Discovery beneath the Assur Ishtar Temple

 

"The study proposes an intriguing hypothesis: The sand may have been chosen not for its appearance but for its place of origin. It is possible that sand from the Zagros was selected precisely because it was territory under the aegis of the Hurrian goddess Shawushka. By building the temple for Ishtar in Assur, the founders may have wanted to physically connect their goddess with the land of a similar and powerful deity, thus rooting the new cult in a regional tradition. This gesture could represent a conscious fusion of influences. The inhabitants of Assur, located at a key crossroads between the two areas [southern Mesopotamia and the Hurrian region], may have deliberately sought to combine both traditions when establishing the sanctuary and cult of their goddess, the text suggests."

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(photo F. Mahmood, Wikimedia Commons)

Goddess Iunstir Linked to the Planet Venus

 

From the article:

"A team of researchers led by Daniel Iborra Pellín, from the University of Alicante, has presented new evidence about the name and worship of the Iberian Dea Mater, the chief female deity of the Iberians during the Iron Age. According to the study published in the journal Complutum, this deity, a symbol of fertility and associated with the planet Venus, was known as Iunstir, a name that reveals cultural and religious connections with other Mediterranean civilizations."

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Hecate torch motif found on Turkish Temple columns

 

From the article:

"Recent excavations at Lagina are part of the "Heritage for the Future Project," which focuses on the sanctuary's ceremonial gate and entrance structure. According to Prof. Dr. Bilal Söğüt, the team discovered a Hecate torch motif on a column and Corinthian capitals dating from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Notably, a figurative Corinthian column capital from the 2nd century AD was unearthed for the first time."

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News: Mother Goddess inscription deciphered

 

From the article:

"A centuries-old mystery surrounding a 2,600-year-old inscription on the Arslan Kaya (“Lion Rock”) monument in western Turkey has been resolved. Professor Mark Munn of Pennsylvania State University has deciphered the weathered text, identifying the word 'Materan,' a reference to the Mother Goddess of the Phrygians. Located in the Phrygian highlands near Lake Emre Gölü, the Arslan Kaya monument is carved into a volcanic rock formation approximately 15 meters high. Its façade features reliefs of lions, sphinxes, and geometric patterns, with a niche containing the eroded figure of Materan...The goddess’s image, flanked by lions and accompanied by sphinxes, symbolizes protection and power, key themes in Phrygian cosmology." 

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News: Peruvian Site Reveals Throne Room of Female Moche Leader

 

From the article:

"The team uncovered a decorated adobe throne and several murals showing a woman wearing a crown and sitting on a throne. They identified the space as a 1,300-year-old throne room 'of a powerful Moche woman associated with the moon goddess.' Photos show the ancient throne adorned with 'images related to the sea and the night sky, including a crowned woman with a rattle rendered as the crescent moon,' archaeologists said. The throne’s sides showed 'figures of women spinning fiber.' 

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(© Photo by Lisa Trever/Panamarca Digital)

News: Ancient Greek wall paintings in Ashkelon to be made accessible

From the article:

"Wall paintings discovered in 1,700-year-old vaulted tombs situated in the vicinity of Ashkelon’s marina are currently being made accessible to the public, Israel’s Antiquity Authority announced... The paintings depict mythological Greek characters such as Demeter, Medusa, and nymphs. They include floral decorations and images relating to nature."

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(©  photo of Demeter painting by IAA)

News: Votive Altar Dedicated to Larrahe Found in Well

 

From the article:
"Archaeologists have unearthed a Roman-era votive altar dedicated to the ancient Basque deity Larrahe at the medieval monastery of Doneztebe on Mount Arriaundi, northern Spain.. . The small votive altar features a dedication written by a woman known as Valeria Vitella to the deity Larrahe. This translates to 'Valeria Vitella fulfills her vow to Larrahe freely and deservedly.' 

