Artemis of Ephesus

The Temple of Artemis, in modern day Turkey, was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. However, Artemis of the temple, Artemis of Ephesus, is not the virgin huntress we usually associate with the name. At Ephesus, Artemis represents an older great mother goddess, more reminiscent of Cybele. She is associated with bulls and lions, like Inanna. Some sources identify her as a fertility goddess with many breasts, others say that the elliptical objects on her chest are bull testicles or eggs. There are also bees on her skirt, illustrating a possible connection with Hannahanna, another Anatolian great mother goddess.

Some images show Artemis of Ephesus with dark skin. Painting her, her facial features definitely felt African to me. My depiction is based on a 1st century BCE statue owned by the Ephesus Archaeological Museum. The temple was torn down by a Christian mob in 401 CE under orders from the archbishop and never rebuilt. Interestingly, Artemis's city of Ephesus is where Mary was named Mother of God, and her church was built near the ruins of Artemis's temple. Did Catholicism adopt the pagan great mother goddess, syncretizing her with Mary? Signs point to yes.

Artemis of Ephesus original painting. Prints and merch available in shop or through at Fine Art America.

1st century BCE statue of Artemis of Ephesus from the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, image source

Miniature model of the Temple of Artemis, in Ephesus. source

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Nuwa

Nuwa is the great mother goddess of Chinese mythology, credited with creating humanity. She molded the first people out of clay by hand. Then she got tired, dipped a rope in the mud, and swung it around her head to make more. Thus were made the nobles and the peasantry. She has the body of a serpent. Nuwa, original painting by Echoing Multiverse. Available via Saatchi Art .

Sophia and the Apocryphon of John

In 1945, thirteen leather-bound papyrus codices buried in a sealed jar were found by an Egyptian farmer near the town of Nag Hammadi, Egypt. These early Christian texts date from the 3rd century CE, and include writings attributed to John the Baptist. The writings of John became known as the Secret Book of John, or the Apocryphon of John. A translation by Frederik Wisse can be read online . In the Apocryphon, there is a female counterpart to the Father - the holy Mother, Barbelo. "She is the forethought of the All - her light shines like his light - the perfect power... The first power, the glory of Barbelo, the perfect glory in the aeons, the glory of the revelation... she became the womb of everything, for it is she who is prior to them all, the Mother-Father." I became aware of the Apocryphon of John after reading a graphic novel by Marisa Acocella, The Big She-Bang, The Herstory of the Universe According to God the Mother (highly recommended, by ...

The Furies....of Politics

The Erinyes, or Furies, of Greek mythology were born from blood splatters when Kronos cut off the genitals of Ouranos and tossed them across the Earth into the ocean. They are the goddesses of vengeance for bad behavior. You might think you get away with a crime, but then the Erinyes show up with their brass studded scourges and rage. Here Mr. Unfettered Capitalism Fossil Fuel Earth Killer Military Industrial Complex is visited by three modern furies, Greta Thunberg, AOC, and Bernie. How can Bernie be a goddess? Didn't you know that Gloria Steinem named him an honorary woman ? True story. The Furies original painting, prints, and merch available in shop or through RedBubble or Fine Arts America . This would be an excellent greeting card, right? Or socks...RedBubble has socks.

Demeter, Fertility, and the Sacred Pig

Demeter and her daughter Persephone were honored every spring and fall at the Eleusinian Mysteries, held in Eleusis, a town near Athens. According to a 2018 exhibit in the Acropolis Museum, reported here , "Every prospective pilgrim had to sacrifice a piglet in honor of Demeter." It is likely that the piglets were sacrificed on "the second day of the celebration, since the pilgrims returned from the sea where they themselves and the sacrificed animals had a purifying bath." According to the exhibit catalogue, "piglet sacrifice in honor of the goddess Demeter was a common practice in the whole ancient world, both in ancient Greece and in the colonies." I've been pondering pigs lately, specifically in relation to the Goddess. Are the Jewish and Muslim pork bans related to Goddess worship? Insert shrug emoji here. In an article from the University of Michigan Museum of Art and Archaeology, about a bronze coin from Eleusis, the author writes, "T...

Chang e, Moon Goddess

Chang e or Chang o, the Chinese moon goddess. The details of her story vary, but generally she is married to an archer who shoots 9 of the 10 suns to prevent the Earth from scorching drought. He is awarded elixir of immortality by the Great Queen Mother Goddess of the West. To keep the elixir from burglars, Chang e drinks it. The elixir causes her to float up to the moon, where she is separated from her husband, but at least has a jade rabbit and busy woodcutter for company. China's lunar landers are named after her. Chang E, Moon Goddess original painting by Echoing Multiverse available via Saatchi Art . Stickers, prints, and other merch available through RedBubble or Fine Art America . In older stories, she also births the 12 moons. In some versions of the story with the archer, Chang e is reunited with him during the 8th moon of each year. The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates this reunion, and is one of the largest holidays in China. According...

Demon Cats

You've probably seen the happy, waving, beckoning Maneki Neko, but have you heard of her cousins, the Bakeneko? Bakeneko are demon cats. If a cat lives longer than 13 years in Japan and has not been treated like a god, it is likely to turn into a demon cat. It may kill its owner and shapeshift to take their place. If you have an old cat, beware. Every October in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, there is a bakeneko parade. I visited, through the magic of YouTube. Original painting, prints, and merch available in shop or through RedBubble or Fine Art America .

Echoing Multiverse

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