
Hey! Would you mind if I share your blog with my facebook group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Cheers
admin | 3rd Dec 18
Amira – I would love for you to share my blog with your group. Thank you!
Jennifer Hodgson | 20th Nov 18
love this
blake christensen | 30th Oct 18
what about loki
admin | 30th Oct 18
What about Loki?
Shae | 17th Nov 18
Loki fathered the greatest wolf of norse mythology, fenrir, and is grandfather to the wolves that chase the sun and moon, hati and skoll. His son with Sigyn was also killed by a man turned into a wolf as revenge for killing Baldr. Loki has kinda a lot to do with wolves.
Hallie Logan | 23rd Nov 18
He has a lot to do with wolves, but he isn’t a wolf god.
| 29th Jan 19
lol
| 26th Oct 18
Helped on my “Wolves in Culture” project, thanks a bunch!
| 22nd Oct 18
This was helpful for my Ancient Greece Goddess Project, thanks :>
admin | 23rd Oct 18
You are welcome! Good luck!
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