Marcia Stark & Gynne Stern (1993) The Dark Goddess: Dancing with the Shadow, The Crossing Press. Memphis and Leontopolis were the major centers of the worship of Sekhmet, with Memphis being the principal seat. The center of her cult was in Per-Wadjet, later called Buto by the Greeks. In that place were also the mysteries of the Korybantes [Kabeiroi] and those of Hekate and the Zerinthian cave, where they sacrificed dogs. Egypt is perhaps the only pantheon to have all of these responsibilities attributed to one deity. Sometimes she is also stated to be the mother (by Aetes[76]) of the goddess Circe and the sorceress Medea,[154] who in later accounts was herself associated with magic while initially just being a herbalist goddess, similar to how Hecate's association with Underworld and Mysteries had her later converted into a deity of witchcraft. [6], Her epithets include "Mistress of All the Gods", "Lady of the Stars of Heaven", "Beloved of Ptah", "Great of magic, mistress of the stars", and "Eye of Ra, without her equal". There are a few that are known as the Triple Goddess and have all three phases, such as Hecate, The Morrigan, Brigid, The Three Fates. Sekhmet is not even a primordial deity like Chaos, Ananke, or a creator deity like God from the Bible, and yet she has dominion over almost all aspects of human existence. There is no standard version of the Egyptian pantheon. That dynasty follows expulsion of occupying foreigners from an intermediary period. Accessed May 2, 2023. [15] Though often considered the most likely Greek origin of the name, the theory does not account for her worship in Asia Minor, where her association with Artemis seems to have been a late development, and the competing theories that the attribution of darker aspects and magic to Hecate were themselves not originally part of her cult. Hecate's importance to Byzantium was above all as a deity of protection. Goddess Crystals - Crystal Vaults On the night of the new moon, a meal would be set outside, in a small shrine to Hecate by the front door; as the street in front of the house and the doorway create a crossroads, known to be a place Hecate dwelled. "[c] The body of Osiris is believed to be guarded by four Egyptian cat goddesses, and Sekhmet is one of them. "In Byzantium small temples in her honour were placed close to the gates of the city. [16] The concept of Athirat, Anat and Ashtart as a trinity and the only prominent goddesses in the entire region (popularized by authors like Tikva Frymer-Kensky) is modern and ignores the large role of other female deities, for example Shapash, in known texts, as well as the fact El appears to be the deity most closely linked to Athirat in primary sources. It is presumed that the latter were named after the tree because of its superiority for both bows and poison. Martha Ann & Dorothy Myers Imel (1993) Goddesses in World Mythology: A Biographical Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 5. "Many have been caught by the obvious resemblance of the Gr. [82] Likewise, shrines to Hecate at three way crossroads were created where food offerings were left at the new Moon to protect those who did so from spirits and other evils. 10. [173] In Wicca, Hecate has in some cases become identified with the "crone" aspect of the "Triple Goddess".[174]. She became the patroness of the Nile Delta and the protector of all of Lower Egypt. [2][3][4] Her earliest appearance in literature was in Hesiod's Theogony in the 8th century BCE[5] as a goddess of great honour with domains in sky, earth, and sea. In two fragments of Aeschylus she appears as a great goddess. Grandmother of the three cousins was Phoebe[123] the ancient Titan goddess whose name was often used for the moon goddess. It could also be that the fragment reads 'Phorcys', agreeing with Acusilaus' version. 19 K), Apollodorus, Melanthius, Hegesander, Chariclides (iii. In Neopaganism, the triple goddess appears in the form of three aspects of womanhood, representing the maiden, the mother, and the crone. He is told to sweeten the offering with a libation of honey, then to retreat from the site without looking back, even if he hears the sound of footsteps or barking dogs. [4][5], The functions of Qetesh in Egyptian religion are hard to determine due to lack of direct references, but her epithets (especially the default one, "lady of heaven") might point at an astral character, and lack of presence in royal cult might mean that she was regarded as a protective goddess mostly by commoners. [19][20], Modern egyptologists, such as Christiane Zivie-Coche, do not consider Qetesh to be a hypostasis of Anat or Astarte, but a goddess developed in Egypt possibly without a clear forerunner among Canaanite or Syrian goddesses, though given a Semitic name and associated mostly with foreign deities.[21]. In Lucan's Pharsalia, the witch Erichtho invokes Hecate as "Persephone, who is the third and lowest aspect of Hecate, the goddess we witches revere", and describes her as a "rotting goddess" with a "pallid decaying body", who has to "wear a mask when [she] visit[s] the gods in heaven. He adds that such an instrument is called a iunx (hence "jinx"), but as for the significance says only that it is ineffable and that the ritual is sacred to Hecate. