Goddess Worship (Original)
Gwen Parker:
Aries, God of War
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Member # 2427
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posted 07-31-2005 12:29 AM
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Celtic
Brighid - 'Mother of the Irish Gods'
by Jessica Galbreth.
View more of her beautiful artwork on her site www.enchanted-art.com/
Ainé
Daughter of the Danaan Owel, she inspires mortals with passion, and is said to be worshipped on Midsummer Eve in the province of Munster, in Ireland. Torches were (and may still be) carried around the Hill of Ainé on Midsummer Eve in worship of the Goddess. On one occasion Ainé appeared to those who'd stayed late on the hill and thanked them for their worship, but asked them to please go home, as she and her people wanted the Hill to themselves.
Aoife (pronounced Eefa)
The second of two sisters to marry Lir. His former wife had left him four children, three boys and a girl, and Lir loved them so dearly that Aoife was murderously jealous. She took the children with her to visit King Bov the Red, but stopped on the way at Lake Derryvaragh. There she ordered her attendants to kill the children. The attendants refused, and she didn't have the heart to do the deed herself, so instead she changed them into swans and laid a curse upon them. (See one of the many versions of The Children of Lir for details). She journeyed on to the King's palace, but Bov discovered her treachery and changed her into a demon of the air.
Badb
An aspect of the Morrigan, she takes the shape of a crow, an omen of death. She appeared in this form to the warrior Cu Chulainn before a battle, predicting his demise. Legends also suggest that she caused his demise by tricking him into breaking one of his oaths.
Banba
One of a triad (the Morrigan) of fertility goddesses, all married to MacCuill, a grandson of the diety Dagda.
Blodeuwedd
Her name means "Flower-face", as she was formed of flowers to be the wife of Llew, who was not allowed a wife of a race that inhabited the earth. She fell in love with a lord named Gronw Pebyr, and they plotted Lew's death. It was a complicated death, for Llew could only be killed with a spear that had been made for a year, and even then only while he was standing with one foot on a dead buck and the other on a cauldron. The spear struck him, but the shaft broke, and so he turned into an eagle. On his return, he turned Blodeuwedd into an owl, bidding her to shun the light of day. He killed his rival, going so far as to drive his spear through a rock to get to him.
Boanna
The river Boyne, who was the mother of the love god Angus Og.
Brigit (Brighid, Brigindo, Brigantia)
Probably the same as Dana, mother of the People of Dana, or the Tuatha De Danann. Much of her mythology was transferred to St. Brigit. The daughter of Dagda, she had three sons, one of whom was named Ecne (knowledge, or poetry). She is associated with fertility and blessing.
Caitlin
The tall woman of Kilcummin, she was feared by those in her village, and by the local faeries as well. When her mother, on her deathbed, revealed that she had been a foundling child, Caitlin went on a voyage to find a place to belong. She performed good deeds for Daghda, Lugh and Oengus along the way, and was welcomed home at last in the land of Tirnanog, where she married Oengus, and lived happily ever after.
Epona
Goddess of horses, she was worshipped by Romans as well as Celts, with a festival celebrated on December 18th. She is occasionally depicted as a harvest or fertility goddess as well.
Eriu
One of a triad (the Morrigan) of fertility goddesses, all married to MacCuill, a grandson of the diety Dagda.
Fodla
One of a triad (the Morrigan) of fertility goddesses, all married to MacCuill, a grandson of the diety Dagda.
Her shrines were found everywhere, for everywhere is her abode - near the hearth, at the sacred well or spring that provides water for drink and healing, in the ancient grove of trees forming Nature's cathedral, in the deepest cave, on the highest mountain. The plants and animals, the moon, sun and stars, the river that flows to the sea and the ocean itself; all were her domain. All were sacred to the Goddess. All were recognized as forming part of the Great Mother and therefore as kin.
Adele Getty, Goddess
Macha
A fertility goddess, and also a goddess of war, she is an aspect of the Morrigan. In one story, she calls herself the daughter of Sainreth mac in Botha, and becomes wife to Crunnchu mac Agnoman. When her husband bragged to the king of Ulster that his wife could run faster than the king's horses, she was brought forth to back up his claim. She begged for a delay because she was pregnant and very close to delivery, but the king refused, and forced her to run anyway. She won the race, and went into early labor, but gave birth to twins, a son and a daughter. Because the king had shown no mercy, and none of the other men stood up for her when she pleaded her case, she cursed them for nine generations. In times of trouble, the men would become as weak as a woman in labor for five days and four nights. Macha can change shape from girl to hag, and is usually depicted as a girl with red hair, dressed in red.
