Collaborate on DeityDB
A community-first scholarly resource. Add data, code, sources, or corrections β no money involved, just research.
Ways to Contribute
Add or correct entity data
Found a missing deity, angel, demon, or cosmological concept? Know a better source for an existing classification? The seed data lives in CSV files and SQL scripts in the repository β open a PR with your addition and a citation.
Every entity needs: a name, a kind (god/angel/demon/etc.), a tradition, and at least one source record. See the schema for required fields.
Read CONTRIBUTING.md βAdd relationships
Relationships are the heart of the graph. If you can cite a typed relationship β patron_of, emanates_from, reception_of, syncretized_with β between two existing entities, add it to the relationships seed file.
Prefer typed relations over generic ones. "Hephaestus is associated_with fire" should be "Hephaestus patron_of smithcraft" with a source.
Browse the repository βAdd sources
The source registry tracks academic editions and primary texts. If you're using a work not yet in the database, add a source record first, then cite it in your entity or relationship additions.
Academic editions, critical translations, and peer-reviewed reference works are prioritised over popular summaries.
Browse existing sources βReport errors
Misclassifications, wrong tradition labels, duplicate entities, broken relationships β all are bugs. Open a GitHub issue with the entity ID, the problem, and your source.
Particularly valuable: corrections to any "associated_with" relationships that should be typed more precisely.
Quotes and citations were assembled with AI assistance from primary and scholarly sources and may contain errors of transcription, location, or attribution. Corrections supported by a valid source are welcome.
Open an issue βContribute code
The PostgreSQL schema, migration scripts, validation queries, and this Datasette explorer are all open-source. Schema improvements, new public views, and validation test additions are especially welcome.
View the repository βExpand tradition coverage
Several traditions are planned but nascent: deeper Islamic tafsΔ«r and Sufi sources, Kabbalistic and Lurianic Judaism, early-Christian heresiology (Irenaeus, Tertullian), Scythian, Phrygian, and Etruscan entities.
If you have domain expertise in one of these areas and academic sources to hand, reach out or open a PR.
See open expansion issues βData Standards
What we accept
- Entities with a clear name, kind, and tradition
- Relationships that appear in academic or primary sources
- Typed relationships (patron_of, opposes, emanates_fromβ¦)
- New source records for works not yet in the registry
- Corrections to existing classifications with a better source
What we don't accept
- Fabricated primary sources or AI-generated citations
- Unsourced internet summaries or Wikipedia-only citations
- Generic "associated_with" relationships without typed alternatives
- Entities from living religious traditions without scholarly consensus
- Non-Western traditions (outside current scope β see roadmap)
Getting Started
Fork and clone
git clone https://github.com/jebboone/deitydb
The repository includes the full PostgreSQL schema, seed data CSVs, upgrade scripts, and validation tests.
Set up the database
Run PostgreSQL in Docker (see the README) and load the schema and seed data. The setup is fully reproducible from a fresh container.
Run validation
psql -d deitydb -f tests/validate_relationships.sql
All tests should pass (0 unresolved references, 0 duplicate IDs) before opening a PR.
Open a pull request
Include the entity/relationship IDs you're adding or modifying, and cite the source. Update CHANGELOG.md for schema-affecting changes.