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. These typically depict her holding a variety of items, including torches, keys, serpents, and daggers. In early portrayals she is shown as a naked woman standing upon a lion. Aradia in Sardinia: The Archaeology of a Folk Character. All of that information has been concised so far in this article. Sometimes she is seen as the daughter of Geb and Nut, and sometimes as the principal daughter of Ra. [13] Another Greek word suggested as the origin of the name Hecate is Hekatos, an obscure epithet of Apollo[10] interpreted as "the far reaching one" or "the far-darter". Some think this deity is Athirat/Ashratu under her Ugaritic name. Hecate was greatly worshipped in Byzantium. "[22] In particular, there is some evidence that she might be derived from the local sun goddesses (see also Arinna) based on similar attributes.[23]. In other representations, her animal heads include those of a cow and a boar. [125], In the Argonautica, a 3rd-century BCE Alexandrian epic based on early material,[129] Jason placates Hecate in a ritual prescribed by Medea, her priestess: bathed at midnight in a stream of flowing water, and dressed in dark robes, Jason is to dig a round pit and over it cut the throat of a ewe, sacrificing it and then burning it whole on a pyre next to the pit as a holocaust. In the course of this beleaguerment, it is related, on a certain wet and moonless night the enemy attempted a surprise, but were foiled by reason of a bright light which, appearing suddenly in the heavens, startled all the dogs in the town and thus roused the garrison to a sense of their danger. [66] Nevertheless, the Homeric Hymn to Demeter shows Helios and Hecate informing Demeter of Persephone's abduction, a common theme found in many parts of the world where the Sun and the Moon are questioned concerning events that happen on earth based on their ability to witness everything[66] and implies Hecate's capacity as a moon goddess in the hymn. Asherah - Wikipedia The main purpose of the Deipnon was to honour Hecate and to placate the souls in her wake who "longed for vengeance. Worship To cite this article in an academic-style article or paper, use: Amy Parikh, "Sekhmet: Egypts Forgotten Esoteric Goddess", History Cooperative, March 13, 2023, https://historycooperative.org/sekhmet/. [32][33], Dogs were closely associated with Hecate in the Classical world. Qetesh is a goddess of Semetic origin. Shakespeare mentions Hecate also in King Lear. In Sophocles and Euripides she is characterized as the mistress of witchcraft and the Keres. Isis, Egyptian Aset or Eset, one of the most important goddesses of ancient Egypt. EC490 - Y Ganolfan Eifftaidd / Egypt Centre She is variously associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, night, light, magic, protection from witchcraft, the Moon, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, graves, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery. It has been claimed that her association with dogs is "suggestive of her connection with birth, for the dog was sacred to Eileithyia, Genetyllis, and other birth goddesses. He goes on to quote a fragment of verse: In relation to Greek concepts of pollution, Parker observes. Lady of the mountains of the setting sun: Watcher and guardian of the west. These statues are rarely discovered in complete form. [155], Strmiska (2005) claimed that Hecate, conflated with the figure of Diana, appears in late antiquity and in the Early Middle Ages as part of an "emerging legend complex" known as "The Society of Diana"[161] associated with gatherings of women, the Moon, and witchcraft that eventually became established "in the area of Northern Italy, southern Germany, and the western Balkans. [69] In Seneca's Medea, the titular Medea invokes her patron Hecate whom she addresses as "Moon, orb of the night" and "triple form". [10][11], Early researchers attempted to prove Qetesh was simply a form of a known Canaanite deity, rather than a fully independent goddess. Subsequently, Hecate became Persephone's companion on her yearly journey to and from the realms of Hades, serving as a psychopomp. Rohde, i. [3], A passage from the Book of the Dead reads, superior to whom the gods cannot be . In the Michigan magical papyrus (inv. You find her in the labyrinthine places of Minoan Crete. 11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses | Britannica 1910191078, This page was last edited on 23 April 2023, at 11:43. The one who loves Maat and who detests evil. From the abundant number of amulets and sculptures of Sekhmet discovered at various archaeological sites, it is evident that the goddess was popular and highly important. The first literature mentioning Hecate is the Theogony (c. 700 BCE) by Hesiod: And [Asteria] conceived and bore Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honored above all. It was Alkamenes, in my opinion, who first made three images of Hecate attached to one another [in Athens].