Modron
A mother goddess, she gave birth to Mabon, who was kidnapped when he was still a baby. She may have been an aspect of the Morrigan, and may have become the Christian St. Madrun.
Mor
A sun goddess who gave birth to the royal line of Munster.
The Morrigan
A goddess of war, fertility and vegetation, she could assume many forms, each with its own name. She is often described as a triad of goddesses known individually as Macha, Nemain (or sometimes Anann) and Badb. As Queen Maeve, she married Ailill, and became the sovereign of Ireland.
Nemain
A name which means panic, she is one of the aspects of the Morrigan.
Rhiannon
The daughter of Hefaidd Hen and wife of Pwyll, she is a goddess of horses, fertility and of the underworld.
The Morrigan - 'Celtic Goddess of War and Death'
by Jessica Galbreth.
View more of her beautiful artwork on her site www.enchanted-art.com/
http://www.katyberry.com/Goddesses/Celtic.html
[ 07-31-2005, 12:30 AM: Message edited by: Aries, God of War ]
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Posts: 110 | From: Mt. Olympus | Registered: Apr 2005
Gwen Parker:
Aries, God of War
Member
Member # 2427
Member Rated:
posted 07-31-2005 10:41 PM
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Venus Figurines have been found throughout Europe, from western France, to western Russia. They are in essence, small Paleolithic figurines of women, and sometimes (but a limited few) of men. The age of the Venus figurines covers a time span from 27,000 years ago, to 20,000 years ago. The Venus figurines have been found carved in stone, ivory and wood, and also crafted of clay. The most famous Venus figurine is the "Venus of Willendorf." The Willendorf was found in an area of Willendorf, Austria, and continues to be the standard for descriptions of this specific type of figurine. However, the Venus of Willendorf is only one small portion of the diversity of all the figurines found through out Europe. The sizes and proportions of the Venus figurines vary. The Willendorf figurine, and several others of its type are endowed with large breasts, a large stomach, and swollen thighs, and is obviously pregnant. Other figurines are shown carrying horns (cornucopias) with much the same characteristics of the Willendorf type figurines. Other figurines differ in shape and size, some are thin but obviously pregnant, other figurines differ in age and are small. Still other figurines have been found with traces of red ochre paint on them.
Analysis of the Venus figures has yielded many interesting theories concerning their purpose within the lives of Paleolithic people. The statues themselves were crafted during the prehistoric time period known as the Aurignacian. Characteristic of the Aurignacian (32,000 to 25,000 years ago) is the use of new tool types with a strong dependence on blades, and the use of finer tools and points than were found in the prior period of the Peragordian. In addition, the Aurignacian also represents a hunter gather culture which moved through out Europe, and hunted many of the big game animals, such as cave bears, mammoths etc. Aurignacian art and tools are found throughout Europe and are made of many diverse materials such as antler, bone, clay, ivory, and wood. The life of a Paleolithic person often times centered around the hunt, however archeological evidence has also shown the importance of gathering. What is clear is that the Venus figurines are found through out Europe in a variety of places. With their differing physiques, and the symbolism attached to them, they are thought by the majority of scholars to be fertility objects, or symbols of an earth goddess cult.
The differing theories of the Venus figurines and their purposes, have ranged from the figurines simply being fertility objects, and examples of Paleolithic art, to being representative of the various population phases and periods of the Aurignacian. The theory that they may represent different segments of the Paleolithic population has been proliferated by anthropologist Patricia Rice. After studying 188, Venus figurines Rice found that the figurines were quite varied in shape and size, and that their ages could possibly be ascertained by the number of lines on their faces. The final theory of Rice, was that the varying degree and age of the figurines was quite similar to the same variations as found within historical hunter-gatherer societies. Rice's theory has been strongly supported by other anthropologists, however, the question still remains what exactly were the Venus figurines used for. It is accepted by most anthropologists that the figurines were fertility symbols, but other theories exist. Among these theories is that the statuettes were created by the women they represented. Another anthropologist has theorized that the shape, size and design of the figurines are similar to how a pregnant woman may view themselves, thus the figurines are representative of their creator. Other theories have said the figurines were examples of portable pornography, portable art, or charms, due to their small size (roughly 11cm high). Still other theories have questioned whether the figurines were goddess's or actual human beings. Yet another theory holds that the Venus figurines were symbols of a matriarchy in the hunter gatherer tribes. Regardless of the theories, the consensus is that the figurines had to have some purpose due to their distinctive and unique artistry which is quite intricate.
