Goddesses Of Abstract Qualities

Where abstract qualities are associated with goddesses, the goddess might appear as the embodiment of the quality, or she may be envisioned as bestowing it upon favored humans. 

Beauty, love, wisdom, and justice are commonly associated with goddesses, as is the control of fate or destiny. 

Some of these qualities are associated with an essen tialist ‘‘femininity, while others are more typically associated with ‘‘masculinity. 

In the realm of goddesses, expectations of the social roles typically occupied by women do not always hold true. 

Even within a culture, goddesses defy gender stereotypes, as with war goddesses found in imperial patriarchies like Rome (see Bellona). 

Beauty is the quality most commonly associated with goddesses. 

The beauty of some goddesses reflects their status as divinities of earth and represents the idea of natures loveliness. 

One such is the Tantric Bhuvanesvarı (see India), described as so beautiful that the god Shiva made himself a third eye, the better to enjoy her. 

At other times, beauty is connected with sovereignty. 

Queenly figures are flatteringly described as beautiful. 

Thus the Queen of Sheba, Bilqis (see Eastern Mediterranean) was described as possessing great beauty, although she was also said to have had the legs of a goat. 

Hera, Greek goddess of womens power, was renowned for her beauty, as was the Irish warrior queen Medb (see Celtic), who represented sovereignty over the land as well as womens sexuality. 

The Celtic goddess who appeared variously as Grainne, Iseult, and Gueneviere embodied the lands need for a vigorous king, with the ‘‘love triangle of their stories describing the replacement of an aging ruler with a younger one. 

Not surprisingly, beauty is often (although not invariably) connected with love. 

Such love could be generic, as with Greek Aphrodite or African Oshun, whose power infused the world of animals as well as humans. 

Other goddesses embody divine love, such as Indian Parvatı whose beauty was reserved for her consort Shiva. 

Finally, a goddesss desire could be directed only toward humans, as with Celtic Niamh, who sought lovers among human men, or the group of Indian spirits called Yaks˛ı who have sex with human men before eating them. 

More positively, Lakota Whope (see North America) formed the pattern of beauty after which human women were designed, so that they might attract vigorous mates. 

Love goddesses are not always benevolent. 

Many narratives emphasize betrayal and heartbreak (Celtic Bloduewedd and Deirdre, Hebrew Naamah, Greek Sirens). 

Although a beautiful goddess can be heartless, loyal lovers such as Indian Radha and Hebrew Sarah are found in mythology alongside destructive seducers like the Celtic Leanann Sidhe and Hebrew Lilith. 

Additionally, some myths warn of the difficulties that beauty can bring, as with Hindu Manasa (see India), whose beauty attracted the god Shiva, leading to her mutilation at his wifes hands. 

Unlike beauty, wisdom is not today necessarily connected with the archetypal femi nine. 

But in many cultures, goddesses were associated with this quality, which refers to a right ordering of society that aligns it with natural law. 

Thus Greek Athena and Metis, Roman Egeria and Providentia, and Hebrew Hokmah all connected the human world with nature through wise counsel. 

In some cases, as with Scandinavian Voluspa and Greek Python, wisdom was conveyed through oracular practices inspired by an all-seeing earth goddess. 

Roman Egeria pronounced the first laws of the city-state while in an oracular trance. 

In Ireland (see Celtic), goddesses of wisdom such as Boand gained knowledge through eating nuts that fall from a magical tree that con nects underworld, middle earth, and sky; thus their wisdom encompassed the universe. 

In most of these Irish narratives, the woman was specifically forbidden from seeking wisdom, but her decision to break that prohibition results in world-creating acts. 

Goddesses of justice, often pictured as mature or even elderly women, control the orderly structure of society. 

Thus Greek Themis, on whom oaths were sworn, repre sented the just underpinnings of civilization. 

Similarly, Hebrew Torah represented ‘‘the law that controlled and defined appropriate human behavior. 

The domain of Egyptian Maat (see Africa) extended beyond death, for she judged the souls right eousness. 

The Iroquois heroine Genetaska (see North America) brought justice and peace to her people. 

Some goddesses of justice were also goddesses of vengeance, demanding retribution for wrongdoing, as did Greek Erinyes and Nemesis. 

Goddesses also represent scholarship and learning. 

Because most societies have been oral rather than literate, such goddesses were associated with the transmission of wisdom through speech and stories (Scandinavian Saga and Edda, Indian Vac). 

The connection between memory, including historical memory, and the creation of art was emphasized in the Greek belief that Mnemosyne, goddess of memory, was mother to the Musae, goddesses of art. 

Goddesses like the Eastern Mediterranean Nisaba represented both the act of writing and the priestesses who employed it. 

Finally, one of the most common powers ascribed to goddesses is control over destiny. 

Individual fate goddesses are connected with midwifery. 

Such divinities as Baltic Laime˙, Egyptian Hathor, Slavic Dolya and Orisnitsi, and Finno-Ugric Madder-Akka appeared at a childs birth and predict its future life. 

Fate goddesses could be ancestral spirits (see Scandinavian Dıs) because heredity is one determinant of fate. 

Fate goddesses measured a persons life, like Hittite Wurusemu (see Eastern Mediterranean) or Greek Lachesis (see Moirae). 

Other fate goddesses, like the Roman Camenae and Carmenta who lived in springs, were associated with especially hal lowed places. 

~ Kiran Atma

You can learn more about Goddess Symbolism here.

Goddesses Of Fish And Insects

Those who live by fishing often honor a goddess who controls the sea life, such as the important Eskimo goddess Sedna (see Circumpolar), Celtic Nehalennia, or Finno-Ugric Avfruvva. 

In South America, Mama Cocha was the ‘‘mother of whales because she brought the massive mammals close to hunters. 

Polynesian Lorop (see Pacific Islands) lived under the earth, sending up food for her children in the form of fish. 

In other cases, the goddess was seen not as controlling the sea creatures but as one of them, as with Celtic Lı Ban, transformed into a salmon, and Eastern Mediterranean Atargatis, who swam in the pool of her temple as a trout. 

In India, the group of spirits called the D akinıs took on fish shapes to attend upon the goddess of death, Kalı. 

In Africa, the heroine Chichinguane joined the fish people because her human kin were unkind to her. 

Among insects, the industrious bee and the crafty spider are common goddess images. 

Bees, whose hives are centered on a queen and whose female workers produce honey, appear as companions of goddesses associated with social life. 

Lithuanian Aus t ˙eja was celebrated in an annual holiday dedicated to bees. 

Artemis of Ephesus, goddess of the warrior Amazons (see Greece), was depicted surrounded by bees; her priestesses were called Melissae, also a name used of bee Nymphs. 

Irish Gobnait (see Celtic) lived among bees that warned her of approaching danger. 

Spiders, with their ability to weave intricately architectural webs from their own bodies, appear as creatrix figures in several cultures. 

Hopi Kokyangwuti created human beings; Cherokee Kanene Ski Amai Yehi brought the sun to earth. 

Greek Athena was connected to spiders because she made the first one from an insultingly competitive human girl, Arachne. 

Finally, both butterflies (see Psyche, see Greece; Ix Chel, see Mesoamerica) and scorpions (South American Ituana, Egyptian Selkhet) appear as goddess images. 

~ Kiran Atma

You can learn more about Goddess Symbolism here.

Goddesses Of Animals

  

Both wild and domesticated animals appear as goddess images. 

In at least one case, we find a wild and a domesticated version of the same animal representing separate god desses: Egyptian Bast (domesticated cat) and Sekhmet (lioness). 

In all circumstances, however, the goddesss familiar animal was common in the area where she was wor shiped; goddesses are not represented by exotic or alien fauna. 

One of the most important animal images for the goddess is the cow. 

Domesticated in Egypt approximately 5,000 years ago from wild cattle (where cows were honored as images of the goddesses Hathor and Neith), the cows nourishing milk symbolically connects this animal to human mothers. 

In a few cases, the goddess is seen associated with a bull. 

Greek Europa was carried across the sky by a bull, Mesopotamian Innana owned the bull of heaven (see Eastern Mediterranean), Irish Medb kidnapped a mag ical bull (see Celtic). 

But most commonly, the milch cow serves as a symbol of the abundant and nurturing goddess. 

In Scandinavia, the cow was a primal being, Audhumbla, who freed the first beings from the primordial ice in which they were frozen. 

Among the Irish Celts, we find Boand, ‘‘she of the white cows, who brought fertility to the land through the waters of the river that bears her name (Boyne). 

Honoring the ‘‘sacred cow, embodiment of the Hindu goddess Prthvı, in India gives religious support for respecting the cows economic and nutritional importance. 

In the same culture, the goddess of wealth, Laks˛mı, appears as a beautiful cow, and cows are called by her name. 

In Egypt, Hathor was depicted with the horned head of a cow, which had huge wings rising from her shoulders; in this shape, she gave birth to the universe. 

Anahita (see Eastern Medi terranean) was embodied in herds of cows on whose brows moons were branded. 

Nearby, Ugaritic Anat took on the form of a cow to mate with her beloved brother, the god Baal. 

The cow was not only an earthly creature but was imagined as heavenly as well. 

When a greedy person milked Irelands Glas Ghaibhleann (see Celtic) into a sieve, the animal was so insulted that she levitated into the heavens where she walks the ‘‘White Cows Path, the Milky Way. 

The Greeks connected this broad band of stars with the cow goddess Hera, who sprayed the heavens with milk while feeding her son Heracles. 

In some Christian narratives, the starry road was formed from the milk of the virgin Mary (see Eastern Mediterranean). 

The Egyptians saw the sky as a great cows belly, with the sun rising between the horns of the solar cow Hathor. 

Another domesticated animal that provided meat and milk, as well as skin for leather, was the goat, whose usefulness became part of her symbolic importance. 

The hollow horn of Greek Amaltea became the cornucopia, symbol of abundance. 

The Scandinavian heavenly goat Hedrun provided endless intoxicating mead that fed heroes in the afterlife. 

Goats were offered as sacrifices to Hittite Wurusemu (see Eastern Mediterranean). 

Other goddesses to whom goats are sacrificed are Tibetan Tara (see India) and Ethiopian Atete (see Africa). 

Used less often for food than for transportation, the horse appears connected with goddesses prominently in the mythologies of most Indo-European cultures as well as that of other lands. 

Goddesses can appear in horse form, accompanied by or riding horses, or drawn by them in a chariot. 

Many are associated with celestial powers, including the sun and moon. 

Celtic Epona and A ine may have represented the sun that speeds across the sky in a chariot drawn by horses; the folkloric English figure Lady Godiva (see Celts) may descend from a horse goddess. 

The feminine solar horse appears in India as well, in the figures of Samjn a and the dawn maiden Usas, who drove a chariot pulled by red horses. 