Little is known about Larrahe, as few other examples of worship to the deity have been discovered. “The name of this indigenous god or goddess is only attested in three other altars from the Basque territory,” researchers explained in the statement. However, this altar was found much further north than previous dedications to Larrahe, thus expanding the territorial domain of the deity’s worship."

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https://arkeonews.net/votive-altar-dedicated-to-basque-deity-larrahe-found-in-medieval-well/

(© photo Aranzadi Science Society)

News: Isis-Aphrodite Statues Found in Rock-Cut Tombs

 

From the article: 

"A series of rock-cut tombs has been discovered in Upper Egypt by a team of researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Institute of the Ancient Near East . . Terracotta statues depicting the goddess Isis-Aphrodite wearing a foliage crown were found in the tombs."

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(© photo by Egypt's Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities)

Goddess statuette unearthed in Yesilova Mound

 

From the article:

"A Mother Goddess statuette, determined to be 5 thousand years old, was found during the excavations carried out in the Yeşilova Mound (Yeşilova Höyük) in the Bornova district, which contains the ruins of the oldest settlement in Izmir. The mound dates back to 8,500 years. The mound that is being excavated, has already revealed some critical traces of The Neolithic Age and much about the early settlers in the Izmir area off the Aegean coast, their surroundings, and their culture."

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(© photo DHA)

News: 3-Headed Hekate Statue Discovered in Turkey

 

From the article:

"In the ancient city of Kelenderis in Mersin, located in the south of Turkey, the statue of the 3-headed goddess Hecate, which is evaluated to be 2300 years old, and ceramics belonging to the Hellenistic period were unearthed. The ancient city of Kelenderis is located at the Mediterranean coast of Turkey in modern town of Aydincik, which is in the province of Mersin."

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(© photo AA)

Votive Offerings Discovered at Kythnos Sanctuary

 

"Archaeologists excavating a hilltop temple complex on the Cycladic island of Kythnos (commonly called Thermia) Greece have unearthed more than 2,000 intact votive offerings dedicated by ancient worshippers. . . Several ceremonial pottery vessels discovered are associated with Demeter, the ancient Greek goddess of agriculture, and her daughter Persephone, to whom the excavated sanctuary complex was dedicated."

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(© photo Greece Culture Ministry)

Archaeologists uncover first representations of people of Tartessos

 

"Archaeologists representing Spain’s National Research Council (CSIS) excavating at the site of Casas del Turunuelo have uncovered the first human representations of the ancient Tartessos people.  The team from Mérida’s Institute of Archaeology believes two of the busts discovered in what is thought to be a shrine or pantheon represent Tartessian goddesses, despite the fact that Tartessian religion was previously thought to be aniconic (opposed to the use of idols or images). The stone busts’ facial depiction, as well as the inclusion of jewelry (hoop earrings) and their specific hairstyles, resemble ancient sculptures from the Middle East and Asia. Archaeologists believe that the two goddesses, along with three other sculptures that were significantly more damaged, were part of a stone mural depicting four deities watching over a Tartessian warrior, as one of the defaced busts has a helmet."

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(© photo: Institute of Archeology of Mérida/Csic)

Gold glass of the Goddess Roma unearthed

 

"A very rare and refined piece of gold glass representing ‘Roma’, the woman symbol of the Eternal City, has been discovered during the construction of Rome’s Metro C metro line. . . Originally the base of a drinking glass, the discovery features an image of the female deity – the personification of the city of Rome – wearing a helmet and carrying a spear."

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(© photo Arkeonews.net)

Grave of Aphrodite Priestess Found in Southern Russia

 From the article: 

"About 1,900 years ago, a woman died and was buried in Phanagoria . . .and she was a priestess of the Aphrodite cult, the archaeologists excavating the ancient city concluded.  Her adornments included a silver medallion showing the goddess and signs of the zodiac, minus Aquarius and Libra. 'The images of the zodiac signs around the goddess also point to the fact that this is indeed Aphrodite Urania, as they emphasize her heavenly hypostasis'."