From a historical perspective the Venus figurines, and their off shoots, occupy a large expanse of time within human history. The idea of a fertility goddess or mother goddess is found through out most (if not all) cultures of the world. Within Europe, the Venus, or female form, has had it's proliferation into the many pantheons of goddesses and gods through out Europe. The Venus of Willendorf itself, does not cease to hide it's feminine aspects, and is quite similar in characteristics to the Gaia figure within Greek mythology. Similarly Venus/Aphrodite (Roman and Greek classical), are both goddesses of fertility, love and sexuality, and are depicted in similar ways as the Venus figurines, (in particular the nudes of Venus). However, the name Venus should not be taken to mean that the figurines were earlier forms of the classically known Venus' (The name Venus figurine was given by the anthropologists who discovered them, not by the Paleolithic peoples).
From the perspective of Diffusion...
Diffusion is a word used to describe the borrowing of cultural elements from one people to another, or the giving of cultural elements from one culture to another. The borrowing of elements can be found in many different places in many different ways. For example, the introduction of wine to Greece, from Crete in trade, eventually led to a wine trade in Greece, and a ritualistic use of the wine (as the originators of Crete had also used it in many rituals). The Venus of Willendorf is at best a sketchy example of diffusion, but serves a definite purpose in the scheme of human history. With the Willendorf figurines, are seen the first images of a Paleolithic female, or goddess figure, and with them the ability of humans to take from their own minds and create an image in the form of art. The Willendorf figurines also and most importantly represent fertility in some form, and can easily be translated to the later fertility goddesses of older civilizations. This on it's own is an example of the diffusion of the Willendorf figurines, however there is a more finite form of diffusion with them. For the figurines to have traveled to such vast territories between Western France and Western Russia, one hunter gatherer tribe could not have necessarily made the journey. There had to be other hunter gatherer groups through out the area. Perhaps it was a systematic trading of the figurines to other cultures which occurred, where specific groups took the icons and crafted them to represent fertility figurines of their own group, or perhaps it was a universal image which only with the advent of sculpture was incorporated into the lives of the Paleolithic peoples. All of the above mentioned are examples of possible diffusion of the Venus figurines, which have played an important role in Paleolithic culture.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/artifacts/venusfigurines.html
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Posts: 110 | From: Mt. Olympus | Registered: Apr 2005
Gwen Parker:
Aries, God of War
Member
Member # 2427
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posted 08-07-2005 12:00 AM
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Malta: Ancient Home to Goddesses and Fertility Cults
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Nowhere on earth did a Goddess ever reign as she did in Malta. Architect Richard England explains the Maltese temples themselves as the personification of the Earth Mother, with floor plans which echo abundant maternal curves. One can easily imagine the concept of entering the "womb" of the temple for communion with the Goddess, and emerging "re-born" into the sunlight. Amazingly, visitors can still walk in several of these prehistoric temples. They are UNESCO World Heritage sites and the oldest free-standing buildings on the planet. But what about the advanced civilization which they represent?
Two terms seem to go hand-in-hand when the temples of Malta are discussed. Fertility Cult is often used to describe pre-patriarchal societies of the Neolithic period, which in most of the world some 4,500 years ago worshipped a Goddess. The concept is universal and shows up at one time or another in virtually every culture on the planet. Mention the words Fertility Cult and you really capture "civilized" people’s attention: wild abandon and sexual frenzy, sweaty bodies and wicked native drums. Put all that in the context of a torch-lit megalithic temple and the active imagine could run hog wild.
Not much survived of the early matrifocal people of Europe once they were overrun and assimilated by aggressive tribes identified by archaeologist Marija Gimbutas in "The Language of the Goddess" (1989, San Francisco: Harper and Row.) With mobility of mounted horses and the authority of metal weapons the invaders made relatively quick work of establishing a new order in the old world. A successful takeover would have demanded the smashing and widescale eradication of any existing goddess spirituality. With a few exceptions myths and legends were all that remained to carry memory of the ancient times, and over subsequent millennia recorded history managed to distort or destroy most of that as well. The one clear remnant that comes down to us today is the use of such terms as Mother Nature and Mother Earth.
