Chthonic deities

In Greek mythology, deities referred to as chthonic (/ˈθɒnɪk/) or chthonian (/ˈθoʊniən/)[a] were gods or spirits who inhabited the underworld or existed in or under the earth, and were typically associated with death or fertility.

[2] The terms "chthonic" and "chthonian" are derived from the Ancient Greek word χθών (khthṓn) meaning 'earth' or 'soil'.

[3][4][5] In Greek, χθόνιος (khthónios) is a descriptive word for things relating to the underworld,[6] which was in antiquity sometimes applied as an epithet to deities such Hermes, Demeter, and Zeus.

[7] The chthonic deities have been compared to the more commonly referred-to Olympic gods and their associated rites and cults.

[8] Gods that are related to agriculture are also considered to have chthonic associations as planting and growing take place in part under the earth.

This makes some deities such as Hades, Persephone, and Erinyes more likely to be considered chthonic due to their proximity to the underworld.

Though this is the case, a few gods are most commonly considered chthonic due to their considerable role in the underworld and/or agriculture.

[21] While performing the sacrifice, worshippers would raise their palms open and upward, again gesturing toward the sky where the ouranic gods resided.

[9] The sacrifice was performed on a low altar or in a pit in the ground, offered in the direction of the earth where chthonic deities would reside.

[23] The temples in which these sacrifices were performed were typically built outside city walls with caves and grottos being popular locations, believed to be openings for chthonic deities.

The goal of chthonic worship was to interact with gods beneath the earth so offerings were directed toward the ground to reach these deities.

[14] Sacrificial practices would not always follow these exact patterns, but these are differences which can allude to whether the worshipper is conducting an ouranic or chthonic sacrifice.