[88]. Her place of origin is debated by scholars, but she had popular followings amongst the witches of Thessaly[6] and an important sanctuary among the Carian Greeks of Asia Minor in Lagina. Sekhmet represented the Lower Nile region (north Egypt). [78] Fowler also noted that the pairing (i. e. Helios and Perse) made sense given Hecates association with the Moon. Hecate was seen as a triple deity, identified with the goddesses Luna (Moon) in the sky and Diana (hunting) on the earth, while she represents the Underworld. While disclaiming all his paternal care for Cordelia, Lear says, "The mysteries of Hecate and the night, Medusa came to Greece from Libya as the Serpent Goddess, and the destroyer aspect of the Great Triple Goddess. 4060 in. She was a warrior goddess. A triple deity is a deity with three apparent forms that function as a singular whole. The Greek Magical Papyri describe Hecate as the holder of the keys to Tartaros. [123], Hesiod's inclusion and praise of Hecate in the Theogony has been troublesome for scholars, in that he seems to hold her in high regard, while the testimony of other writers, and surviving evidence, suggests that this may have been the exception. Dated to the 7th century BCE, this is one of the oldest known artefacts dedicated to the worship of Hecate. The gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt were an integral part of the people's everyday lives for over 3,000 years. She was worshipped as a nature goddess, and a goddess of sacred ecstasy and sexual pleasure. Sekhmet represented the Lower Nile region (north Egypt). Fragmentary Egyptian literary sources spread across thousands of years make reconstructing a unitary, comprehensive narrative difficult. Known sources do not associate her with fertility or sex, and theories presenting her as a "sacred harlot" are regarded as obsolete in modern scholarship due to lack of evidence. There was also a shrine to Hecate in Aigina, where she was very popular: Of the gods, the Aiginetans worship most Hecate, in whose honour every year they celebrate mystic rites which, they say, Orpheus the Thrakian established among them. Hecate - Wikipedia Her cult subsequently spread . [29][28] Some hekataia, including a votive sculpture from Attica of the 3rd century BCE, include additional dancing figures identified as the Charites circling the triple Hecate and her central column. "[28], Like Hecate, "the dog is a creature of the threshold, the guardian of doors and portals, and so it is appropriately associated with the frontier between life and death, and with demons and ghosts which move across the frontier. 1 (2002): Bergmann, Bettina, Joseph Farrell, Denis Feeney, James Ker, Damien Nelis, and Celia Schultz. Hecate - Mythopedia doi:10.2307/1087735. When Philip of Macedon was about to attack the city, according to the legend she alerted the townspeople with her ever present torches, and with her pack of dogs, which served as her constant companions. [140], In the earliest written source mentioning Hecate, Hesiod emphasized that she was an only child, the daughter of Perses and Asteria, the sister of Leto (the mother of Artemis and Apollo). However, Sekhmet is a solar goddess. Hecate's Deipnon is, at its most basic, a meal served to Hecate and the restless dead once a lunar month[102] during the New Moon. "[10], The Romans knew her by the epithet of Trivia, an epithet she shares with Diana/Artemis, each in their roles as protector of travel and of the crossroads (trivia, "three ways").[11]. [3] Marcia Stark & Gynne Stern (1993) The Dark Goddess: Dancing with the Shadow, The Crossing Press, [4] Marcia Stark & Gynne Stern (1993) The Dark Goddess: Dancing with the Shadow, The Crossing Press. According to Memphite theology, Sekhmet was the first-born daughter of Ra. The coffin texts associate her with Lower Egypt. "[28], Apart from traditional hekataia, Hecate's triplicity is depicted in the vast frieze of the great Pergamon Altar, now in Berlin, wherein she is shown with three bodies, taking part in the battle with the Titans. Kek and Heqet: Egyptian Frog Gods Who Inspired A Meme - Realm of History [8][9] [72], From her father Perses, Hecate is often called Perseis (meaning daughter of Perses)[73][74] which is also the name of one of the Oceanid nymphs, Helios wife and Circes mother in other versions. Qetesh is also the name used in The Sarah Jane Adventures episode Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith, and confirmed to be the humanoid species (also known as "soul-stealers") of Ruby White (the episode's villain) who feeds off excitement and heightened emotion and have stomachs that live outside their bodies. Intrinsically ambivalent and polymorphous, she straddles conventional boundaries and eludes definition. There she was worshipped with her consort Ptah. "[57] This liminal role is reflected in a number of her cult titles: Apotropaia (that turns away/protects); Enodia (on the way); Propulaia/Propylaia (before the gate); Triodia/Trioditis (who frequents crossroads); Klidouchos (holding the keys), etc. Triple deity - Wikipedia "page21 (image of Hecate attended by a dog)", "CULT OF HEKATE: Ancient Greek religion", "Travels in Greece and Turkey: Undertaken by Order of Louis XVI, and with the Authority of the Ottoman Court", Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898), Claviger, "Baktria, Kings, Agathokles, ancient coins index with thumbnails", "No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth: Act 2, Scene 1, Page 2", Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. [67] Another work connecting