Goddess Symbols in Museums
We incorporate symbols of the goddess in many of the world's religions. It is fun to find their ancient origins in museums and to learn how some of the most ancient ritual items are sometimes still used, in their modern forms, today.
Incense Offerings to the Goddess
Photo: Laurie Sue Brockway/Goddess Communications
Incense Offerings to Demeter: This rare Terracotta Incense Burner at The Met features five women crowned with flowers. Known as a Greek thymiateria this ritual item hails from southern Italy from the second half of the 4th Century. This is believed to be affiliated with local goddess worshippers of Demeter or Kore, mother and daughter goddesses who were worshipped in Southern Italy and Sicily at this time in history. Terracotta incense burners were considered and "important cult implements throughout the ancient Mediterranean world." Demeter/Ceres was worshipped as a mother goddess of grain and Kore/Persephone was also known as wife of Hades, who had to spend six months each year in the Underworld. When she was in the underworld her mother could only cry and the world turned wintery so the ancients would appease Demeter's pain and try to bring her daughter back to earth.
Ritual Vessel to Invoke the Goddess
Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art
This Bakunda Ritual Vessel was used to evoke the goddess Arya Tara/Lakshmi during the Nepal Tihar festival of lights . This holiday, also called Diwali, is a time to honor the goddess of prosperity. This vessel, and probably a container of cooked rice, would be placed on a mandala created on the floor. The ritual was conducted by mothers for families and the dad would then give money to the children as a symbol of prosperity.
Divine Mirror with Goddess Figure
Photo: Laurie Sue Brockway/Goddess Communications
Musical Instruments to Invoke the Goddess
Photo: Laurie Sue Brockway/Goddess Communications