Skip to main content

Anahita

 The Temple of Anahita in Kangavar is Iran’s largest stone structure after Persepolis.  Thought to have been built around 200 BCE or earlier, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was dedicated to Anahita.  Anahita was Goddess of the Milky Way, water, and all rivers on Earth.  

The temple is "located on a hill, about 32 meters higher than the ground adjacent to it, overlooking the beautiful Plains of Kangavar.  With a foursquare plan, stone, plaster and lime were used in its construction.  The stone columns of Anahita temple are thicker in comparison with columns found in other ancient monuments of Iran.  Stone ditches adjusted the river water and magnificently, directed it to the pond in the center of the temple.  This type of water stream in the temple is one of the engineering wonders of that time, displaying this sacred element as beautifully as possible." (source)

Anahita is an old Goddess, "probably existing in some form prior to the 3rd millennium BCE when ancient Persian religion developed in the region of Greater Iran (the Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia). The Indo-Iranians (Aryans) who eventually settled in Persis had been part of a larger migratory group which included the Indo-Aryans who would settle northern India, and at this time, Anahita and the Hindu goddess Saraswati (presiding over knowledge, learning, music, and wisdom) were probably the same deity."  (source)

"At some point, the Indo-Iranians developed their religious belief system to reflect a cosmic clash between the forces of order, light, and goodness with those of chaos, darkness, and evil." (source)

This belief system became Zoroastrianism, often called the "first monotheistic religion."  To develop a monotheistic religion from polytheistic roots, it seems that one has to kill or usurp the roles of all of the other deities.  The Abrahamic religions likely evolved from Zoroastrianism, which took the first step towards this usurpation, declaring most existing deities to be deavas, evil ones who should no longer be worshipped (source).  In ancient times, the Goddess was often head of the pantheon, creator, and bestowed the divine right of kings (source).  In Zoroastrianism, this Goddess was Anahita.  

In the Zoroastrian scriptures, Ahura Mazda, the new head God, prays and sacrifices to Anahita in order to win her favor to spread his religion (source).  This seems to contradict the Zoroastrian claim that Ahura Mazda created all of the deities out of his essence.

In Zoroastrain scriptures, Anahita is described as wearing a cloak is made from 300 beavers, possibly indicating a more northerly origin.  Her arms are strong and the size of a horse's thigh (source).  Through time, Anahita was demoted from Goddess to angel in Zoroastrianiam, and her appearance changes in artwork of later times.

Temple of Anahita
Temple of Anahita original painting available from Saatchi Art.  Prints and other merch available in shop or through Fine Art America.

In my painting, the ghost of Anahita is based on a rock relief at Taq-e Bostan created around 400 CE.  The reliefs are adjacent to sacred springs that empty into a large reflecting pool at the base of a mountain cliff, at a campground along the Silk Road, about 75 miles west of the Temple of Anahita at Kangavar (source).

Image Source:  Wikipedia

Image Source:  Amazing Iran

Anahita is the figure on the left in this relief, showing the investure of Investiture Emperor Khosrau Parviz.  Anahita is the patron yazata of the Sassanian dynasty.  She stands behind Ahura Mazda  as he presents the diadem of sovereignty on the right.  Taq-e Bostan, Iran.  Source:  Wikimedia Commons

Also in my painting, above, the girl taking a selfie in the ruins of Anahita's temple is from an article about online dating saving Zoroastrianism - which is closed to new converts. 

I'm still reading about Anahita.  Her connection to the first embers of monotheism, her evolution through time, and her connections to other Eurasian Goddesses.  She's complicated.  And sometimes she has wings.  

