Blueprint of a Goddess...Pictures & References.

It really is amazing to see these fertility goddesses side by side. They all have the same symbolism; just from different times and different places. Most all have a serpent of some kind. We all know what that represents.  Here is an interesting take from a secular point of view---

"The serpent first appears as a serpent mother goddess in the Neolitic era, and is also drawn coiling around the womb and the phallus as principle of regeneration.  In the Sumerian cities of Ur and Uruk, in the lowest level of excavation, were found two very old images of the Mother Goddess and her child, both having the heads of snakes.  As the male aspect of the goddess was differentiated, the serpent became the fertilizing phallus, image of the god who was her son and consort, born from her, married with her and dying back into her for rebirth in unending cycle.   As we have seen, in images of the goddess in every culture the serpent is never far away, standing behind her, eating from her hand, entwined in her tree...Genesis is no expection to this, unless it be that, formally, there is no goddess, only a woman..."
The Myth of the Goddess, Anne Baring and Jules Cashford

Might I add that Genesis is no different!  The serpent hoped to make Eve the first goddess, but instead found a woman of God!  Also notice many of them also have wings, which makes it clear to me that they were a favorite manifestation of the Devil. Almost all of them have a lion in one way or another. It is my understanding that in mythology a lion represents the sun and earthly dominion. Therefore is usually in reference to the principle male deity. Remember, the fertility goddess is a moon goddess. So I am assuming that the symbolism is to show her power over the earth and the male deity.  In alchemy the lion is the symbol of sexual passion where as the serpent/dragon represents the circular nature of things or constant re-invention.  In alchemy this symbol is called 'ouroboros'.

In this post I will also include some of the biblical references where they apply.

Inanna/Ishtar{Sumerian/Babylonian}

'Queen of Heaven' Jer. 7:18, Jer. 44:17-19,25

'Morning Star' Isaiah 14:12

'Lilitu'{screech owl} Isaiah 34:14

Inanna/Ishtar{Sumerian/Babylonian}

'Virgin of Babylon' Isaiah 47:1,3,13-15

Tammuz her lover Ezekiel 8:14

'Mother of Harlots' Revelation 17:1-5

Asherah{Semetic}

She has no legs because she was the 'tree of life'.

Not God's Tree of Life but the Devil's

aka the 'tree of the knowledge of good & evil'.

She had sacred groves of trees and 'poles' set up in her temples

to represent her as the 'tree of life'.

Deut. 16:21, 2 Kings 23:27

Astarte/Anath/Ashtaroth{Ugarit/Phoenician}

Design from an ancient gold pendant.

Judges 10:6, 1 Sam. 7:3-4, 1 Kings 11:5, 1 Kings 14:23

Qetesh{Egyptian adopted from the Canaanites}

Anahita{Persian}

Minoan Snake Goddess

{lion on top of head}

Artemis{Ephesus/Anatolia}

Acts 19:24-35

The Book of Ephesians

Cybele{Greece/Anatolia}

Lover Attis on the right

Artemis

In the next post we will be looking specifically at the goddess Cybele.

Then the goddess Artemis.