Cybele, goddess of earth and rebirth

Let’s visit with one more goddess. Here is Cybele.

The introduction to this thorough and fascinating article describes her well:

Cybele (Greek Κυβέλη) was a Phrygian goddess originating in the mythology of ancient Anatolia, whose worship spread to the cities of ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. She represented the Mother Earth and was worshiped as a goddess of fertility, nature, caverns, and mountains, as well as walls and fortresses. Like other ancient goddesses, such as Gaia (the “Earth”), she was known as potnia theron, referring to her ancient Neolithic roots as “Mistress of the Animals.”

The goddess was known among the Greeks as Meter (“Mother”) or Meter oreie (“Mountain-Mother”), possibly in connection to the myth that she was born on Mount Ida in Anatolia. Her Roman equivalent was Magna Mater, or “Great Mother.” Additionally, she was worshiped as a deity of rebirth in connection with her consort (and son), Attis.

Cybele was a pivotal influence on The Healer’s Daughters. She is included in the itinerary for a proposed Goddess Tour to Turkey; read the article for an idea of how present goddesses are in Turkish culture.

Above artwork is by Amanda Lindupp. You can see more at her Etsy shop.

THD: Elif and Özlem at Kapıkaya

Elif and her mother, Özlem, argue while hiking at Kapıkaya, the ancient sanctuary dedicated to Cybele, the Earth Mother.

…Her mother’s obsession with unearthing human artifacts is hers alone; Elif’s work is focused on the earth itself and on creating images that might hold meaning. Their only juncture is ancient sites, like Kapıkaya, that are, at least for her, sacred.…

“But why bring me?” Elif tries to hold her gaze. “Why trick me into coming?”

“Because, my dear,” Boroğlu says, her tone becoming less combative, but still resentful, “you’ve become better at reading the earth than I ever was.”

Elif scrunches her face. She and her mother look at the world far differently—the earth itself, people, life. Everything, it sometimes seems. An artist is not an archeologist. Her mother looks for what is dead and buried; Elif feels for what is living. Her mother searches. In her sculpting, except for the current project, which has required almost a dozen models so far, Elif waits and becomes, at least sometimes, connected—a conduit. “I don’t know about that,” she says finally.