As hunter-gatherer humankind came out of the caves of Europe and western Asia, people soon learned something about agriculture, animal husbandry and the production of a continuous food supply. They already knew that females, both in the fields and at home, carried young within their bodies and gave birth. There was no great mystery about it. That was just how things happened. It’s extremely difficult to believe that they didn’t also understand a need for the male of the species in reproduction, although some anthropologists argue this point. At least in the Maltese Temple Period material, there is more than a little suggestion of duality and a healthy respect for gender differences. Gimbutas referred to sculpture and carvings of plumply rounded devotional figures as clearly representing, above all else, the concept of regeneration. When early people witnessed the earth bringing forth fruits and grains, they identified it with the same feminine characteristics of creation and nurturing. It was, after all, the mother who fed the young, and the earth that fed the people. In this way, the concept of a feminine deity of fertility and abundance would have been entirely natural.
When we talk about Neolithic Malta, we are considering a time period long before Buddha and Mohammed, before Jesus and Moses and even Abraham. Sometimes it’s difficult to put aside those later influences and remain totally objective about the existence of a civilization which is neither recorded in the Bible nor described in the hieroglyphics of an Egyptian tomb. How is it that the Maltese Fertility Cults have been such a secret? It’s likely that the early people who had written language never knew about them.
http://www.infohub.com/Articles/20010219.html
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Posts: 110 | From: Mt. Olympus | Registered: Apr 2005
Gwen Parker:
Aries, God of War
Member
Member # 2427
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posted 08-07-2005 12:01 AM
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As if by destiny, the megalithic temples of Malta were overlooked or ignored for many thousands of years. Abandoned for some reason at around 2500 BC, they sat in isolated silence for centuries. The roofs fell in. Weeds grew between the stones. Through a long and complicated history of foreign occupation and resettlement of the Maltese archipelago, the debris of ages continued to collect in the temples.
Although there is evidence of trade and communication with other regions, the "temple culture" of Malta developed their unique artistic expression and iconography along lines which are totally unlike anything seen elsewhere from the same time period. For more than a thousand years they successfully existed in peace and harmony with themselves and their environment. No evidence of weapons, warfare or defensive architecture exists in the ruins.
The debate continues over the "fertility" and "Goddess" idols which have been discovered inside the temples and in the prehistoric underground burial chambers. Some of the excavated figures are clearly feminine images, skillfully represented down to the pleats in their cloth garments, the carefully braided hair hanging down their backs and the woven cane of their furniture. The carved heads in another group of stylized ritual objects strongly suggest male features with long noses and wide jaws. The bodies of these are straight and angular, clearly clothed. Other representational pieces are phallic in nature and leave no room for doubt.
But most of the "cult statuettes" are a mystery; posed both standing and comfortably seated in various positions. Although headless, many are equipped with a socket between the shoulders and tiny holes for manipulating a cord. Several were found with separate heads nearby. They may have been designed to fulfill the function of some sort of oracle. The important locations in which they were found unmistakably point to ritual use. It has been argued that these graceful statuettes with their corpulent **** bodies can't possibly be female because they don't have well-defined breasts. Neither does any of them have a **** to make it unarguably male. There can be no denying that they are curved in the way that a woman usually curves when she lets nature take over. One modem Maltese gentleman proposes that the fat arms, thighs and calves on these figures are styled to signify strength. Mr. Joseph S. Ellul, whose father was for many years caretaker at the Hagar-Qim site, theorizes that this is the power which would have been required to move the massive stone slabs which make up the temples. ("Malta's Prediluvian Culture", 1988, Malta: Printwell Ltd.) The sculptures may simply be androgynous figures of abundance. Perhaps, in a society where gender was not the issue that we make it today, they were designed to serve equally with the modeled head of either priest or priestess, depending on who was officiating at the time. We may never know for sure.
One thing is certain: whether or not they ever accommodated wild orgies, the megalithic limestone temples of Malta were and continue to be places of immense importance in human history. They are remarkable evidence of a people who have been described by cultural anthropologists as among the purest and most impressive cultures that ever existed. Personally, I have to wonder what our world might be like if the knowledge were widespread that once upon a time, God looked just like my mother!
http://www.infohub.com/Articles/20010219.html
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Posts: 110 | From: Mt. Olympus | Registered: Apr 2005
Gwen Parker:
rockessence
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Member # 1839
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posted 08-08-2005 09:24 AM
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Nice material Aries!
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"Illigitimi non carborundum!"
All knowledge is to be used in the manner that will give help and assistance to others, and the desire is that the laws of the Creator be manifested in the physical world. E.Cayce 254-17
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Posts: 3128 | From: Port Townsend WA | Registered: Feb 2004
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