Two divine horses pulled the chariot of Scandina vian Sol, while Hungarian Xatel-Ekwa rode three horses simultaneously. 

Occasion ally, a lunar goddess was associated with the horses that pull the moons silver chariot; Greek Selene rode in such a chariot. 

Persian Anahita (see Eastern Mediterra nean) rode in a chariot drawn by four white horses signifying her control over the weather. 

Although typically connected with light, horses can also be associated with goddesses of darkness. 

A nightmarish horse, Russian Mora (see Slavic), killed people as they slept. 

In Scandinavia, the goddess Nott drove black horses that pulled the dark ness across the sky at nightfall. 

As horses were often used in battle, it is not surprising to find goddesses of war associated with this animal. 

In Greece, horses were connected with the warrior women called Amazons, who bore horse-names like Hippolyta and Melanippe. 

In Scandina via, a similar group of horsewomen, the Valkyries, brought dead heroes from the battlefield to heaven. 

In Ireland, the war goddess Macha was identified with horses, for she could outrun them even when nine months pregnant. 

Horses can represent transformation, as with Sumerian Ereshkegal (see Eastern Mediterranean), whose horse rode the boundary between death and life, or Greek Medusa who gave birth to the winged horse Pegasus, symbol of transformative poetry. 

Medusa may be connected with an obscure form of the grain goddess Demeter, who was impregnated while wearing a horses head. 

In the Baltic, the death goddess Giltine˙ drove two black horses, while in Wales the goddess Rhiannon rode a white horse from the Otherworld and was later forced to carry people on her own back like a mare. 

In hunting societies, wild herd animals like deer and buffalo appear as divinities, sometimes pictured in whimsical fashion. 

In Scandinavia, the Skogsfruen (see Busch frauen) herded wild animals and, when not otherwise occupied, liked to knit socks. 

But the underlying image of the goddess of wild herds is as a cosmic game warden, controlling access to the beasts and thus to the meat they provide. 

In southeastern Europe, Dali was goddess of mountain sheep who appeared as a nubile woman with whom male hunters had intercourse, which empowered them to become great hunters. 

Yet, like other goddesses of the hunt, she put prohibitions on hunters and killed any who broke her commands. 

The connection of goddesses with hunting is common, despite similarly common prohibitions on human women hunting. 

Greek Artemis wanders through the forests accompanied by her Nymphs, tending to woodland creatures and helping animals safely bear their young. 

Other such goddesses are Celtic Arduinna and Artio, Irish Flidais (see Celtic), Finnish Mielikki, Eskimo Sedna, and Siberian Umaj (see Circumpolar). 

In North America, Wohpe, the white buffalo calf-woman of the North American Sioux, is not only a guide to correct behavior when hunting but a general power of order. 

Such woodland goddesses set the rules and expectations for hunters, who were rewarded with success if they treated the goddess with respect. 

Dogs often appear as goddess images, as do their wild counterparts, wolves. 

Often the dog appears as a companion of the goddess rather than an embodiment of her, as with Celtic Nehalennia, Greek Hecate, and Hawaiian Pele (see Pacific Islands). 

Eskimo Sedna (see Circumpolar) lived with a dog, described sometimes as her hus band. 

Scandinavian Frau Goˆde (see Holle in Scandinavia) always traveled with a dog, which she used to annoy people who did not sufficiently respect her. 

Babylonian Gula was always shown accompanied by dogs, and dogs were buried in her temple, suggesting that they were connected with her healing powers. 

In rare cases, as with Irish Uirne, the divine figures are themselves canine in form, but more typically we find the dog by the goddesss side. 

Wolf goddesses, by contrast, were embodied in wolf form rather than merely traveling in their company. 

The related Roman figures of Rhea Silvia, Lupa, and Acca Larentia show the goddess in both human and lupine form. 

Both as dog and as wolf, the goddess appears more protective than threatening, although as Brimwylf (see Scandinavian) she can appear monstrous to those who would threaten her child. 

Like canines, felines can appear as both wild and tame in goddess iconography. 

However, when the tame cat appears as the wild lion, she changes from an affectionate goddess (Egypts Hathor, with her cat ears; Scandinavias sensual Freya; Chinese Wu Lo, goddess of fertility) to a fierce one (Indias Durga, a warrior goddess; Babylonian Eriskegal, queen of death; Egypts raging Sekhmet). 

At times, a complex but generally kindly goddess such as Cybele (see Southeastern Europe) or Chinas Xiwang Mu appeared accompanied by lions or tigers, which suggest the goddesss fiercer powers. 

Among other wild animals that serve as goddess images or vehicles, the bear appears as both the goddess herself (Greek Callisto and Artemis, Celtic Artio) and as her mate (Tlingit Rhpisunt; see North America). 

The goddess appeared as a fox in Japan (Inari), where she could transform herself into a beautiful woman to seduce and kill men. 

Finally, occasional goddesses take on animal forms appropriate to a spe cific region, such as Egyptian Taweret (hippopotamus). 

~ Kiran Atma

You can learn more about Goddess Symbolism here.

Goddess Worship In Italy

The spirit and inspiration of the Divine Female permeate the whole fabric of Italy, whether it is in a quiet city square or a bustling museum. Her obelisks in Rome's Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican symbolize the site of historic lyceums, or institutions for studying Goddess mysteries. Her statues are still present at Malta's megalithic temple complexes, which are located just south of Sicily. 

You may discover sculptures, objects, and fabrics showing her from Paleolithic to modern times by entering the Louvre in Paris or museums in Turin, London, Naples, or Ankara. Amazing cave paintings from Lascaux, France, from 15,000 BCE depict her. She may also be seen in palm-sized items that are touching, like the Venus of Willendorf (25,000 BCE), which was discovered in Austria. 

In Ostia Antica, there is a temple or sacellum called Bellona that is devoted to the Italic goddess Bellona, who may have been combined with Magna Mater.

The deep beauty and spirit of the Goddess continue to inspire and be suggested by tapestries like La Dame a la Licorne, The Lady and the Unicorn, which is housed at the Cluny Museum in France. The adventurous pilgrim traveling to holy places throughout Europe will encounter all of this. 

Goddess Worship In Pompeii.

The partly discovered city of Pompeii, which was left behind when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, offers a rare window into a history that has been frozen in time. Travelers may still read graffiti and ads on walls and floors in Pompeii, as well as enjoy mosaic tile flooring and look out for carriage wheel ruts on the stone pavement. 

One might imagine hearing and smelling the activity of long ago. In addition to stadiums, brothels, temples, and private residences, there are villas to discover. Even some of the impoverished people's bodies who perished in the volcanic explosion have been preserved for interested people to see. One of the most well-preserved buildings in this enormous metropolis is the Temple of Isis, which stands out as the ideal illustration of Isis worship as it developed outside of Egypt and into the Greco-Roman world. 

All around the Mediterranean area and Asia Minor, immigrants, sailors, warriors, merchants, and her priesthood of men and women sung Isis' praises. She mixed with the native deities in various other nations. In reality, the worship of Isis was once fiercely competitive with that of other mystery religions, including the cult of Mithras and young Christianity, due to her popularity across the known globe. 

If Western civilization might have evolved on a matriarchal foundation, Isis "may have been too tenacious a mistress to dethrone," claims R. E. Witt in Isis in the Ancient World. Some elements of Isis worship did alter as it spread outside of Egypt. 

Instead of the exotic and green-hued Osiris, Isis was now married to the Ptolemaic hybrid deity Serapis. Serapis was an Egyptian version of Osiris-Apis that was Hellenized, avoiding the animal head representations of Egypt that the Greeks and Romans misunderstood. 

They were unaware that the powers of the animals they mirrored were inherent in these deities. Harpocrates, Anubis, and Horus all traveled with Isis when she left Egypt. (In the Vatican Museum, there is an intriguing statue of a Hellenized Anubis that evokes images of Scooby Do.) 

Isis sometimes had her own temple or often shared a temple with a local goddess, although many other ancient Egyptian goddesses were becoming less popular in many nations. In certain cases, like with her sanctuary at Delos, her temple was not centrally positioned but rather was situated on the outside of the city in a zone designated for foreign deities. 

However, this was not the situation in Pompeii, a significant Roman city close to the port of Ostia, where grain from Egypt often came to feed Rome. Here, on great real land, was the Isis temple. Isis was immensely popular among the Roman aristocracy, and the city of Pompeii and many of its citizens' lives revolved around her temple. 

Processions were a ceremonial component of Isis worship in Pompeii that may have originated in Egyptian ritual. It is difficult to determine where the tradition originated since we know Mesopotamia also used ceremonial processions. 

The massive temple estates constructed in the Egyptian style, however, have vanished, even at Pompeii. Iseums, or temples to Isis on foreign country, were more humble but nevertheless followed many Egyptian customs. They were a subterranean crypt under the surface-level temple building. The crypt was used for rituals, ceremonies, and storage. 

The Nilometer was vital in Egyptian temples because it assessed the life giving water level of the Nile upon which life, fertility, and wealth relied. It was still in use in Pompeii but had been changed to become a more symbolic object. Evidence suggests that several iseums and mansions of the Isian priests, such the one belonged to Loreius Tiburtinus, were built with permanent water channels that may represent the Nile flood waters spilling. 

The usage of holy ritual pitchers and situlas, or sacred pails, may be seen in murals of processions and scenes on temple walls, even if adherents of the faith outside of Egypt progressively lost touch with the ancient meaning of Nile water. 

These probably held Nile water that was transported or utilized in rituals; this would be a more practical method to include the Nile's customary significance during Egyptian worship while distant from the real source. Even though Isis' temple was modest by the standards of a normal contemporary Christian church, it was prominently situated next to a theater, the Forum, and the temple of Asclepius and Neptune in the public square at Pompeii. The temple was located in the middle of the compound's holy quadrangle. There were a number of round columns at ground level in front of the temple. 

There were three additional round columns to the left and right before entering the pronaos, or front hall, which was a little under 98 square feet (30 sq. m) in size as one ascended the seven stairs to the temple proper. The inner chapel, or cella, which was located behind the pronaos, included two pedestals for sculptures of Isis and Serapis. 

The whole structure was covered with paintings that included images of Isis and Io, ritual practitioners, priests, floral trellises, the mummy of Osiris, Anubis, Isis wearing an ankh, Perseus rescuing Andromeda, Mars, and Venus. 

There were several altars and niches as well. The Purgatorium, where the Nile water was kept, was located on ground level only a few meters from the temple. There was a subterranean Megaron or tomb below this, perhaps used for initiations. The Isian priesthood's quarters and the initiates' gathering place were at the back of the temple. 

According to fresco paintings, men and women had equal status in the Isis priesthood. Priests were shown wielding the sistrum, or ancient rattle, and the caduceus, while the priestess was clutching a baton. Both priests and priestesses are shown carrying out religious obligations. 

