Mommy Goddess Part 2: Isis, Cybele, Cerridwen

Isis—her name conjures the waxing Nile, pyramids, hot sands and fertile gardens.  ”I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever me unveiled,” she told her worshippers.  From somewhere around 2000 BC she appeared as Great Mother over her domains of Nature and Magic.  She protected slaves, sinners, artisans, the downtrodden, as well as listening to the prayers of the wealthy, maidens, aristocrats and rulers.  She was also protector of the dead and of children.  Her religion spread into the Greco-Roman world and endured into the early centuries AD.  And yes, like mortal women, she appeared to love adornment and is usually pictured with a collar and crown of gold, sometimes set with semi-precious stones.

The Goddess Cybele embodied the fertile earth and was known by the ancient Greeks as Mountain Mother. She was worshipped from as far back as 6000 BC into the second century BC.  Here she is sculpted in clay and wearing a lovely crown, earrings and necklace.  In her hands is most likely a moon disc.

Cerridwen is an ancient Welsh mother/nature  Goddess who tends the cauldron of wisdom, knowledge and divine  inspiration.  She bore two children: a beautiful daughter of light, and an ugly son of shadow.  Later she gave birth to the great bard Talieson which also made her the Mother of Poetry.  And yes, she is richly adorned!

Posted: May 6th, 2010 under Uncategorized.