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The Warka Head As One Of Four Cult Masks of Inanna

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  The Warka Head As One Of Four Cult Masks Of Inanna Deepta Roy Chakraverti   I propose that in the Uruk period which knew Inanna (Inana) by four names ( from the Uruk tablets), a cultic worship existed where each form of the goddess was shown with a different face or mask.   The main body of the deity was kept the same, but the faces and adornments were varied. Thus, the Uruk tablets have brought to light four forms, and each , I propose with a different face. I suggest the Warka mask is one of four and three others wait to be found in Uruk.   Introduction The mysterious marble mask which goes back 5000 years, is no ordinary carved head. Recovered during excavations in what is modern day Warka, Iraq ,by German archaeologists, this enigmatic sculpture is the oldest depiction of the human face. It was found in the ruins of the temple precincts of the goddess Inanna and is thought to depict the goddess herself. Researchers say that at one time, this mask was attached to a l
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Aya : Goddess of Dawn or Divine Extra Terrestrial ?

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 Aya: Goddess of Dawn or Divine Extra Terrestrial ? Aya, goddess of light and the dawn, was a divine figure at par with her husband, Shamash,the sun god. Babylonian times refer to her as Serida, while her Akkadian name is Aya. Aya’s name appears in texts from Ur, the Early Dynastic god-lists from Fara and Abu Salabikh. She is the goddess of Dawn and morning light and thus referred to as ‘morning maker’. Aya’s epithet kallatum means bride and daughter-in-law and it may also imply ‘the veiled one’. This description, while conveying mystery and enigma, also conveys the idea of high status which is referred to in her epithet ‘Great Mistress’ (bēltum rabītum).  The One of Many Aspects In the first millennium BCE, texts reveal Aya to be invoked for new year rituals and to avoid signs or omens of evil and hard times. She , with her husband Shamash, were called upon to witness important transactions, deeds or events. They were divine witnesses and were also givers of justice. Moreover, Aya’s
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Ba'alat Gebal: The Meteorite Goddess Who Gave Healing and Knowledge of the Future

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  Ba’alat Gebal : The Meteorite Goddess    Who Gave Healing and Knowledge of the Future Deepta Roy Chakraverti   Born of fire and flashing skies, we find the ancient cult of Ba’alat Gebal   in Byblos, or Gublu, or Gebal as the old name was.   Byblos , lying on the Mediterranean coast, goes back to Neolithic times and signs of habitation going back about 7000 years have been found there. For the Phoenicians it was one of the most important cities. Not only that, it was a city which saw the rise and fall of many successive civilizations. It is there, in this old city, that at one time stood a temple to Ba’alat Gebal. Who is Ba’alat Gebal? Ba’alat Gebal, or the ‘Lady of Gebal’ was the patron goddess of Gebal or Byblos, as the Greeks later named it.   She was identified with Hathor, with Astarte, Aphrodite and Ishtar. She gave love, beauty, as well as warrior-like strength and protection. The Pillar of Byblos (Phoenicia) depicts Ba’alat Gebal and here, she is assimilated with t
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The Volga's Serpent Goddesses Who Give Power Through Divine Possession

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The figure of the serpent goddess spans many cultures, be it the Egyptian, the Minoan, or the Indian.  However, deep in the uncharted territories of Eastern Europe, has been found a mysterious manifestation of the serpent goddess, going back in antiquity to about the 4 th century and the Cucuteni- Tripyllia culture ( 4800-3500 BC). Their religion and beliefs combine with what we would term the supernatural – that which is beyond what can be perceived. Archaeological evidence has been found to show that they used magic in daily life. Hand crafted by Deepta. Inspired by the archaeological finds at Sabatinivka The Life Sustaining Goddesses Old European cultures saw the snake goddess and the bird goddess as life sustaining goddesses. They could nourish, protect and renew. Scholars like Gimbutas have delineated how snakes are associated with new life and changes in cycle. They live on both land and water. They hibernate in cold winters and emerge again with the coming of warmth. They s
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The Fate Goddesses of Ancient Egypt

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  Isis The patron goddess of ancient Egypt and one who personified every aspect of life in her many manifestations, Isis was appealed to for setting right what often looked like a difficult life or an unfair destiny mete out by a cruel Fate. As the cult of Isis spread and became assimilated into the neighbouring regions, each place found a different name for the same goddess. Sometimes, features of the region were also assimilated into the original cult when it came to nearby shores, allowing people of that land to understand the cult better. In Greece, Isis was associated with good fortune and wealth, as well as being the great mother and being universal. A striking prayer to Isis, in the form of a Greek aretology, has been found, which shows how completely the great goddess was mistress of Fate. The aretologies are in Greek but their source or inspiration has always been debated. While many scholars say their origin lies in Egypt in terms of their ideas and style, others say they
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