A cake-carrying priestess with a snake on her head is engraved on a cup, while the priest is seen holding a censer. A other goblet depicts the priestess wielding a sistrum and situla while encircled by a snake. Hydeion, a long-spouted pitcher often used to transport water from the Nile, is being carried by the priest. Stories of other gods and goddesses did not get outside of Egypt as the worship of Isis increased. 

The story of Isis and Osiris persisted outside of Egypt, and via more widely celebrated Isian festivals, the general population was educated about Egyptian practices. One such open-to-the-public event was the Ploiaphesia, also known as the Isidis Navigium or Sailing of the Ship of Isis, which took place on March 5 every year. Although it started in Egypt, this holiday was also celebrated in cities like Pompeii. 

This signaled the start of the sailing season. Large segments of the society, including the Isis priests, took part in the ceremonial procession. Isis, the goddess of the sea, was called upon to provide the sailors and merchants safe passage over the oceans, trade with friendly nations, and return home with the supplies they needed for everyday living.

 The ceremonial ship, known as the Ship of Isis, was sent out to sea as an offering to the Goddess in Pompeii, as in other locations honoring this event, after being laden with gifts and prayers. 

At the beginning of the third century CE, Isis worship peaked. Secret rituals, regular services, and several festivals open to everybody were all part of the cult's secrets. She was revered as a goddess of knowledge who had magical abilities and understanding of the secrets of life and death. As shown by the following inscription from Capua, Una quae es omnia, dea Isis, or "Thou who, being one, art all, Goddess Isis," she came to be seen as the one Goddess by many, broadening the more original Egyptian notion of a transcendent monotheism. 

The worship of Isis in Pompeii gradually and firmly gained hold of the aristocracy until it became the city's semi-official religion, while the cult of Isis developed among the slaves and families of freed men hired by the great mansions of the affluent. In homage to Isis, Roman emperors had sculptures made of themselves dressed in Egyptian garb. Daughters of regular people and prominent government figures dedicated their life to Isis as priestesses. Rich people honored her with shrines in their gardens. We know this because Pompeii was astonishingly well preserved for more than 1,700 years after Mount Vesuvius' explosion on August 24, 79 CE. 

Modern archaeologists excavating the ruins came upon an almost flawlessly preserved window into a historical event. Numerous Goddesses and Divine Feminine temples may be found throughout the enormous metropolis of Pompeii. The Temple of Venus, Temple of Fortuna, and Villa of Mysteries have all undergone excellent restorations. Numerous bright frescoes provide a sense of the creativity and vibrancy of those early times. The bordellos are also fascinating, however there are a lot of depressing small cubicles and phallus symbols that symbolize fertility to be found there. 

How to reach Pompeii. 

The contemporary and welcoming city of Pompei lies next to the ancient city of Pompeii, which is best accessed via a guided trip. However, if one is prepared for the bother of navigating the Italian railroad system, one may also take the public train. The Pompeii-Villa dei Misteri station on the Circumvesuviana is roughly a 30-minute journey from Naples. You are dropped off outside the site's western entrance. The Circumvesuviana to Pompei-Santuario station, which is located at the eastern entrance to the sites, is another option. Daily trains and tours regularly depart from Rome for Pompei; the sight deserves a full day. The facility has a great café where you may get lunch or a refreshing beverage, and the toilets are maintained spotless. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and a guidebook. 

Goddess Worship In Rome.

 It would be hard to choose just one place to worship the goddess throughout the whole city of Rome. How are you going to stop at one? You really can't. Readers will profit from the author's passion for all the locations that are going to be highlighted since so many places scream "Goddess." As tourists discover more than ten attractions in one, prepare to get a little something extra, or lagniappe, as they say in New Orleans! 

Get on board as the bus leaves for a tour of Rome's holy places to the goddess! Starting point: Palatine Hill. The Palatine Hill, next to the Colosseum, previously housed affluent houses in ancient Rome.

The English word "palace" is sprung from the word palatine. There is a lot of history on the Palatine Hill. Roman historians claim that the Emperor Caligula was stabbed here, for example. The Sibyls' decrees that Rome would not be victorious against Hannibal until the Cybele meteorite reached the city led to the construction of the Temple of Cybele, which was consecrated here in 191 BCE. 

The Roman populace delighted in the experience of wild and bizarre celebrations in honor of Cybele when she arrived at Palatine Hill and caused Hannibal to lose. In the years that followed, Rome's conservatives condemned the wild festivals honoring both Cybele and Attis. According to certain ancient authors, the Sibylline On the hill, there were prophetic books, but they were destroyed by fire. 

The renowned playwrights Terence and Plautus debuted several of their most well-known comedies on a wooden stage set up in front of the Temple of Cybele during the yearly theatrical games. Located south of the Farnese Gardens and immediately west of the House of "Livia," this shrine to the Great Mother still has its tufa platform standing. 

The hill is also graced with the foundation of temple stones dedicated to Victory and Victoria Virgo ("Maiden Victory"). The shrine formerly had magnificent flooring made of red and white breccia rosa, pink-grey Chian marble, and black slate, as well as tall, thin Corinthian columns.

A throne in the middle, reclining people holding tympana, and cats on each corner of the triangle made up the pediment's decoration. A headless goddess who had originally been flanked by lions was one among the discoveries at the site. Under the foundation of this temple complex, a tunnel led to the historic Street of Victory. Tertullian (160–225 CE) said that the Magna Mater sanctuary was also located in the center of the renowned Circus Maximus, just below the southern brow of Palatine Hill. An enormous statue of Diana on the spina of this circus, dressed in a mural crown, riding sidesaddle, and flanked by lions, is shown on ancient coins. 

The Palatine Hill is a maze-like complex of ruins honoring several gods and goddesses. The Basilica or Aula of Isis and a Venus Temple may also be found on Palatine Hill. Simply carry a map, since the location is not well-marked and the personnel is not very helpful. 

The Roman Forum is located across the street from Palatine Hill and has several partially preserved Goddess temples, including the Temples of Venus, Vesta, and the House of the Vestals. Vesta might be thought as as Rome's divine soul or the vital feminine flame. Since 575 BCE, votive gifts have been made to Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth. The once circular building is said to be a representation of a prehistoric Latin hut where princesses of prehistoric tribes maintained the tribe's fire. 

The embers of Her temple in Troy were said to have ignited the flames of the Roman Temple of Vesta in antiquity. For one hundred years, temple vestal priestesses were responsible for maintaining the flames of Rome. The Seven Holy of Holies of Rome were safeguarded and maintained by the vestal priestesses. 

The ashes of Orestes, a needle used by the Mother of Gods, the shields of Salii, the 12 Leaping Priests of Mars, the scepter of Priam, and the veil of Ilione were among these holy relics. The Palladium, a wooden statue of Pallas Athena that was thought to have fallen from heaven and been brought to Rome from Troy, was another. 

The Romans believed that the city would suffer if the fires weren't kept going or these artifacts weren't protected. Failure to do these chores may result in flogging, exile, or even death as a punishment. 

Although the word "virgin" goddess is often used to describe an unmarried female who is autonomous and unto herself rather than a chaste condition, virginity was a literal necessity for Vestal Virgins. "Nor will it be said that under (the emperor's) leadership any priestess violated her sacred fillets, and none shall be buried alive in the ground. 

It is thus that an unchaste (Vesta) perishes because that (Earth) which she violated, in that earth she is interred; and indeed Earth and Vesta are the same deity," wrote the ancient writer Ovid of the punishment for a Vestal Virgin who lost her virginity: " Roman society's value of chastity is explained by scholar Miriam Robbins Dexter. 

Chastity was regarded as unchangeable, though they did allow for parthenogenesis, or childbirth through a mother without male involvement. It was the duty of chaste Vestal Virgins to channel their divine energy for the benefit of Rome since they were a reservoir of untapped potential, similar to a charged battery. If a woman was neither virginal nor married, Dexter writes, "she constituted an independent challenge to the patriarchal, patrilinear system. 

In Rome, like in other male-dominated communities, any woman who asserted her own sexual identity was despised and dreaded. Two still-standing temples to the Feminine Divine, the Temples of Vesta and Fortuna, can be found off the beaten path as you move from the Forum toward the Tiber River. The Goddess of Destiny, Fortuna, who is sometimes confused with Isis, is worshipped in a temple that resembles a miniature Parthenon only a few yards from the circular Temple of Vesta. These two Goddess temples in Rome are among the best preserved. 

The circular temple, which was surrounded by Corinthian columns, was only preserved because it was transformed into a church in 1132 CE and given the name "Saint Stephen of the Carriages." The basilica where nuns used to distribute food to the needy is the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, which is located across the street. 

Since the eighth century, the church has been connected to the Greek community in Rome, and the name "Cosmedin" may be a reference to the city of "Constantinople." This building formerly served as a temple for the Roman goddess Ceres, who gave us the term "cereal." Goddess enthusiasts claim that the church, which is said to have a subterranean passageway going to the Temple of Vesta across the street, emanates a noticeable "Goddess energy" that makes it seem cozy, secure, and almost like stepping inside a real Sheila-na-Gig, or womb.

The clean and basic architectural lines of this basilica suggest a mysterious, "out-of-the-way" vibe, almost as if this site was a neglected step-child of the Church, because it lacks the gold plating and crowded façade that often clutter many Christian churches in Europe. 

Large chandeliers with candle holders hang from the ceiling, and the walls are practically bare but for a few faded flower paintings. The noises and hectic energies of the city are believed to vanish as one enters this church's calm, dark, silence, and one may feel the Goddess' presence. Sacred geometry-like symbols are visible in the church's floor design, and some people also perceive the four basic elements and the spirit. An depiction of what looks to be wheat, representing the goddess Ceres, may be seen behind the main altar. 

On April 19, the day of her festival, the Cerealia, she was worshipped in Rome. The Circus Maximus, which is close to Palatine Hill, also hosted celebrations for her. Rufus and Lawson claim that it seems like a portion of the old Ceres temple is still there in the church, but hidden from view. San Nicola in Carcere, which is situated right across from Tiber Island and not far from Santa Maria in Cosmedin, is definitely worth a visit if travelers have the time. On the site of the Juno Sospita temple lies this 11th-century church (the Savior). 

On the south side of the temple from the first century BCE, seven of the original columns still stand, together with a portion of the entablature above them. The ancient pedestal, where Juno Sospita was hailed as a warrior goddess, is in superb shape. 

The Temple of Juno Regina was the most well-known sanctuary devoted to Goddess in Rome, roughly located where Santa Sabina is now (as confirmed by two dedicatory inscriptions found nearby). The antique wooden statue was transferred to this location on Aventine Hill by the Roman ruler Furius Camillus after the fall of the last Etruscan fortress of Veii in 396 BCE. 

