Hades

Culture: Ancient Greek   Domain: The underworld, the dead, hidden wealth

Hades rules the underworld, not as an evil figure but as a stern, largely fair keeper of the dead and of the earth's hidden riches (his name is related to "wealth," Plouton). His abduction of Persephone, who becomes his queen, is the central myth associated with him; Greek religion generally treated him with wary respect rather than devotion, avoiding even speaking his name directly.

Associations

Death and the underworld, the dead, hidden wealth and minerals, finality, quiet authority.

Ways people honor him (modern)

• Honor the dead and ancestors with care and remembrance
• Approach endings (of relationships, jobs, chapters of life) as necessary, not shameful
• Keep a dark stone or coin as a quiet altar token
• Read Persephone's myth from his side, as a story of a household as well as an abduction

Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.