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Home , Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, Hecate, Horae, Persephone

The Female Divine The Great Theory

• What the proponents say: – Look at the art! • Figures found in shrines

– Universal religion focused of Laussel Venus of Willendorf 20,000-18,000 BCE on Life, Death, and 24,000-22,000 BCE Regeneration • Represent at minimum a matrifocal society – Product of a morally superior society • Superseded by violent men eventually Venus of Dolni Vestonice Venus of Lespugue 26,000-24,000 BCE 25,000-18,000 BCE Get into groups

• The “Great Goddess” in patriarchal – Go back and identify the “Great Goddess” in the Enuma Elish and ’s – Cite specific events/actions/behaviors which illustrate the influence of the Great Goddess The Great Goddess Theory

• Enuma Elish – Tiamat • Primordial mother, gives birth to the gods • (Initially) defends her children from Apsu’s murderous intentions • Theogony – • Mother – Female • – Goddess of Light • – Full • – Mountains • – Waves The Great Goddess Theory

• What the critics say: – “Ugh, feminists” – Proponents are using the evidence to fit their theory, not making a theory based off the evidence Classifications of Female Divine

• – Three “Goddess Dyads” • Based off of Jung’s theory on extraversion and introversion • Two , each representing one side of the extroversion/introversion spectrum • Uses Greek goddesses as language to describe driving forces behind women’s actions Classifications of Female Divine

• Goddess Dyads – / (Fierce Independence) • Athena: Warrior in the World • Artemis: Heart of the Lonely Huntress Classifications of Female Divine

• Goddess Dyads – Athena/Artemis (Fierce Independence) • Athena: Warrior Woman in the World – Extraverted “career woman” • Artemis: Heart of the Lonely Huntress – Introverted, comfortable with solitude and natural rhythms Classifications of Female Divine

• Goddess Dyads – Athena/Artemis (Fierce Independence) – / (Power) • Hera: Queen and Partner in Power • Persephone: Medium, Mystic, and Mistress of the Dead Classifications of Female Divine

• Goddess Dyads – Athena/Artemis (Fierce Independence) – Hera/Persephone (Power) • Hera: Queen and Partner in Power – Extraverted, pursues power in public sphere, active in political movements and preserving social integrity • Persephone: Medium, Mystic, and Mistress of the Dead – Introverted, looks inward to grow spiritually and harness personal power Classifications of Female Divine

• Goddess Dyads – Athena/Artemis (Fierce Independence) – Hera/Persephone (Power) – / () • Aphrodite: Golden Goddess of Love • Demeter: Mother of Us All Classifications of Female Divine

• Goddess Dyads – Athena/Artemis (Fierce Independence) – Hera/Persephone (Power) – Aphrodite/Demeter (Love) • Aphrodite: Golden Goddess of Love – Offers , emotional intensity, self- knowledge, and maturity to partner • Demeter: Mother of Us All – Raise and nurture children, provide safe home Other Classifications

• The Triple Goddess – Version 1: Corresponds with woman’s life cycle • Virgin – Youth, promise of new beginnings » Artemis: Virgin goddess of the hunt • Mother – Fertility, sexuality, stability, power » : Lunar , had over 50 children • Crone – , death, ending » : Wise goddess, patron goddess of witches Other Classifications

• The Triple Goddess – Version 2: Corresponds with “Great Goddess” • Life • Death • Regeneration Life Goddess

• Foster civilization and bring culture – Universal Womb • Tiamat, , Cipactli (Nahua) – Mother Earth • Gaia, Demeter, Emma (Estonia), Danu (Irish) – Culture Protectors • Hera, (: Lawful, : Justice, : ), Ala (Nigerian) – Military • Ardvi Sura (Persians), Athena ( helper) Great Mound at Newgrange Dublin, Ireland Death Goddess

• Act as “Queens of the ,” receiving our spirits – Appear as ancient wise women, witches, mediums • Remember what Jung said? • Airmed (Irish, death of brother), Glispa (Navajo shaman), Hekate (Greek ) – Can manipulate the elements to heal or harm – Can control seasonal cycles • Persephone and Demeter, Izanami (Japanese) – Dish out Fate to people and/or gods • (:Spinner/:Measurer/:Inevidable), Norn (Urd, Verdandi, Skuld) – Prey on infants • (Eastern ), (Judaism), Kishimogin (Japanese) The Burney Plaque 2200-2000 BCE Selket Mother/Healing Goddess Healer of Poison Liver Intestines