Two sculptures of Juno Regina made of cypress wood were were erected at the temple in 207 BCE. Juno Regina is often seen next to Jupiter on coins, wielding a long scepter and patera. She typically appears as a queen with a veil, a diadem, and a peacock at her side. 

The majority of her gifts were made by women, including a bronze figure and a golden bowl in 218 BCE (in 207 BCE). Her direct affiliation with Diana, the Goddess of the Moon and Hunt, which was undoubtedly inspired by her Etruscan origins, was peculiar to Juno Regina on the Aventine hill. 

Because of this, Diana was transformed into Juno's hostess and the goddess in charge of the asylum (a role that was alien to the Latin Diana but not to the Diana/Artemis of Asia Minor). Meanwhile, Juno herself becomes a rescuer and a protector via this relationship. 

The little Santa Sabina Church was built here in 422 CE, but the majority of magnificent basilica, with its lovely white Corinthian columns along the nave, is from the ninth century. In the 13th century, the church was taken over by the Dominicans. Without seeing Santa Maria Maggiore, the magnificent church honoring Mary as the "Mother of God," no journey to Rome is complete.

Legend has it that the Virgin Mary visited Pope Liberius and told him to erect a church exactly where he saw a spot of snow the following day. It was considered a wonder when he discovered snow at the top of the Esquiline Hill the next morning (August 5th), given that Rome was now going through one of their normal scorching summers. 

Each year, thousands of white petals are released from the church's roof to "snow" on the waiting crowd as a way of remembering this occasion. These were were rose petals, but they are now often dahlia petals. Pope Sixtus III (reigned from 431-440 CE) erected a new basilica there after the church council in Ephesus in 431, during which Mary was acknowledged as bearing God (theotokos). 

This basilica dates back to the fifth century and has a triple nave. The Virgin Mary is the subject of the majority of the mosaics in the apse, which were created by Jacopo Toritti circa 1295. His obsession with natural themes—birds nesting, flowers blooming, animals crawling, and an abundance of lush vegetation—is peculiar. A medallion showing the Coronation of Mary by Christ amid a canopy of golden stars sits in the middle of this cornucopia of natural beauty. 

The Temple of Juno Lucina was located on the minor Cispian Hill, just to the north of Santa Maria Maggiore on the Esquiline Hill. At once a holy forest, the precinct ultimately acquired a temple consecrated in 375 BCE. Two old lotus trees that were in the gardens before the temple, according to Pliny the Elder, were revered there. 

The Feast of the Matronalia was observed here on March 1st. On this day, all wives were expected to receive gifts from their husbands. Although Juno Lucina was strongly linked to a birth cult, nothing more is known about her. Some even believe that Hallmark invented Mother's Day! 

The Church of Santa Maria in Aracoli, which is located on a historic location that was formerly a temple to Juno Moneta and Cybele, has several goddess emblems. On the marble floor is a bull (associated with Osiris and Adonis) crowned with a star, and three bees are depicted in stained glass high up on the church's entrance wall. 

Bees were connected to Cybele, Persephone, Demeter, and Artemis, and the number three was considered sacred. Demeter's priestesses were also referred to as melissae, or bees. During the Roman ruler Furius Camillus's battle with Aurunci in 345 BCE, he made a promise to erect the Temple of Juno Moneta in her honor. It was finally completed the following year on June 1st. In 273 BCE, a mint was erected within the temple, hence the epithet "Moneta." 

The future Roman Emperor Octavian, also known as Augustus, is said to have seen an appearance of a "beautiful lady" here who requested that he construct a shrine for her, according to Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson. And the rest is history, as he did. Later on, Augustus had unparalleled success and power. Even though the vision occurred prior to the birth of Jesus, the Church later asserted that the woman he saw was the Virgin Mary. 

A chapel dedicated to the Christ child is located within the church. On the altar, there are cards and letters from devoted people pleading for their requests to be granted. Goddess worshipers who enter the church believe that the Christ is Horus, the son of Isis, or a young Attis, the son of Cybele, who once had a temple here. In the late 13th century, the entire church façade was rebuilt, and in 1348, the grand steps in front of the basilica were constructed as a gesture of thanks for averting a terrible plague. 

There are 22 antique columns on each side of the nave, some of which were carved from Aswan granite. The renowned graded ramp going up to the Piazza del Campidoglio, located at the top of the old Capitoline Hill and previously dominated by a large temple devoted to Jupiter, is located just to the south of the stairs leading to the Church of Santa Maria in Aracoli. 

Two black granite crouching lions that stand up at the foot of this ramp from the sixteenth century are of great importance. The two lions were brought to Rome by the emperor Domitian (81-96 CE) to be used as decorations for the Temple of Isis on the Field of Mars. 

They were originally from Egypt and may date to the 4th or 3rd century BCE. Both the ordinary people and the aristocracy in Rome maintained a fervent devotion to the Egyptian goddess Isis. She was so admired that there was some debate as to whether the Isian faith or Christianity would become the dominant religion for a while. 

Several factors contributed to Isis' appeal. Her success was mostly due to her accessibility, but her Egyptian riddles also promised immortality beyond death. Instead of being seen as a hostile and distant masculine deity, her attributes as a strong mother and wife who had experienced adversity in her life alongside those of her devotees led her followers to think that she would empathize with them and hear their pleas. Emperor Domitian, who constructed Isis temples and shrines in and around Rome, was a significant Isis admirer. In about the location of the present-day Piazza del Collegio Romano, Domitian constructed an Iseum of Isis because he was preoccupied with his own afterlife disposition. 

Three obelisks from the Iseum Campestre, which was once as significant as Saint Peter's Basilica, may be seen at Piazza della Rotunda in front of the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Piazza della Minerva on top of an elephant. In the Piazza della Minerva, an obelisk on an elephant dates back to the year 6 BCE. Interestingly, a Christian cross is perched atop every obelisk, including the one in Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican. Since there is no official explanation for the placement of these crosses, some have speculated that it represents Christianity's ambition to symbolically dominate paganism. 

There is still an Iseum Campestre of Isis and a Temple of Minerva beneath the Santa Maria Sopra Minerva and Saint Ignazio churches. Ironically, this Mary-focused church still uses the name of the goddess who was once worshipped there. 

Domitian reconstructed the Temple of Isis after the fire of 80 CE, and it is said that Alexander Severus magnificently decorated it with sculptures. The Temple of Isis once stood where the Jesuit Saint Ignazio currently stands (222-235 CE). Four Corinthian columns supported a facade of stairs leading up to the main entrance, which was topped by a deep lunate pediment with a statue of Isis Sothis perched on a dog that was running to the right. 

A standing figure of Isis may be seen within the inner shrine. The Serapeum, or Temple of Serapis, her spouse, stood near by and was situated immediately beyond a wide gateway split into bays by three columns. 

The Serapeum was a distinct structure that was rectangular in design and had grand entrances along the square where the Temple of Minerva had stood. The Serapis temple's hallowed area was referred as as the libertines' hangout. A huge marble foot may be seen near the intersection of Via S. Stefano del Cacco to the right of the church if one makes a small detour along Via del Pie' di Marmo. It is believed that this sandaled foot belonged to the adjacent Iseum or Serapeum and may have even belonged to Serapis.

The Isis religion was well-established in Rome by the reign of Caligula, despite efforts to suppress it by earlier rulers including Augustus, Agrippa, and Tiberius. Although it is difficult to confirm, Tiberius is said to have taken a picture of Isis and thrown it into the Tiber River. Isis rose to become a worldwide deity revered by those who cherished their Mistress of Magic and Wisdom and were seen as their rescuer. 

Te Isis, te salus ad tuos, which translates to "Thou Isis, thou art salvation to thy followers," was written on a graffito from an Isian shrine in Rome. A sensation of Isis' scarlet chord of life linking them to the web of life and her devotion, past and present, close and distant, is reported by modern Isis devotees who travel the same winding stone alleys that ancient devotees did centuries before. 

The Vatican Museum should not be missed because of all the rumors and gossip regarding what could be kept in the vaults. Goddess artifacts are so numerous and diverse that they are almost as delicious as going to the Louvre in Paris. 

The tourist will find hundreds of sculptures of Asian, Greek, and Roman goddesses as well as paintings in the Borgia Apartments dedicated to the Goddess Isis. Particularly lovely is the Egyptian exhibit, which has one-of-a-kind statues not present in other museums. Sekhmet sculptures in a seated position may be seen in outdoor gardens and carelessly positioned in front of gift stores. 

How to Get to the Goddess Sites in Rome. 

It's simple to get about Rome. Non-tourists may use the subway, which makes stops at important landmarks and popular tourist attractions, many of which were previously mentioned. For instance, the Coliseum station makes it simple to reach Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. 

With the right footwear and a decent map, pilgrims may easily navigate the city on foot. Keep an eye out for pickpockets. It is advised that travelers allot a whole day to the Forum, Palatine Hill, as well as the close-by Temples of Vesta, Fortuna, and the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, all of which are accessible on foot. A whole day is also easily need to see the Vatican Museum. The historic city of Ostia Antica, Tivoli Gardens, and the Villa of Hadrian are a few quick and advised day trips outside of Rome if time permits. All three have links to goddesses.

~Kiran Atma

You may also want to discover and learn more about Female Divinities of the Roman empire here.

Goddess Worship In Greece.

How Prevalent Was Goddess Worship In Greece?

Although the Divine Feminine is the mountain itself, practitioners have also referred to caves as the Divine Feminine's holy vulva because of how comfortable they are there. 

Women used to go inside to give birth and to carry out ceremonies honoring menarche and delivery as significant life events. 

The cave served as a site of birth, death, and rebirth where women were engulfed inside the darkness of the Goddess' body, similar to Eileithyia on the island of Crete or Plouton at Eleusis. 

It is said that those who have sounded and drummed in these mountain tunnels have formed holy bonds. 

These holy caverns were the places where practitioners were carried ever closer toward contact with the Chthonic Mother. 

They were ritually embellished with art and crimson ochre colors that signify the life giving blood of Goddess. 

It's possible to see oneself being wrapped inside her deep crimson crevices—almost like an embryo within her live womb! 

The Acropolis Before Athena, the protector of the city, Goddess of Wisdom, and a representation of military success, called the Acropolis home, a high hill towering above the bustling Greek capital Athens, a holy place of Goddesses, her residence there was long considered to be. 

The Mycenaean or Minoan civilizations, both of which are known to have traded goods and ideas, are thought to have been the ancestors of Athena in the past. 

Because of her apparent relationship to Neolithic snake emblems of renewal, Nilsson connects her to the Snake Goddess of Minoan Crete. 

However, there is proof that she had roots in Mycenae, the ancient city that was previously inhabited by Indo-Europeans. 

However, the Athena of classical Greece is the one who is most recognized in popular culture. 

