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The Mother Goddess

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Abstract

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Type
Review Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Classical Association 1925

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References

page 173 note 1 We must not endeavour to simplify her functions overmuch: cf. Nilsson, M. P., History of Greek Religion, 18 f.Google Scholar

page 173 note 2 J.H.S. XLV. 12 ff., fig. 11, pl. II. 1.

page 173 note 3 Zeus II. 516 (as Karo, Archiv für Religions-wissenschaft VII. 149): a photograph of the ring from Mycenae is given by Evans, J.H.S. XLV. 11, fig. 12.

page 173 note 4 Cf. H. G. Pringsheim, Archäologische Beiträge zur Geschichte des eleusinischen Kults 252, and for the poppy's connexion with Demeter elsewhere Farnell, Cults III. 218; with Rhea, Gruppe, Griech. Myth. 15421; with Aphrodite at Sicyon, ib. 130; with Artemis, id. 12740: it occurs in a cornucopia on a coin of Tralles, A. B. Cook, Zeus I. 5030: it is associated with ears of corn on coins of Cilbiani (B.M.C. Lydia 64. 1, Pl. VII. 6), of Smyrna (B.M.C. Ionia 253. 148, Pl. XXVI. 16), and of Synnada (B.M.C. Phrygia 393, n. 5 f., Pl. XLVI. 2). Poppies are perhaps the flowers held by the priestess or goddess on one of the Palaikastro moulds (Karo, l.c. 146, fig. 26).

page 173 note 5 J.H.S. XLV. 23 ff., fig. 26, Pl. II. 5. Even Persephone is represented with a star on either side of her head on bronze coins of Locri of the third century B.C. (Carelli-Cavedoni, , Numi veteris Italiae CXC. 36 f.Google Scholar, Babelon, J., Collection de Luynes I. 149, n. 774, Pl. XXVI.Google Scholar: she has in her left hand a sceptre ending in a poppy-head, in her right a patera: the latter object is clear on the Weber, Leake, and British Museum specimens, although that on the De Luynes specimen is described as ‘une couronne’). Here the stars are probably intended to suggest the Dioscuri, credited with having won the battle of Sagra (Pick, B., Jahrb. arch. Inst. XXXII., 1917, 209 f.)Google Scholar: Persephone is purely chthonic (cf. Giannelli, G., Culti e miti della magna Grecia, 226 ff.Google Scholar; Beloch, , Griech. Gesch. 2 I. i. 161Google Scholar does not advance definite arguments in favour of his view that she is originally lunar). On contemporary bronze coins of Locri Athena is represented with two stars (Carelli-Cavedoni CXC. 30, De Luynes I. 149, n. 772 f.) or one star (Carelli-Cavedoni CXC. 31 f.) in the field. For the insertion of stars to fill space we may perhaps compare a geometric sherd from the Argive Heraion, figured by B. Schweitzer, Herakles, 17.

page 174 note 1 Am. Journ. Arch. XXIX. (1925) 53 ff.: the lentoid is figured also by Evans, , J.H.S. XXI. 142, fig. 25Google Scholar, and Bossert, Altkreta 2 232, n. 323a. To use the name Aphrodite is hazardous: we may say that the Aphrodite of historic times inherits many of the functions of the Aegean mother goddess, or again that the Aphrodite of Eryx and the similar goddess of Segesta are in essence Hellenised forms of a pre-Greek mother goddess (cf. Ciaceri, , Culti e miti nella storia dell' antica Sicilia, 86 f.Google Scholar, Ziegler, , P.W. II.A 1068Google Scholar. She is in fact akin to the Aegean goddess, cf. Evans, , B.S.A. IX. 87, 89Google Scholar; Archaeol. LXV. 10). So did other goddesses also. I do not wish to deny that the great Minoan goddess was concerned with the sea. As the deity of a seafaring people she could not fail to be. Further, we have the evidence of the shells found in a ‘chapel’ in the Palace, cf. Evans, , Palace of Minos I. 517 ff.Google Scholar; Forsdyke, E. J., Primitive Aegean Pottery in the B.M. 158, 194Google Scholar. So later Aphrodite was worshipped as Εὔπλοια at the Piraeus, and at Cnidos, Mylasa, Aegae, and Olbia (cf. G. M. Hirst, J.H.S. XXIII. 24 f.).

page 174 note 2 Cf. the new fragment (P. Oxy. 1604, reprinted in Sandys' Pindar 2 558) of a dithyramb by Pindar, 1. 5 for the idea of the heavenly performance of ritual, also the participation of a divine figure in the ritual depicted in the Villa Item and the presence thereat of Dionysus and Ariadne (Notizie degli scavi, 1910, Pl. XV. f.=J.R.S. III., Pl. XII., XI.: we may cling to this interpretation of the paintings in view of these parallels in spite of the criticisms of Cumont, F., Revue de l'histoire des religions LXXXV., 1922, 83 ff.Google Scholar), the presence of deities at the Aldobrandini Marriage (Pfuhl, , Malerei und Zeichnung der Griechen III. 317Google Scholar, Abb. 709; they perform certain duties), and the frequent representations on coins of a god performing the sacrifice due to himself, in illustration of this idealisation of cult in art. For art it is moreover sufficient to indicate a ceremony, as the Scirophoria is probably indicated on vases discussed by Buschor, E., Jahrb. arch. Inst. XXXVIII./XXXIX. 128 ffGoogle Scholar. In general cf. Nilsson, M. P., op. cit. 11 ff.Google Scholar

page 174 note 3 Evans, l.c. 61, and earlier in Archaeologia LXV. (1914) 54 ff.

page 174 note 4 Pausan. I. 18. 7, to which Mr. A. B. Cook kindly drew my attention.

page 174 note 5 Cf. Cook, A. B., Zeus I. 524543Google Scholar (suggested explanations being Phoenician religion and assimilation to the lunar aspect of Artemis), 455 ff. (Hera), 730 ff. Mr. R. B. Onians has drawn my attention to the natural connexion of the moon with processes of growth. Porphyry ap. Euseb, . Praep. euang. III. 11, 31 ffGoogle Scholar. makes Athena, Artemis, the Moirai, Demeter, Kore, all lunar; but this is merely late theorising.

page 174 note 6 I follow Cook, A. B., Zeus II. 625Google Scholar (where an illustration of the mould will be found). It should further be observed that the mould is a late product of the great prehistoric Cretan civilisation, and has affinities with objects found in Central Europe, cf. E. J. Forsdyke, op. cit. 204, 206.