Dyeus

*Dyēus is the reconstructed chief god of the Proto-Indo-European pantheon. He was the god of the daylit sky, and his position may have mirrored the position of patriarch or king in society.

Later gods who are etymologically connected with Dyeus include

• Greek Zeus,
• Roman Jupiter,
• Vedic Dyaus Pita,
• Germanic Tiwaz,
• Baltic Dievas,
• Slavic Div,
• and probably Phrygian Sabazios.

Also etymologically connected is the Latin word for god, deus, the word for the Christian God used by the Roman Catholic Church. The latin word is also continued in English divine, deity, and the original Germanic word remains visible in Tuesday (originally "Day of Tiwaz").

Dyeus was addressed as Dyeu Phter, literally "Sky Father", as reflected in Latin Jupiter, Greek Zeu pater, Sanskrit Dyau Pita. In his aspect as a Father God, his consort was Pltvi Mhter, "Earth Mother". As weather god, he probably wielded the thunderbolt or vajra.

As the pantheons of the individual Indo-European mythologies evolved, attributes of Dyeus were sometimes redistributed to other, newer gods. In Greek and Roman mythology, Dyeus remained the chief god, while in Vedic and Germanic mythology, the etymological continuants of Dyeus became pale, rather featureless gods, and his original attributes, and his dominance over other gods, were transferred to gods whose names cannot be reconstructed for Proto-Indo-European times, such as Odin, Thor or Indra.

See also: Proto-Indo-European religion.