Athena, who was created from Zeus's head, is the ideal illustration of a Goddess absorbed by a patriarchal civilization. 

She symbolized the pinnacle of that transformation from a Goddess mostly focused on the body to a Goddess primarily focused on the intellect here on the Acropolis. 

Athena, according to Mircea Eliade, symbolizes "the sacrality of technological creativity and the myth of wisdom." 

Athena, who is perched atop the Acropolis, has a commanding view over the city that gave rise to Western philosophy and thinking, a culture that prized the triumph of the intellect over the forces and rhythms of nature, and a society that started to value men above women. 

As she and Poseidon competed for control of the city, Athena first became associated with Athens. 

Each god presented the populace with suggestions and counterproposals. 

The ladies chose Athena, while the males chose Poseidon. 

When the populace eventually accepted Athena's gift of the olive tree and decided to name the Goddess as their protector, Athena narrowly prevailed by one vote. 

One of the few instances of Athena behaving as a goddess of the soil or of plants was her donation of the olive tree. 

Unfortunately, this choice had a cost. 

Poseidon made the decision to completely submerge Attica, a region governed by Athens. 

The Attican males punished women in three ways in an effort to placate the god's anger. 

1. They would not be able to vote, to start. 
2. Second, their children wouldn't have the same names as their mothers. 
3. Finally, they wouldn't be referred to as Athenians ladies. 

In actuality, the patriarchy The Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, is the most magnificent structure in all of ancient Greece. 

Its splendor gave males a justification to oppress women, and female citizens lost their place in society. 

But there were benefits to picking Athena as well. 

She offered health, protection, and triumph in her three guises of Hygieia, Polias, and Nike, respectively. 

She also taught the ladies how to weave and spin, and they later prayed to Athena for help giving birth. 

She was also the goddess of the hero, giving strength, counsel, and help. 

Athena killing a giant.

She aided Agamemnon, the Spartans, Heracles, Odysseus, and Perseus when they encountered difficulty, as well as Achilles when he confronted Hector. 

She also gave caution and composure throughout a struggle. 

However, Athena represents a departure from the characteristics that have come to be identified with the Divine Feminine. 

She even disputes the contribution of her mother, Metis, Goddess of Wisdom, in her birth, demonstrating just how far detached she is from her sexuality and womanhood. 

In patriarchal Greek mythology, Athena refuses to acknowledge her mother, who was carrying her at the time she was eaten by Zeus and who was also pregnant with her. 

A few months later, Athena was born from the head of the powerful monarch of all the gods. 

Thus, Athena sprang from the patriarch's skull dressed for fight. 

However, Athena is more than just a fighter; she is also the Goddess of Wisdom, a quality she inherited from her mother. 

According to academic Miriam Robbins Dexter, Athena lacks the "strength inside" that results from a connection to the life force. 

Instead, Athena supports the patriarchal mentality that rules in a "power over" mode of society. 

Athena's celibacy reduced her autonomy, but in her state of virginity, she is a "storehouse" of energy that nurtures society and may transfer that power to man. 

Athena had the capacity to retain untapped power and, as previously said, transfer it to the heroes of Classical Greek mythology since she was a virgin goddess (a phrase that had nothing to do with chastity but rather with inner-stored power or energy). 

One may say that Athena served as a taming force for civilization. 

According to scholar Walter Burkert, Athena gave the Athenians a cultivated olive tree rather than a wild olive tree. 

She provided the bridle and chariot in response to Poseidon's gift of the horse so that humans may make use of the animal. 

Poseidon raises the waves, while Athena gives a ship to navigate the tumultuous waters. 

To make use of the flocks, Hermes multiplies them, and Athena teaches spinning and weaving. 

Mentoring her heroes, Athena shows up when they need her. 

Burkert quotes a tradition that says, "In alliance with Athena put your own hand to work," to explain Athena's ability to help, while Walter F. Otto refers to Athena as the "Goddess of Nearness," who makes the impossibly conceivable. 

She is a representation of brilliance and success, yet she is cut off from the cycles and knowledge of Earth. 

In her yearly festival known as the Panathenais Festival, which took place in the month of Hecatombion, Athena was revered at the Acropolis (July-August). 

During this time, women wove the peplos, an embroidered holy Athena gown decorated with war scenes. 

Winners of contests organized at the occasion would get oil from her holy olive trees. 

The 40-foot (12-m) figure of Athena that Pheidias created in the Parthenon's core was covered in a saffron robe, according to historical accounts. 

Although the statue's current location is unclear, we do know that it was designed to depict Athena with a helmet, shield, a serpent around her wrist, and an aegis on her breastplate. 

In her right hand, she is holding a part of herself in the form of Nike, the goddess of victory. 

Her sandals' rim featured an image from the Greek and Centaur War. 

The holy procession and the giving of the peolos to Athena were shown on the building's east frieze, while the procession's departure was shown on the west. 

Athena's birth was commemorated with a pediment that said, "She who was never nurtured in the gloom of the womb." There are four main structures that make up the Acropolis. 

The 40-foot (12-m) figure of Athena, who is revered as Parthenos, or the Virgin, is located in the Parthenon. 

It was referred to as the biggest cella, or holiest of holies, on the mainland of Greece. 

All of the marble used in its construction came from neighboring quarries, making it the biggest Doric temple. 

It was used in a variety of ways throughout time, including as a bank, a barracks for troops, and an ammunition storage facility. 

The olive tree that Athena is said to have presented to Athens is believed to have grown in the Erechthion, which formerly stood where a temple to Poseidon had stood. 

This modest, old structure is said to be the location of Athena's invitation to the Chthonic Furies to remain as comfort after their defeat in a legal proceeding. 

They were looking seeking retribution for Clytemnestra's death at the hands of her son Orestes there. 

It's interesting to note that this court case can be seen as a metaphor for the struggle for dominance between the usurping patriarchy of the Olympians and the archaic Chthonic forces of Goddess. 

Here at the Erechthion, it was Athena who decided the case in favor of Apollo and the Olympians over the Furies. 

The complete power of the Goddess is reduced as a result of Apollo's defense of Orestes during this trial and the male libido taking over the female's function as the generative force for reproduction. 

Agamemnon and Clytemnestra had sacrificed their daughter before the Trojan War began in order to set the scene. 

Clytemnestra murdered Agamemnon as vengeance. 

After that, Orestes murdered Clytemnestra as retaliation for taking his father's life. 

The female womb was nothing more than an incubator for the male seed, according to Apollo, who said that Agamemnon's murder was the worst of the two crimes since via his seed, Agamemnon, not Clytemnestra, was the actual father of their dead daughter. 

Apollo was given the benefit of the doubt when Athena said in The Eumenides, "I am always for the man. 

firmly on my father's sides and with all of my heart. 

In fact, since Poseidon was seen as the husband of Earth, or Gaia, some people view Athena's win against Poseidon for the city's patronage as another victory for the Olympians over the Chthonic forces. 

The Porch of the Maidens, which showcases female statues known as Karyatides, is the element that most readily associates with the Erechthion. 

Visitors now, however, only see replicas of them. 

According to some stories, this structure used to house snakes, which makes sense given Athena's associations with snakes dating back to the Neolithic era. 

The white marble temple of Athena Nike is the third structure atop the Acropolis, which was formerly filled with monuments and shrines. 

It is currently off-limits to tourists. 

The Propylaia, where worshipers passed through to enter the holy realm of the deities, is located near the site's entrance. 

According to Harrison Eiteljorg, the most revered Athena's statue on the Acropolis was directly east of the Propylaia, a hill that had been occupied since at least the Neolithic age. 

The ordinary people revered the goddess under this form as Athena Promachos, or Defender of the City, reserving the inner sanctums of the temple for priestly usage. 

Pausanias said that the sailors at the port of Piraeus, which is six miles or ten kilometers distant, were able to see this thirty-foot (9-m) tall bronze figure with silver detail because of how brilliantly it sparkled in the sunshine. 

Athena's altar, which was located east of the Erechtheum and was another significant structure on the Acropolis, was where ceremonial burned sacrifices were made to the Goddess. 

On the property, there is a lovely museum. 

There have been plans to replace the lost Athena statue with a copy, but nothing has come of those plans as of yet. 

How to reach the Acropolis. 

The center of Athens' historic district is where you'll find the Acropolis, also known as the High Place. 

Although the museum's hours are somewhat constrained, the location is open every day. 

The most significant location in the tourist-heavy capital of Greece is this one. 

From its high perch, it can be seen for miles in every direction. 

All of Athens' ancient monuments, including the Acropolis site and museum, Ancient Agora, Theatre of Dionysos Kerameikos, Olympieion, and Roman Agora, are accessible with a General Admission ticket. 

Attend a show in the outdoor theater at night for a wonderful pleasure. 

just outstanding The goddess proponents see the rebuilt palace of Knossos on the island of Crete as the last and maybe finest illustration of what is possible in a matrifocal society in which the presiding deity is female. 

Knossos offers a unique look at an advanced Neolithic Greek civilisation that was unaffected by invasion and Bronze Age disruption. 

At its height, Knossos and neighboring towns on the island of Crete are said to have had a sophisticated and vibrant society, coexisting peacefully with the environment and one another, with gender equality, a plenty of food, material wealth, and a healthy interest in the arts. 

This seemingly miraculous era sometimes provides as a sign of what can be possible in a partnership-based society as opposed to a dominator-based one where genders are in harmony with the rhythms of the Goddess. 

A British archaeologist named Sir Arthur Evans purchased the land where the Palace of Knossos now stands in 1900. 

He discovered the ruins of a sizable complex, and over the course of the next 25 years, amid considerable debate, he reconstructed the palace using contemporary materials. 

His efforts prevented many significant structures from collapsing, and today's visitors may get a powerful idea of what life was like in Minoan Crete before it was completely devastated between 1450 and 1400 BCE. 

The question of whether the eruption on nearby Thera Island truly led to the collapse of Minoan civilization is still hotly contested. 

A reconsideration of the chronology of the Late Bronze Age and the accepted scholarship connected to the eastern Mediterranean may be necessary in light of challenging concerns raised by findings from excavations on Crete over the last several decades that have mostly gone unreported. 

Although the origins of the occupants of the people of Crete are not entirely understood, Evans dubbed the civilization he encountered the Minoan in honor of the legendary King Minos. 

Crete, a large island advantageously bordered by Asia, Africa, and Europe, is thought to have been settled by Anatolians circa 6000 BCE. 

The Cretan civilization flourished for many thousand years. 

They farmed, hunted, and kept cattle. 

Over time, their culture became more sophisticated, but their devotion to the Goddess and their closeness to nature, which included an understanding of the cycle of life and death, remained a steadfast feature. 

The goddess was revered as the Regeneratrix in caves during the Early Minoan period, when worshippers used female figurines, amulets, and talismans that often showed engraved pubic triads, emblems of the Earth Mother. 