Nephthys Nursing Goddess Goddess Lungs Stomach Regeneration Goddess

• Keepers of the “cosmic clock” and maintain rhythm of nature – Savitri (Hindu, birth to culture), (Hindu Dawn Goddess) • Represent irresistible erotic power or feminine allure. – Can provide wisdom and clarity • Rati (), Ezili, Hit – Often appear as virgins or • Niamh (Irish), Oto-Hime (Japanese), Pressina and (Celtic) – Punish men who resist them • Ishtar – Even receiving their gifts can be dangerous • Aphrodite, Judgment of , (kills ’s kids and new bride) The Fire Goddess (Pe-le) • Pe-le – Hawaiian Fire Goddess – Inhabits all volcanoes • Palace under Kilauea Crater • Occasional human The Story • Establishes Pe’Le’s credentials – This land was Pe-Le’s. She had made it and she had the power to destroy it. She had power in the heavens, too, for her flames reached up to the skies. All the Gods…were forced to follow her when she left Kahiki, the land beyond the vastness of the ocean, and came to Hawaii. • She comes out of the pit and wants to be beautiful, not all crispy from sitting on the lava. The Story • Goes to sleep, doesn’t want to be disturbed • Hears the drums of a sacred hula, spirit travels to Island of Kauai disguised as a beautiful woman – “And yet she must have come from a very great distance,” the people around her said, “for if a woman so beautiful lived on this island, we would surely have heard her spoken about.” • Manages to seduce handsome Prince Lo-hi-au – Prince Lo-hi-au would not eat either; his mind was altogether on the beautiful woman who sat on the dais beside him The Story • Tells Prince that when they are in Hawaii, they will be together – “When I bring you to Hawaii you shall possess me and I shall possess you.” • Floats away, Prince devastated – And because it seemed to him that she was forever gone, he went back into his house, and took his loin cloth off, and hanged himself with it from the ridgepole to the house. The Story • Sisters end up awakening Pe-le with help from youngest sister, Hi-i-aka • Pe-le wants one of her sisters to go bring Prince to her – Most sisters refuse because they’re afraid, but Hi-i-aka agrees – “When you have brought our lover here, for five days and five nights he shall be mine. After that he shall be your lover. But until I have lifted the tapu you must not touch him, you must not caress him, you must not give him a kiss. If you break this tapu, it shall be death to you and to Prince Lo-hi-au.” The Story • Hi-i-aka agrees, but gives one stipulation – “If you must break out in fire and make raids while I am gone, raid the land that we both own, but do not raid where the lehua groves are; do not harm my friend Ho-po-e, whose life is in the lehua groves.” • Hi-i-aka travels to Kauai only to find Prince dead – Resurrects him with help from bestowed upon her from Pe-le – She made her last and her mightiest ; the soul particle stayed in the body, and Prince Lo-hi-au lived again. • Upon return, Hi-i-aka discovers that Pe-le has destroyed the lehua groves, and her best friend Ho-po-e is dead The Story • Revenge! Hi-i-aka seduces prince – “Draw nearer,” said Hi-i-aka, “draw nearer so tat I may fasten this around your neck.” She put her arm around the neck of Lo-hi- au; her body inclined towards his. She drew himto herself. The sisters around Pe-le cried out at that. “Hi-i- aka kisses Lo-hi-au!” • Pe-le unleashes her fires to punish them – The fires that rolled toward them spared Hi-i-aka. Lo-hi-au, choked by vapor, fell down, and the lava flow went over him. The Story • Pe-le discovers that Hi-i-aka had brought Prince back to life for her – “It is true,” said Hi-i-aka. “And it is trie that not until you had destroyed my friend Ho-o-pe did I give a caress to Lo-hi-au.” – With help of Kane-milo-hai – Pe-le’s brother – they again restore Prince to life. • Hi-i-aka, wandering where the lehua groves were growing again, and knowing that after dire destruction a new world had come into existence, heard the chant…she discovered Lo-hi-au restore to life once more. With him she wandered through the land below Ki-lu-ea. Men and women were peopling the land, and the Goddess of the Pit was not now so terror inspiring. Groups