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(© photo by V. Timkiv)

2,350-year-old Cybele statue found

 

From the article:  

"A marble statue of the Anatolian mother goddess Cybele created 2,350 years ago has been discovered in the ancient city of Antandrus, located in the Edremit district of western Türkiye's Balıkesir province.  Noting that the statue was used as a stone in the walls of the Roman villa in Antandrus, Polat continued: 'The artifact, unfortunately, is not in a well-protected situation. However, we can understand it depicts the mother goddess Cybele.' Polat informed that the statue depicts Cybele sitting on the throne with lion figures on both sides along with another lion on her lap."

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(© photo: Anadolu Agency)

7,800-year-old figurine discovered in western Turkey

From the article: 
"A 7,800-year-old female figurine was found in the Ulucak Höyük (Ulucak Mound) in the Kemalpaşa district of Izmir. It was stated that the figurine made of clay was used in various rituals such as increasing abundance and fertility. In the excavations, a large number of ceramic pots, tools made of ganister, stone weapons, mother goddess figurines, and anthropomorphic pots were unearthed, some of which are exhibited in the Izmir Archeology Museum."

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(© photo: Demirören News Agency)

Water Goddess figurine discovered in Germany

 

From the article:

"Archaeologists have discovered a unique clay figurine that may represent a prehistoric water goddess in Bavaria, Germany.. . Researchers from the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments suggest that local peoples may have worshiped the figurine as a water goddess, seeing the gully as a sacred place for ritual offerings."

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(© photo Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments)

News: Goddess figure discovered in Israel

 

From the article:

“An 8,000-year-old Yarmukian Mother Goddess figurine was found at Sha’ar HaGolan archaeological site, located on the northern bank of the Yarmouk River, in the center of the Jordan Valley. . . 'This woman ceramic figurine is a hallmark of Yarmukian culture,' Eirikh-Rose said. 'This is one of the largest examples of the figurine found. It is of a large, seated woman with big hips, a unique pointed hat and what is known as ‘coffee-bean’ eyes and a big nose. One hand is positioned on her hip and the other one under her breast'."

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(© photo Israel Antiquities Authority)

1200-year-old Kotravai sculpture found in Villupuram

 

From the article:

"Archeological enthusiasts unearthed a 1200-year-old Kotravai sculpture embossed in a slab stone near Melmalayanur in Villupuram district. 'The sculpture is five-feet-tall and four-feet-wide and carved onto the slab. We confirmed that it was a sculpture of Kotravai with the four hands.' explained Paneerselvam... Paneerselvam further pointed out that she was wearing a 'panayolai kundalam' (palm leaf ear button) and 'aram' (chain). 'All her hands had 'tholvalai' and 'kaivalai' (jewellery on the shoulder and wrist.) She covered her chest with thick katchai and her hip area had another cloth with a huge knot,' he added. According to the archeological activist, her top right hand held a 'chakra' and the lower one had a bell. A 'sangu' is seen in her top left hand, while her lower one is placed in her hip. A deer rests on the left-side of the sculpture and soldiers are carved on the right-side. Kotravai stands on a buffalo-head, he added."

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(© photo EPS)

Egypt Discovers 150 Statues

 

From the article:  

"Egypt unveiled on Monday a major new archaeological find of 250 sealed coffins containing mummies, 150 bronze statues of ancient gods and goddesses, and other antiquities at the Saqqara necropolis, south of the capital Cairo.   An Egyptian archeological mission working in Bubastian Cemetery area discovered a bronze statues cachette in the site that dates back to the Late Period of ancient Egypt, Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, told media. 'The cache included 150 different-size bronze statues of gods and goddesses like Anubis, Amunmeen, Osiris, Isis, Nefertum, Bastet, Hathor, and several bronze pots,' Waziri said."

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(© photo Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)