Hecate to Helios possibly as a moon goddess is Sophocles' lost play The Root Cutters, where Helios is described as Hecate's spear: O Sun our lord and sacred fire, the spear of Hecate of the Sekhmets father is Ra. Artemis would have, at that point, become more strongly associated with purity and maidenhood, on the one hand, while her originally darker attributes like her association with magic, the souls of the dead, and the night would have continued to be worshipped separately under her title Hecate. [164] Such derivations are today proposed only by a minority[165][166] [99], Hecate's island ( ) also called Psamite (), was an islet in the vicinity of Delos. The crone symbolizes elderly women and the wisdom which comes with aging. [80], Worship of Hecate existed alongside other deities in major public shrines and temples in antiquity, and she had a significant role as household deity. One name was known to Sekhmet and eight associated deities, and; and one name (known only to Sekhmet herself) was the means by which Sekhmet could modify her being or cease to exist. [citation needed], The spelling Hecat is due to Arthur Golding's 1567 translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses,[24] and this spelling without the final E later appears in plays of the Elizabethan-Jacobean period. "[37] The association with dogs, particularly female dogs, could be explained by a metamorphosis myth in Lycophron: the friendly looking female dog accompanying Hecate was originally the Trojan Queen Hecuba, who leapt into the sea after the fall of Troy and was transformed by Hecate into her familiar.[38]. There she was worshipped with her consort Ptah. Whether or not Hecate's worship originated in Greece, some scholars have suggested that the name derives from a Greek root, and several potential source words have been identified. Ishtar Astarte Aphrodite, The Myth of Asherah: Lion Lady and Serpent Goddess, KTU 1.107: A miscellany of incantations against snakebite, A Reassessment of Asherah: With Further Considerations of the Goddess, A Reassessment of Tikva Frymer-Kensky's Asherah, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Qetesh&oldid=1142869786, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles having different image on Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Lion, snake, a bouquet of papyrus or Egyptian lotus, Hathor wig, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 20:11. [13][89] There was an area sacred to Hecate in the precincts of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, where the priests, megabyzi, officiated. Regarding the nature of her cult, it has been remarked, "she is more at home on the fringes than in the centre of Greek polytheism. An Exciting Provocation: John F. Millers Apollo, Augustus, and the Poets. Vergilius (1959-) 58 (2012): Wycherley, R. (1970). 1. https://arce.org/resource/statues-sekhmet-mistress-dread/#:~:text=A%20mother%20goddess%20in%20the,as%20a%20lion%2Dheaded%20woman. Larger Hekataions, often enclosed within small walled areas, were sometimes placed at public crossroads near important sites for example, there was one on the road leading to the Acropolis. As Sterckx (2002) observes, "The use of dog sacrifices at the gates and doors of the living and the dead as well as its use in travel sacrifices suggest that dogs were perceived as daemonic animals operating in the liminal or transitory realm between the domestic and the unknown, danger-stricken outside world". [citation needed], One surviving group of stories[clarification needed] suggests how Hecate might have come to be incorporated into the Greek pantheon without affecting the privileged position of Artemis. The yew was associated with the alphabet and the scientific name for yew today, taxus, was probably derived from the Greek word for yew, toxos, which is hauntingly similar to toxon, their word for bow and toxicon, their word for poison. She seems to have been born in the Delta region, a place where lions were rarely seen. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Roel Sterckx, Pausanias, Description of Greece 2. This and other early depictions of Hecate lack distinctive attributes that would later be associated with her, such as a triple form or torches, and can only be identified as Hecate thanks to their inscriptions. "[30], While Greek anthropomorphic conventions of art generally represented Hecate's triple form as three separate bodies, the iconography of the triple Hecate eventually evolved into representations of the goddess with a single body, but three faces. For understanding of the Triple Goddess, the Moon Goddess, and other common themes . An important sanctuary of Hecate was a holy cave on the island of Samothrake called Zerynthos: In Samothrake there were certain initiation-rites, which they supposed efficacious as a charm against certain dangers. For as many as were born of Earth and Ocean amongst all these she has her due portion. "Hekate: Representations in Art", Hekate Her Sacred Fires, ed. It is possible that the representation of a triple Hecate surrounding a central pillar was originally derived from poles set up at three-way crossroads with masks hung on them, facing in each road direction.
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