Over the millennia Gods and Goddesses have taken on many forms, have given great gifts and unleashed furious punishments on those who worshipped and angered them.   This book introduces the main gods and goddesses of the past; their myths, rituals and how they have influenced modern popular culture.  •Discover the feuding goddesses of Babylon,•Witness the great love affair of the Egyptian creator gods•Travel with the West African goddess from the shores of Nigeria to the new world of the Americas•Meet the divine forces which may still dwell in the heavens, the mountains, rivers, oceans and stars.  More than a historical glimpse into ancient cultures, Gods and Goddesses is a reference guide to the divine pantheons and an insight into how these ancient people and their divine creators live on in modern stories, films, practices and beliefs.