• Groups of three – Discuss what aspects of the Triple Goddess (Life, Death, Regeneration) are displayed in this . – Provide specific examples. Marriage (and Descent) of Innana and Dumuzi • Mesopotamian Myth – Innana • Goddess of beauty but also, originally, of the grain storehouse – Dumuzi • Shepherd god • Myth serves two primary purposes – Marriage rights – Explains the The Courtship • Version 1: The Sister’s Message – Dumuzi’s sister excitedly tells him that this young woman is smitten with him – Dumuzi goes to Inanna but only wants sex, meanwhile she is thinking about marriage and keeps making excuses as to why they can’t stay out late – Dumuzi doesn’t get the hint – Eventually, he proposes and she accepts • Version 2: The Brother’s Choice – More closely resembles Mesopotamian culture – Comic scene between Utu and Inanna when he breaks the news The Marriage • Opens with the preparations – Inanna decides on her “bridal attendants” • Sends out the list instructing them to bring her gifts – Dumuzi waits outside the door as Inanna prepares herself • Ritual bathing and dressing are an important part of Sumerian weddings • Inanna is finding the “head beads,” is putting them on her head! She is finding the roughcut clear blocks of lapis lazuli, is putting them around her neck! She is finding the narrow gold braid, is putting it in her hair! – Finally, she is prepared to receive him • The young lady stood waiting Dumuzi pushed open the door and like a moonbeam she came forth to him out of the house he looked at her, rejoiced at her, took her in his arms and kissed her. Importance of Wedding • Lays out rituals for wedding, consummation of the marriage, and festival afterwards • During a Sumerian wedding, bride and groom take the identity of Inanna and Dumuzi The Descent • Inanna wants to explore the underworld – Dresses snazzy and goes down under false pretenses – Attend the funeral rites of 's husband • Dragged before Ereshkigal, goddess of the underworld (and her sister), and forced to undress and crouch before her – Multiple doors, must remove an article of clothing at each door. – Undaunted, she sits on the throne alongside her sister • The Anunnanki disapprove, and condemn her to death – She’s killed and hung on a hook like a rotten piece of meat The Descent • Inanna is revived and allowed to leave if she can find someone to take her place – Tracks down Dumuzi, drinking at the bar (not too torn up about her apparent death) and uses him as her replacement – She looked at him, it was a look of death, spoke to them, it was a word of wrath cried out to them, it was the cry of, “Guilty!” “Take this one along.” Holy Inanna gave the shepherd Dumuzi into their hands. • Dumuzi’s sister (Gestinanna) wants to save him – He replaces him in the underworld for half the year Break it down • Inanna’s undressing – Signifies her defeat in the underworld – Represents the gradual depletion in the grain storehouse during • Dumuzi (a grain god) is sent to the underworld during the grain harvest • Gestinanna (grape goddess) is sent to the underworld during the grape harvest Cult of Isis • Remember Isis? – Goddess of healing and fertility – Wife/sister of • Resurrected him after ripped to pieces by Seth – Mother to Horus • Horus takes his father’s role as king • Pharaoh is Horus on earth Spread of the Isis Cult • conquers Egypt (322 BCE) – Hellenistic Age was a of great learning and cultural exchange – Blending of many Greek and Egyptian such as /Ra, Isis/Demeter • Blending of Isis/Demeter mythologies • Spread into – Rome’s reasonable policy towards religions – Starts as a “mystery cult” • Rites and ceremonies only known to the “initiated” – Eventually turns mainstream, becomes closely identified with the Emperor • Emperor Vespasian accepts Isis into Roman pantheon, and a public is erected for her Appeal of the Isis Cult • Alternative to the temperamental and impersonal Greek and Roman Gods – Maternal – Healing – Protection • For women in particular – Rising power of women – Participated in more social activities • Participate in the arts, conduct business affairs, limited property ownership

Terracotta Figure of Isis-Aphrodite, Roman period, 2nd–3rd century Egyptian Tile of Isis, Imperial Rome 2nd century A.D. Tile mosaic of Isis, Imperial Rome 2nd century A.D. Hinduism Core tenants • Brahman (cosmic spirit) and Atman (the self) must be reunited to attain nirvana • Rejection of material life • Reincarnation – You will be repeatedly born into material world until nirvana is attained – Rebirth is based on previous life’s deeds (karma) • Upanishads – Set out principles of reincarnation – Instruction on how to free yourself from material world • The Vedas – Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Athara Veda • Rig Veda is the oldest (1500-1200 BCE) • Teach worship through and sacrifice • Tell stories about Aryan conquests Gods and Goddesses • Holy Trinity – Brahma: Creator of the Universe • Rig Veda, “Song of Creation” – Vishnu: Ensure triumph of good over evil. Benevolent god. Avatars like Krishna – Shiva: a god of creation but also destruction • – King of Gods, Storms and War Beheading of Kali • Kali – Personification of Death – Also a loving • Story of Raktabija • Story of beheading – Illustrates world perception necessary to achieving nirvana Beheading of Kali • Kali begins myth as a Queen of Heaven – Beautiful virgin, ignorant of her own perfection • Jealous gods cut off her head with a bolt of lightening, and her body rolls into the uttermost depths of hell. • Benevolent gods retrieve her head and find a body for it – Decapitated body of a prostitute who was sentenced to death – She wanders aimlessly, the body wanting to revisit the streets of ill repute. Beheading of Kali • Goes crazy, begins hating life, and goes on a killing spree where she dances on people’s corpses • Comes across wise man – She tells him of her misery – He says, “Desire has taught you the emptiness of desire; regret has shown you the uselessness of regret.” • So what is he saying?