Dagon

In the Middle East

"Dagon or Dagan was a god worshipped in ancient Syria across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attestations of his cult come from cities such as Mari and Emar as well. In settlements situated in the upper Euphrates area, he was regarded as the "father of gods" similar to Mesopotamian Enlil or Hurrian Kumarbi, as well as a lord of the land, a god of prosperity, and a source of royal legitimacy. A large number of theophoric names, both masculine and feminine, attests that he was a popular deity. He was also worshiped further east, in Mesopotamia, where many rulers regarded him as the god capable of granting them kingship over the western areas." [Dagon, Wikipedia]

The Bible mentions Dagon as a god of the Philistines:

The Philistines prepared to sacrifice Samson to their god Dagon, but were destroyed when Samson toppled the temple (Judges 16:23).
The Philistines captured the Ark of God and brought it to the temple of Dagon at Ashdod, and set it beside Dagon himself. The next morning, the idol of Dagon was found toppled on its face. The priests replaced it, and the next day found that the head and arms of the deity were broken off. Following further divinely-ordained misfortunes, the people of Ashdod decided to send the Ark away (1 Samuel 5:1-8).
The Philistines nailed up the skull of Saul in the temple of Dagon (1 Chronicles 10:10).

In Lovecraft

At Innsmouth, the Esoteric Order of Dagon regarded Dagon as the father god of the Deep Ones. The Esoteric Order of Dagon preached that the children of human/Deep One liaisons would never die, but go back to Mother Hydra and Father Dagon, whom we all came from once. The people of Innsmouth all had to take the Oath of Dagon, and there were second and third Oaths of Dagon for those who were willing to commit more deeply, and receive greater benefits. Zadok Allen said he would rather die than take the third oath. [Innsmouth (online text)]

The shipwrecked narrator of Dagon witnessed a scene of apparent worship by a giant man/fish, perhaps an unusually large Deep One, or perhaps Dagon himself. The thing clasped a carved monolith and gave vent to certain measured sounds. Later, the narrator amused an ethnologist with questions about the ancient Philistine legend of Dagon, the Fish-God. [HPL Dagon (online text)]

In Other Writers

Dagon is one of the Ancient Ones (2) [AWD Witches]. Dagon is a god of the sea [Shuttered, Survivor (online text)]. He rules the Deep Ones [Gable (online text), Shuttered, Survivor (online text)]. Dagon and the Deep Ones serve a greater being (Cthulhu) [Lurker].

Seth Akins said there were whispers in Innsmouth about something named Dagon [Clay]. The Dagon worshipped in Innsmouth was but a mask for something older and more terrible than the fish-like god of the Philistines [Sky]. Jedediah Harper heard some Deep Ones beyond Devil Reef off Innsmouth, singing the praises of Dagon [Fisherman].

The ring of stones near Billington House where Richard Billington performed magic rites was referred to as a "Place of Dagon." [Lurker]

At the time of the Roman invasion of Anglesey, the soldier Vincius regarded Dagon as a legend [RB DarkIsle].

Dagon is worshipped by the aquatic children of Dagon. In ancient Atlantis, the humans regarded Dagon as a forbidden evil god of the ocean, contrasted with the benign Poseidon. [HK Spawn2 (online text)]

Georg Reuter Fischer heard voices mention "the fane of Dagon" [FL Terror2].

Azédarac swore "by the Tail of Dagon" to express displeasure [CAS Holiness (online text)].

In a dream, H. P. Lovecraft used a pair of fireplace tongs with an emblazoned design that was suggestive of Dagon [JVS Snouted].

Dagon

In the Middle East

In Lovecraft

In Other Writers

See Also

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