Peak sanctuaries were built on mountains during the Middle Minoan era, which began about 2200 BCE, when worship eventually became collective. 

Archaeologists may learn from artifacts discovered in these locations that ancient devotees once tucked significant figures into rock fissures, as if to deposit them into the Mother herself. 

One old seal found at Knossos depicts the Great Goddess having an epiphany on a mountain top, flanked by lions climbing the hill on each side of her, and put before her worshipper with arms lifted to the eyes, suggesting this devotee's capacity to behold the majestic goddess in her splendor. 

As ritual and worship developed from the Early through Middle and into the Late Minoan eras, it grew more complex. 

The later period is characterized by libations, sacrifices, music, dancing, processions, and bull leaping. 

Some believe that the bull-jumping frescos from Knossos reflect the acceptance, comprehension, and communion of men and women with the laws of nature. 

Peg Streep thinks that by taking on the risk of bull leaping, dancers are metaphorically taking on the Goddess's power to decide between life and death. 

Bull-jumping is mentioned by other academics as a priests' and priestesses' initiation rite. 

The Minoans maintained a strong connection to the ground, traditional values, and their Minoan Goddess, whose original name is unknown, despite the growth and complexity of their worship. 

Gertrude Levy, whose description of religion as "unusually divorced from formal relationships, yet emotionally bound in its ceaseless quest to create communication with the elemental energies" is used by Streep, is cited in the quotation. 

The Minoan clergy were believed to summon the Goddess by blowing a triton or by performing holy dances that would induce trance. 

Priestesses may have worn holy attire that, when worn, indicates they represent the divinity in human form, according to experts who have studied artifacts of faience models of ritual clothes discovered in the Sanctuary of Knossos that are indicative of votive offerings. 

This resembles the Kumari's collar or the menat collar used by Hathor priestesses. 

It's fascinating to notice that the holy knot used to symbolize the Goddess on the island of Crete is very similar to the knots used to symbolize Inanna and Isis, perhaps representing the collective psyche of humanity. 

According to academic Walter Burkert, the Minoan people did not build temples to their gods; instead, cult rooms were discovered in palaces and homes. 

Additionally, worship persisted in the caves and peak sanctuaries atop the mountains that dot the landscape. 

The subterranean labyrinth-like layout of the Palace of Knossos, which was made up of several pillars, led Sir Arthur Evans to speculate that the Minoans may have been members of a "Pillar Cult." 

This was thought to be the famed Minotaur's subterranean lair, and some academics argue that it served as a metaphor for the holy union that took place at Knossos. 

The palace contained restrooms with flushing toilets and other features that suggested purifying rituals. 

The well-known Snake Goddesses, which date to 1600 BCE, were discovered in Knossos' Central Palace Sanctuary. 

The two most well-known Snake Goddesses are shown with naked breasts, small waists, flounced skirts, and an air of assured sensuality and fertile assurance. 

With the coiled serpents—symbols of life and death—held in both of their extended hands and arms, they each symbolize a picture of the Goddess as regeneratrix. 

While the second depiction of the Snake Goddess has additional snakes around her waist, the first includes a cat or lioness perched atop her headpiece. 

One Snake Goddess has a net-like pattern on her skirt, suggesting that she is a part of or has control over the web of life. 

It is said that her skirt's seven layers correspond to lunar occurrences. 

According to researchers Evans and Nilsson, the Snake Goddess may have served as a domestic or household guardian since there are still traditions in the area where some people leave out bowls of milk for snakes in return for their care and protection. 

The majority of what we know about Knossos and Minoan Crete comes from art and iconography that primarily draws from Neolithic sources. 

The Minoan script has never been fully understood. 

However, other intriguing connections are made through seals, frescoes, and ceramics, such as the fact that Crete is where the story of Demeter and Persephone originated. 

The pillar and tree, as well as cave stalactites and stalagmites, birds, snakes, poppies, seashells, doves, butterflies, and—perhaps most frequently—the labrys, or double ax—were all representations of the Minoan Goddess. 

The name "labyrinth" is derived from this Minoan sign rather than the maze connotation that is now widely accepted. 

The House of the Double Ax at Knossos, also known as the Goddess' sanctuary, was well-known. 

By pointing out that the butterfly symbolized characteristics of change and the labrys mirrored the "hourglass-shaped Goddess of Death and Regeneration," Marija Gimbutas draws a link between the butterfly, the ax, and the goddess. 

The double ax is believed to have been a ceremonial tool that males never used, maybe in ritual bull sacrifice. 

It's also crucial to realize that, in contrast to Indo-European cultures, where the bull symbolized masculine strength, here the bull's horns were thought to represent female regeneration powers, particularly in Catal Hüyük, Turkey, and some have even suggested that their shape is similar to that of female reproductive organs. 

The symbolism of the consecration horns that have been discovered in and around Knossos and Crete further demonstrates the significance of the bull horns. 

Sir Arthur Evans rebuilt these horns on the western wall of the Palace of Knossos after realizing their importance. 

They are wonderful subjects for pictures! The ceremonial chopping of holy trees, another representation of the Goddess, was also considered to be done with an ax. 

Another significant goddess emblem on the island of Crete was the bee. 

It is generally known that the Minoans kept bees, and that the honey they collected was employed in ceremonies, as well as to embalm and preserve remains. 

Priestesses of Demeter included bees or melissae as well as Artemis Ephesia, who, as was already noted, may have originated in Crete. 

Bee buzzing was said to correspond to the Goddess' voice. 

The majority of the discoveries made over decades of excavation at Knossos have remained unpublished, however in 1979, Peter Warren of Bristol University, who had spent more than thirty years working there, found child sacrifice bones. 

He conjectured that in a ritual to avert impending doom, their flesh was torn off the bones and fried with snails. 

To no avail, the volcanic explosion on the island of Santorini (Thera), which is situated north of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea, most likely marked the end of Minoan Crete. 

At this period, all of the other palaces on Crete vanished, perhaps wiped out by tidal surges brought on by the largest volcanic eruption ever recorded. 

While only Knossos managed to exist, this beautiful palace afterwards went into rapid decay and was never again erected or occupied. 

The Palace of Knossos has many of the ancient Minoan mysteries, despite the original frescoes. 

Visitors to the site may take in various recreated elements of the Knossos central palace, many of which are on display in the Athens museum and the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion in Crete, respectively. 

Beautifully painted columns and walls feature the vibrant colors of the Minoans, including hues of gold, black, red, blue, and green. 

Both the most well-known murals associated with Knossos, such as the "three sister priestesses," "bull jumping," and the "plumed prince," as well as walls depicting worshippers in procession, include copies of the genuine frescos from this period. 

While touring the site, visitors may see the Throne Room and other fascinating spaces, such as the Queen's Megaron, which is claimed to have been home to the first flushing toilet. 

Clay pipes still exist as evidence of the Minoans' drainage system knowledge. 

More than a thousand chambers were discovered in the multi-story building when Evans uncovered it. 

How to reach Knossos?

4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Heraklion, on the northern shore of Crete, is where you'll find Knossos. 

You may hire a private tour company with a guide on-site to explore Knossos. 

People traveling alone may use the public buses that routinely leave from Heraklion's Liberty Square and El Greco Park. 

It will be difficult to determine who is knowledgeable, and few may concentrate on the significance of the Goddess, so it is best to come prepared with a map and guidebook or to make plans to hire a guide who can be found at the entrance. 

The site is open everyday, however it is preferable to arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon after the main influx of tourists have left. 

The shops on the roadway leading up to the site provide the greatest Snake Goddess statue shopping for visitors to Knossos. 

Get what you need right here. Don't wait until Athens because there won't be as many options. 

Delphi's Goddess Focus Oracle. 

Only a few hours' drive from Athens lies the Greek town of Delphi, which is nestled along the slope of the magnificent Mount Parnassus. 

Delphi, one of the most well-known oracle sites in antiquity, is a well-liked holy location today for both visitors and pilgrims. 

According to academic James Rietveld, who cited The Eumenides, Gaia, also known as the Earth, was the originator of prophecy. 

The legendary Oracle of Delphi was given to Gaia's daughter Themis long before it was acquired by the god Apollo. 

Themis was an earlier chthonic goddess who had long been strongly tied with the Earth and death. 

As a result, Delphi—whose landscape is covered with symbols of the Goddess—became regarded as the scene of conflict between the approaching Olympian gods and the previous order of chthonic goddesses. 

In issues of life, death, and battle, leaders all throughout the Mediterranean world consulted the Pythia, or oracle priestess of Delphi. 

She sat above the omphalos, considered to be the center of the universe, wearing white clothing and a gold headpiece. 

She was breathing fumes that rose from the deep pit under her stool, which had a living snake coiling around its base. 

According to ancient texts, the Pythia entered two separate trances, according to geologist Jelle Zeilinga De Boer and archaeologist John R. Hale doing study at Delphi: 

Typically, she would be in "a benign semi-consciousness" that would enable her to respond to inquiries in "a curiously changed voice," or, less often, she would be in a "frenzied delirium marked by uncontrolled motions of the limbs, loud groans, and inarticulate screams." 

The Pythia was commonly killed and replaced after the furious trance, according to Plutarch, who also said that after the benign trance, the Pythia was returned to a peaceful condition. 

Due to claims that the divination by the Pythia was illogical, hazy, or unreliable, the counsel or prophesy she gave has been the focus of considerable discussion and conjecture. 

The monks who assisted her in deciphering her prophesies are also thought to have had some effect on the responses. 

Despite this, statues near the sanctuary's entry include inscriptions of gratitude for wars waged and victories, presumably on the Pythia's guidance. 

Despite the claims made by ancient authors like Strabo and Plutarch (who served as an Apollonia priest at Delphi) that gaseous emissions caused the trance states, according to De Boer and Hale, modern academics did not think the prophesies were related to gaseous emissions. 

De Boer and Hale, however, think that the Pythia's trance states were indicative of exposure to the hydrocarbon gas ethylene after a geo-logical investigation of the site in 1996 and with the help of toxicologist Henry Spiller. 

Down from the sanctuary lies the Castalian Spring, thought to have been used by the Pythia to ritually wash before giving pronouncements, however other accounts indicate it is the spot travelers cleaned themselves before their session with the oracle. 

600 feet (180 m) down from the spring and across the street lies the spherical Temple of Pronaia Athena. 

According to legend, Athena helped to restore the power of the Goddess that the Olympians had stolen by guarding this holy place. 

A beautiful museum is on-site as well as additional temples and monuments located on terraces around the slope of the archaeological site. 

Goddess Worship At Eleusis.

The mystai, or initiates of the elusive Eleusian Mysteries, who took an oath of secrecy never to reveal the secrets of their religion, made the Sanctuary of Demeter at Eleusis famous. 