  





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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 ...
3 comments
Read more

Hathor and Sekhmet

 Sekhmet and Hathor, Lion and Cow, Cow Goddess Hathor has been known to transform into Lion Goddess Sekhmet, The divine feminine has many avatars, Both are solar deities, Both are Mother Goddesses, Both wear the wadjet, Cobra, snake, symbol of rebirth. Hathor and Sekhmet original painting available through Saatchi Art .  Prints and merch available in shop or through RedBubble or Fine Art America . Hathor began as an extension of Nut , Great Mother Goddess of the Sky, who was represented as either a nude female or a cow, arching over the world.  Each evening, Nut would swallow the sun, rebirthing it each morning.  She is the Goddess of the sky and all heavenly bodies, mother of the gods, she who holds a thousand souls.  In her cow form, she represents the Milky Way. Hathor is also the Cow Goddess of the Sky who births the sun. According to Wikipedia, “Hathor's Egyptian name was ḥwt-ḥrw or ḥwt-ḥr. It is typically translated "house of Horus" but can also be render...
Post a Comment
Read more

Asherah

 An inscription from Khirbet El-Qôm (near Jerusalem) dated to the 700s BCE and translated by archaeologist Judith Hadley reads, "Uriyahu the Rich wrote it. Blessed be Uriyahu by Yahweh for from his enemies by his Asherah he has saved him by Oniyahu by his Asherah and by his A[she]rah.” ( Source ) Asherah was the Great Goddess of the Ancient Near East.  From this inscription and other evidence, it is surmised that Yahweh, the God of the Jews, once had a wife - Asherah.  Asherah was also sometimes known as Astarte and was associated with lions and the planet Venus, like her relative, Ishtar/Inanna.  Asherah's symbol was the tree of life, and her worship involved sacred groves and asherah poles.   Asherah original painting available through  Saatchi Art .  Stickers, prints, and other merch available in shop or through  RedBubble  or  Fine Art America.   All of the Asherahs in my painting are based on figurines housed in the Isra...
1 comment
Read more

Medusa

When you think of Medusa, you probably think of snake hair.  But, do you know why she has snake hair?  Misogyny and rape culture. Medusa was raped by Poseidon in Athena's temple.  As punishment, Athena gave Medusa snake hair.  This made Medusa an exciting prize for would be heroes, so, in the aftermath of her rape, she was hunted by trophy-seekers.  Perseus was the one to finally take her head.  As a prize, he was reward with Pegasus, a flying horse who sprang from Medusa's severed neck, her rape baby with Poseidon.  Thanks, Greek mythology. Original painting on recycled cedar shingle.   More on Medusa: Vice News Prospect Magazine Wikipedia
2 comments
Read more

Medusa

 Who was Medusa before the invading sea god supposedly defiled her?  According to Marija Gimbutas, she dates at least as far back as 6000 BCE, based on a mask found at Sesklo.  More recently, Medusa appears on the pediment of Artemis's Temple at Corfu, built around 580 BCE.  On the pediment, Medusa is flanked by leopards. Large cats, like those associated with Artemis of Ephesus , the Great Mother Goddess of Anatolia, are sometimes considered to be guardians between worlds.   Medusa's snakes are a symbol of rebirth.   I've read that she may be a chthonic aspect of Artemis, much like Ereshkiga l was the underworld aspect of Inanna. Medusa original painting available through Saatchi Art .  Prints, stickers, and other merch available in shop or through RedBubble or Fine Art America . Pediment from Artemis's Temple at Corfu ( source ) Or perhaps Medusa was a Moon Goddess.  Robert Graves in The Greek Myths writes, "The Gorgons' names--Sth...
Post a Comment
Read more

Egeria, Law Giver of Rome

 In his book, Lord of the Four Quarters, Myths of the Royal Father , John Perry writes, "There is evidence in many parts of the world..., the council or assembly of elders of a tribe, served as the governing body for a Divine Woman or Queen who personified the Great Mother and presided over a matrilineal society.  The early king of such cultures ruled, not in his own right, but in his capacity as consort to the Divine Woman." In the case of early Rome, the Divine Woman was the Goddess Egeria ( source ).  She counseled and guided the legendary second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius (Latin numen designates "the expressed will of a deity"), during his reign from 715 - 673 BCE ( source ).  She gave Numa the laws and rituals of Rome.  She was also an oracle, and is sometimes described as a nymph, possibly due to her association with water.  Egeria's spring, once surrounded by a sacred grove, is located close to Porta Capena gate to Rome.  Its waters were dedic...
Post a Comment
Read more