They chose to remain silent, leaving modern researchers and practitioners with little more than flimsy proof for the majority of what happened within their ancient esoteric mysteries. 

But some of the most significant analogies for the Goddess as Earth Mother, the cyclical vegetation cycles she symbolizes, as well as the life cycle reflected inside a single individual, are found in the myths and mysteries of Demeter and Persephone. 

Pilgrims from all over the Mediterranean region came to Eleusis to participate in the mysteries that were taught there and celebrated, believing that doing so would open their eyes to the wonder of what life and death really entail. 

Following the clergy, including a virgin priestess who carried the basket, or cista mystica, containing holy objects, or hiera, that would be used in the Greater Mysteries of Demeter once they reached their destination, hundreds, possibly thousands, of devotees traveled the 14 miles (22.4 km) from Athens to Eleusis and the Sanctuary of Demeter. 

The narrative of Demeter and Persephone may be summarized as follows:

Persephone is collecting flowers with Athena and Artemis when all of a sudden, up from a fissure in the ground appears Hades, Lord of the Underworld on his chariot. 

For awhile Hades had his eye on the Virgin Goddess and decided he coveted her for himself, scooped Persephone up and carried her away with him. 

Demeter, Persephone’s mother, explored the globe for her daughter for nine days in her guise as the crone. 

She was then hired by a king, much as Isis had been in Byblos. 

She immerses the king's son in flames every night in an effort to give him the gift of immortality. 

Unaware of Demeter's kind intentions, the queen happened to see this rite one night and immediately erupted in rage as any responsible mother would. 

Then Demeter made her identity known to the royal pair and their people and asked that a temple be built at Eleusis for her. 

They agreed. 

Demeter still grieves over the loss of her daughter Persephone. 

She is so depressed that the earth becomes barren, the vegetation stops growing, and the population is on the verge of famine. 

In time Zeus urges that Hades restore Persephone to Demeter — because whose else would be left on Earth to serve the immortals? Hades grudgingly concedes, but trickster that he is, he tempts Persephone to ingest a pomegranate seed before she leaves the Netherworld, an act that compels her to return to him for one third of every year. 

When Persephone is in Tartarus, or the underworld regions, Demeter yearly mourns, hence the crops do not grow. 

When Persephone comes to the surface Demeter is happy and the seedlings shoot out and mul￾tiply, feeding the people and everyone lives happily for another year. 

In a different telling of the tale, the Goddess Baubo dances in a lewd manner, exposing her yoni to the bereaved Demeter. 

Demeter laughs at Baubo's ridiculous antics, and her holy light is made visible. 

The crops grew quickly as the earth once again saw light, and daily life continued as normal. 

Demeter was reminded of the strength of fertility and creation connected to the cycles of birth, life, death, and rebirth by the sight of Baubo's yoni. 

The return of Persephone from the Underworld into her mother's waiting arms was also a metaphor for these ideas. 

Persephone, the Virgin Goddess of possibility is connected with the seedling which will shoot forth new life. 

As the cycle of life (and vegetation) progresses, they will grow, die, and be reborn, so the myths provide wisdom and comprehension of the cycles of life. 

When Demeter and Persephone (or Kore) are considered as two components of a single entity, the three phases of a woman's existence—maiden, mother, and crone—can be understood as illustrative of the life cycle inside a single individual. 

According to scholars, these secrets may have been present at numerous Eleusian Mysteries in the form of plays, festivals, and enactments. 

The Middle Eastern and African locations linked with Inanna and Dumuzzi, Isis and Osiris, Aphrodite and Adonis, and, while being a contentious idea, Mary and Jesus all refer to the same motif of the dying and rising monarch. 

According to religious expert James Rietveld, the cult of Demeter's religion has always been highly regarded. 

Everett Ferguson, cited by the author, explains that the rites at Eleusis were originally private to one family but later became available to all residents of the town before being adopted by all of Attica. 

The religion of Eleusis eventually expanded as it became accessible to people deemed "Barbarians," notably the residents of the Roman Empire, and it eventually became a worldwide religious system, available to anyone regardless of race or place of birth. 

Women, slaves, and foreigners were allowed to the Eleusinian Mysteries, according to Walter Burkert, whereas Simon Price, another eminent researcher, claims that there is just one requirement for admission: "the applicant for initiation should be pure and not of incomprehensible speech." 

An initiate only needed to overcome the obstacle of the travel expense of the undertaking once that requirement was met. 

Traveling to Eleusis was costly, as was finding a sacrifice goat, not to mention the initiation price. 

But where there is a will, there is a way. 

On the 16th of Boedromion (the month of September), initiates, or mystes, cleaned themselves in the sea with their piglet, which would later be sacrificed as a sacrifice to Demeter. 

This was one notably public ceremony of the Greater Mysteries of Demeter. 

Some academics contend that the purification of the initiates was genuinely sanctified by the pig's blood. 

This ocean plunge is compared by Rietveld to "Christian baptism," in which the society saw these external behaviors as signs of an inside change. 

Author Jennifer Reif describes the feasts and festivities of Demeter and Persephone that corresponded to the life cycles of the grain and the agricultural season in her book "Mysteries of Demeter, Rebirth of the Pagan Way." 

Depending on the geography of the area, Mother and Maiden, Demeter and Persephone were celebrated during the Chloaia Spring Festival anytime between February and March. 

The harvest celebration was Thargelia, while the threshing festival was Kalamaia. 

Reif sees the initial phase of the Skira Festival as Persephone's entry into the underworld, and the festival's final phase as the storing of the grain underground. 

The Stenia Festival was a recreation of Baubo's sensual humor convincing Demeter to let go of her dark side and revert to the fruitful mother she once was at the Proerosia Festival, which dealt with preplowing ceremonies. 

According to Reif's interpretation of the Arkichronia Festival, gifts from the immortals are mixed with the seed before any planting is done to create fertility talismans. 

The last three festivals are Nestia, when Persephone departs Hades, Kalligenia, when Persephone (as Kore) ascends to Earth where the planting may begin, and finally Haloa, as mother and daughter pleasure in the beginning of the growth time. 

According to writers Rufus and Lawson, the initiated Eleusian clergy, termed “epoptai,” together with initiates, assembled in the telesterion to witness the mysteries. 

When they had finished their duty, they said: "I fasted; I drank the draught; I took from the chest; having done my task, I deposited in the basket; and from the basket into the chest." 

This is known as the "formula of the Eleusian Mysteries," according to Clement of Alexandria (Exhortations to the Greeks, II.18). 

Some people think that a vision of Persephone's homecoming may have come true or perhaps been seen as a "Great Light." 

One papyrus fragment from the reign of Emperor Hardian (117–138 CE), in reference to the mysteries of Eleusis, reads: "I have seen the fire... 

I have seen the Kore." Others claim that a corn ear that represented a complex array of meanings was offered to the crowd. 

Some people still think that sexual rites may have played some role in the mysteries. 

Without a doubt, the hierophant displayed the heira, or holy objects. 

Suggestions for these items are offered by scholar Walter Burkert: mortar and pestle, assorted cakes, balls of salt, a serpent, pomegranates, fig branches, fennel stalks, ivy leaves, poppies, marjoram, a lamp, a sword, a woman’s comb and symbols of Ge Themis. 

These holy items would be consistent with the mysteries' purported purpose of instructing initiates on the meaning of life and death because the pomegranate, stalks, and leaves served as symbols of rebirth while the poppies and serpent served as symbols of death. 

Plutarch equates initiating into philosophy to seeing a brilliant light inside the inner sanctuary, and according to Professor Marvin Meyer, this may have been one of the mysteries. 

The debate over whether Persephone was truly raped is another significant and fascinating component connected to this tale. 

Reif disagrees with this patriarchal method of Persephone's dominance. 

Even the pomegranate served as a tool for subduing the Goddess. 

She thinks Persephone might have entered the Underworld, a terrifying place, with some apprehension but no fear of being raped. 

(And keep in mind that she has Hekate to help her and guide her.) She argues that the mysteries had a focus on materialism and persisted during the patriarchal Greek era, and she points out that the majority of initiates were female. 

The ancient order of the Goddess existed before the era of patriarchy, when female goddesses were ruled by the Olympians. 

Readers should bear this in mind while they read about Demeter. 

Reif is steadfast in her view that, “women would not adopt this concept of a relationship based on violence as the basis of their theology.” Other academics are starting to question the veracity of this rape version of the myth more frequently. 

According to author Clarissa Pinkola Estes, "Women were directed to the Underworld at the period of the matriarchies by profound feminine energies," and according to Charleen Spretnak, there is evidence that the original myth did not include rape until the advent of patriarchy in society. 

Today, visitors can see the Callichoros, the Eschara, a pit where sacrifices were made, and other parts of the Sacred Way. 

The Ploutonium, a sacred cave thought to be where Persephone entered and left the Underworld in order to live with Hades/Pluto, and the well where it is thought that women danced and prayed. 

The omphalos, the sacred navel that spans the chasm between heaven and earth, was located inside the cave, just as it was at Delphi. 

Here, the players encountered a young boy who had been chosen by lot to serve as the "boy of the hearth" in place of Demophoon, the king's son, who had been purified into pure spirit by his concerned mother before being granted immortality by Demeter. 

What's left of the Telesterion, where the initiations took place, is visible beyond. 

Originally, this building's dimensions were 177 feet (54 meters) by 170 feet (52 meters), and it had 22 columns supporting the roof and tiers of stone stairs for seats all the way around the walls. 

During ritual occasions, the peaked roof of the Telesterion would open up to form a chimney, permitting massive displays of fire and smoke to erupt from the enigmatic structure. 

An intriguing side fact about the Priestess of Demeter is she was the only mar￾ried woman authorized to watch the Olympics. 

While married women were prohibited from attending the games under threat of death, maidens may watch the Olympics to perhaps scout possible partners. 

Given that an old shrine and temple to Demeter was situated right in the midst of the stadium's seating area, Professor Thomas Scanlon hypothesizes that the priestess of Demeter may have had access to it. 

How to go to Eleusis?

The landscape of Eleusis reflects the contours typically recognized as ideal holy sites that embody the Feminine, like many places selected in ancient times as sacred domains of Goddess. 

Although it still enjoys a close proximity to water and mountains, the once-lush and fertile Eleusis is now situated in the unappealing industrial region of Elefsina in Attica. 

However, given the significance of the location, it is necessary to ignore some recent developments that occasionally cause the air to become polluted and unpleasant. 

Public bus # 853 or #862 service is available from Eleftherios Square in Athens, which is roughly an hour's drive away, to get you there. 

After getting off the bus, go roughly three blocks in the direction of the water while observing the clearly defined signage. 

On-site there is a museum. 

THE "OTHER" ELEUSIS' RAPE. 

Religion expert Marguerite Rigoglioso makes a very convincing case for Lake Pergusa in Sicily as the exact location for the abduction of the Maiden Goddess Persephone by Hades, Lord of the Underworld, cited in Classical Greek myths, in her tantalizing book in progress, The "Other" Eleusis Mysticism & Misogyny in the Navel of Sicily. 

She also provides evidence from archaeology, history, linguistics, and anthropology that the cult honoring the mother-daughter goddesses Demeter and Persephone was formerly practiced at the ancient city of Enna near Lake Pergusa. 

In contrast to the myth in which Persephone is raped by Hades, Rigoglioso suggests that Persephone's fall was one of initiation into the Female Blood Mysteries of menarche. 

He provides compelling and thought-provoking evidence for this claim. 

Finally, the author contends that Enna eclipsed even Eleusis in importance as a center of healing and a destination for women's mysteries. 

Needless to say, enough has been presented to substanti￾ate Lake Pergusa and the adjacent environs as an important and newly emerging sacred site, but why list Lake Pergusa under Gaia alert? Today Lake Pergusa looks more like a swamp than the sacred lake described as an Eden by historian Enrico Sinicropi as recently as 1958. 

About the same time Sinicropi was enjoying the splendors of the region, construction began on a four mile autodrome or race track around the perimeter of the lake. 

Over the years, the lake has gotten filled with silt, vegetative debris, and toxic runoff from the autodrome. 

Lake Pergusa keeps drying up every year. 

The lake was only three feet deep when last measured, down from its former 21-foot (6.4-meter) depth (0.9 m). 

Its circumference has dropped from 5 miles (8 km) in diameter to 3 miles (4.8 km) as the lake vanishes. 

Activists in the region have continuously experienced pushback from local politicians and “under world figures” more concerned with loss of money should the racetrack be removed than than the environmental effect of the racing track on the lake and neighboring animals. 

As Nature is the Goddess, even the Feminine embodied, Rigoglioso com￾pares this abuse, neglect and exploitation of Lake Pergusa, the womb of the Mother, to the rape of Persephone as the Divine Feminine. 

Local environmentalists need a boost of morale, cash, and worldwide pressure to keep up their efforts. 

If you desire to assist in any manner, go to www.lakepergusa.org to discover contact information with activists who speak English or Italian who would welcome your support. 

Temple of Hera.

Located on a Greek island two miles off the Turkish mainland, the Temple of Hera on Samos, has been a holy shrine of Goddess since Neolithic times. 

The Heraeum is home to eight layers of prehistoric remains dating back to 2500 BCE, making it, along with Argos, one of the most significant Hera temples in the Mediterranean region. 

Over the centuries, there have been several temples dedicated to the Goddess that have burned down or been destroyed by floods, but in the first century CE, the historian Strabo recounts the scene that travelers would have seen as they approached the island. 

Travelers would have been astonished by the Temple of Poseidon on a peninsula of Mount Mycale. 

The Heraeum, the shrine, and the Temple of Hera would be visible to the left. 

The temple precinct's small chapels were said to be filled with artwork, some of which were open to the sky where many statues were kept, and the shrine was said to have been a repository of numerous votive tablets. 

Some of the most noteworthy sculptures inside the holy complex were those of Athena, Heracles and Zeus. 

Hera's Temple was situated next to the Imbrasus River, where according to tradition Hera bathed yearly to restore her virginity and therefore restore the endless cycle of life. 

In this respect, she is very much like Aphrodite who was yearly washed at her temple on the island of Cypress. 

It was thought that their emergence or rebirth from the waters, their virginity restored, was associated with the advent of spring and all its blossoming potential. 

The daughter of Thea and Cronos, Hera, is said to have been born beneath a sacred willow tree connected to her cult on the Imbrasus riverbank. 

In this location, she was also believed to have wed the patriarchal Olympian Zeus, though legend has it that their marriage was never happy. 

Hera is a very old goddess, having existed in Greece long before the Olympians did. 

Patricia Monaghan speculates that since Hera roughly translates to "Our Lady," she may have actually gone by a different name. 

She was a woman of independence and dignity before the Greeks turned her into a petulant and envious figure. 

Hera's changing personae throughout the classical period represent a change in religion and society from the veneration of the old chthonic Goddess to a Goddess with a new image that was more in line with patriarchal values. 

Goddesses were subject to male deities, frequently yielding their powers to them, even being created from male gods. 

Monaghan states that Hera, the Goddess of women and sexuality, went through three periods of life: maiden, mother, and crone. 

Each of them may be regarded as youth, prime, and old age, likewise portraying mortal females. 

It is not surprising that female devotees of Hera participated in competitive games, similar to how female devotees of Artemis and Hekate did, given the temple's close proximity to Turkey. 

Monaghan claims women worshipped Hera by enjoying these games held every four years, (perhaps yearly) which precedes the Olympics widely understood to have taken place in Greece purely among men. 

The Heraea games were held, and the women who competed were the epitome of empowerment, independence, and strength. 

According to a bronze figurine of a girl running from 560 BCE, they were wearing a short garment with a "off the shoulder chiton" that showed their right breast and shoulder. 

Professor Thomas Scanlon explains that rather than being a garment worn by Amazon warrior women, this garment was an adaptation of a hot weather garment worn by men at the time. 

According to Monaghan, the three age groups that took part in the Heraea corresponded to the three stages of a woman's life. 

One of the games believed to have been played in Argos was the 160 yard sprint. 

Monaghan reports there were three victors who earned an olive branch crown and a portion in the cow which was slaughtered during the event. 

The cow was sacrificed in honor of Hera who was venerated by the people as their “cow-eyed sky queen.” 

Competitors who prevailed also received the right to erect a statue of themselves in Hera's temple. 

Scanlon reports that participants in a slightly different version of the games ranged in age from six to 18 years. 

According to Scanlon, who cites the ancient author Pausanias, one competition, a footrace for maidens, had a course that was one-sixth the size of the men's track to account for the shorter stride of the female gender. 

The winners' portraits were hung in niches inside Hera's Temple, and they also received an olive wreath crown and a portion of an ox that had been killed. 

According to Monaghan, Hera personified the following three Goddesses over the three various eras of her existence. 

She was Hebe or Parthenia as the virgin maid, which had nothing to do with propriety. 

She was also known as Antheia, the "flowering one." She went by the names Nymphenomene or Teleia during her prime. 

The first one denoted "looking for a partner," and the second, "the ideal partner." She was Theira in her final crone years, beyond motherhood, wise beyond her years, and guardian of the sacred bloods within her womb. 

In the afore mentioned ceremony of regaining her virginity on the riverside, Hebe or Parthenia was her emerging essence when clerics washed her statue in ritual at the river. 

Probably twice more throughout the year, as the season faded, her statue would be taken by her clergy down to the waters and it was assumed Hera would emerge in the corresponding mature or death/crone aspect of Teleia or Theira to match with the cycle of year presently being celebrated. 

Prior to the invasion of Greece by the patriarchal tribes, Hera was said to have no partner, and Monaghan characterizes Hera's adoration as being intense. 

She employs parthenogenesis, having produced and borne her son Hephaestos of herself. 

Zeus, the patriarch of Olympia, and Hera eventually underwent a sort of marriage that started an iffy alliance between Goddess and God. 

Monaghan accurately depicts her as “making a legendary nuisance of herself to the father emblem of the patriarchy.” 

Hera’s temple precinct on Samos was demolished and rebuilt multiple times, but at its pinnacle, the holy structure was described as a forest of columns that held huge sculptures, shrines and temples to other goddesses. 

The astounding length of the Sacred Way, which led to the Heraeum's entrance, was 15,750 feet (4,800 meters). 

It was a profound temple, so much so that it served as the model for Ephesus' Artemis Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 

Only a single column and a few shorter pillar stumps from Hera's once-massive temple remain today, in no way denoting the great Ancient Mother she once was. 

To the east of the Great Temple are foundation remnants of a 5th century CE chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary thus blending once again, as occurs so many times over, the essence of Goddess in pre-Christian times with that of her Christian descendent. 

How to go to the Hera Temple?

Samos is part of a group of islands in the northeast Aegean that are closest to Turkey. 

As evidenced by the somewhat irregular plane and boat schedules to the island, little tourism is practiced there. 

Excursion boats, steamers, and hydrofoils occasionally, if not daily, depart from neighboring islands. 

There are options for flights from Athens, as well as daily boat departures, but the boat trip takes 13 hours. 

If arriving by aircraft, take an airline shuttle or cab from the airport into Samostown where a taxi may be booked to reach the major city of Pythagorian. 

Bikes or cabs are possibilities to reach Hera’s temple from town. 

One daily public bus travels the trip or walking may take a little more than an hour. 

Try to view the museum in Samostown with its items devoted to Hera, as well as the Eupalinus Tunnel, an engineering wonder from ancient days that transported water into town. 

This 105-meter (383-foot) underground tunnel is a "must see." Goddess Attention. 

Delos – Sacred Archaeological Isle of Goddess.# As one journeys across the blue-green sea from Mykonos toward Delos, the gentle rocking of the boat and the island ahead getting ever closer creates a trance￾like trip leading tourists from the ordinary world into the holy. 

In ancient times Delos was described in Homer’s The Odyssey as a well-known religious site. 

Inhabited now solely by French archaeologists and island caretakers working on the island, Delos with all its temples, mosaics, buildings, and great museum is a treasure trove of religious monuments devoted to a myriad of goddesses. 

This isle is one place supposed to be where the pregnant Leto, paramour of Zeus, sought sanctuary from the envious Hera. 

The other was at Ephesus. 

Leto is claimed to have given birth to her twins, Apollo and Artemis, here under a palm tree. 

Throughout its history, the island has undergone two purifications to rid it of the impure. 

The dying and pregnant women were forbidden from entering the island, and the deceased were exhumed and reburied elsewhere. 

Many cultures, such as the Egyptians, Syrians, Phoenicians, Palestinians, Jews, Greeks, and Romans, all settled nearby the harbor over time. 

It seems sense that there would be temples to Athena, Artemis, Atargatis, Aphrodite, Hera, Demeter, Leto, and Tanit at a location where so many different cultures coexist. 

One of the better repaired temples contains two Doric style columns and is dedicated to the Egyptian Goddess, Isis. 

It is placed atop a high site and her headless statue is inside her shrine, which is near to an unrestored temple of ▲ The headless statue of Isis, who was the wife of the God Serapis, still remains at her temple on Delos Island in the Aegean Sea. 

The Artemision, the temple of Artemis, which was originally one of the main places of devotion on the island, is another structure that has undergone repair. 

According to scholar Walter Burkert, "the Horn Altar of Artemis on Delos, which was fashioned from goat horns and regarded as one of the wonders of the world," was a significant site of sacrifice. 

Both temples provide stunning views of the island and the Mediterranean Sea beyond.

~Kiran Atma

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