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In Greek mythology, Gaia (; , a poetic form of ( '), meaning 'land' or 'earth'),, , . also spelled Gaea ' (), is the personification of Earth.Smith, "Gaea". She is the mother of Uranus (Sky), with whom she conceived the Titans (themselves parents of many of the Greek pantheon), the Cyclopes, and the Giants, as well as of Pontus (Sea), from whose union she bore the primordial sea gods. Her equivalent in the Roman Roman pantheon was Terra.Larousse Desk Reference Encyclopedia'', The Book People, Haydock, 1995, p. 215.
In Mycenean Greek Ma-ka (probably transliterated as Ma-ga, "Mother Gaia") also contains the root ga-.
In the earliest times, the earth was 'pictured ... as a plane or disk of indefinite expanse; but the true shape of the earth was discovered quite early, certainly by the late fifth century BC'. The earth-goddess can be identified with the nymph "Plataia" (broad one) in Plataea of Boeotia as the spouse of Zeus.M.L.West (2007). Indoeuropean poetry and myth, pp.174,175,.Oxford University Press p.174 Homer uses the form "eureia chthonic" (broad earth). Hesiod speaks of the broad-breasted earth, ("eurysternos") the sure seat of all immortals.M.L.West (2007). Indoeuropean poetry and myth, pp.178,179,.Oxford University Press, p.178 The same epithet appears in her cults at Delphi and Aegae in Achaea. In the Homeric hymn her conception is more clear and detailed. She is the Mother of the Gods, the goddess that brings forth life and blesses men with children. She is called "pammе̄tōr", the all-mother who nourishes everything. This conception is closer to the popular belief. Farnell, Cults III, p.1-4. In the hymn to Apollo she is called "pheresvios" (life giving)Homeric Hymn to Apollo 3.341 : H.Hymn 3.341 The "mother of the gods" is a form of Gaia. According to Pausanias an epithet of Ge in Athens is "the Great goddess", which is an appellation of the "Mother of the gods". She is related to the mystery cult of Phlya which seems to be original. At Athens Gaia had the cult-title Themis. In the Ashmolean Museum, a vase shows Pandora (all-giving) rising from the earth and according to some scholars she may be identified with Gaia. "Anesidora" (sending up gifts) on a vase in the British Museum is an epithet of Gaia. Farnell Cults III, 25-26 Birds 971
Traditionally "gaia" means "earth" and chthonic, "under or "beneath the earth" however chthon has occasionally the same meaning with the earth. Pherecydes uses the name Chthonie for the primeval goddess who later became Ge and Musaeus the same name for the oracular goddess of Delphi. Homer uses for chthon the epithets "euryodeia" (broad-seated) and "polyvoteira" (all-nourishing) which can also be used for the earth. In some plays of Aeschylus "chthon" is the earth-goddess Gaia. Promitheus 207 Eumenides 6
The tragic poets usually describe Gaia as mother of all, all-nourishing and all-productive who must be honoured. In Aeschylus' Prometheus Unbound, Gaia is the mother of all ("pammetor") and in a fragment of Euripides chthonic has the same epithet.Aesch. Prometheus V88, Euripides Antiope fr.195: Nilsson, Geschichte, Vol I, 460 In Persai of Aeschylus, offerings are recommended to Ge and the spirit of the departed. She is called "pamphoros", (all bearing). Persai 618 In Choephori, Electra in her prayer describes Gaia as an avenger of wrong. Farnell, Cults III, p.7-8 Sophocles in Philoctetes calls Gaia "pamvōtis" (all nourishing). Philoktetes 391 A famous fragment of Danaides describes the sacred marriage between heaven and earth. Ouranos and Gaia are cosmic powers and natural processes.Aesch. Danaid. Fr.44 :Nilsson 450 In Chrysippus of Euripides, Gaia is the mother of all in a philosophical poetic thought. "Gaia receives the drops of rain bearing the mortals and bearing food and beasts, therefore she is rightly called 'mother of all'. Aether of Zeus bears men and gods. Everything which is born by the earth returns to the earth, and everything born from aether returns to the sky. Nothing is destroyed, but it is transformed to another form."Eurip.Chrysip. fr 839: Nilsson, Vol I p.460 An inscription on a gravestone in Potidaia mentions: "Aether receives the souls and 'chthon' receives the bodies". According to Plutarch: "The name of Ge is beloved to every Greek and she is traditionally honoured like any other god".
Afterward, with Uranus, her son, she gave birth to the Titans, as Hesiod tells it:
By her son, Pontus, Gaia bore the sea-deities Nereus, Thaumas, Phorcys, Ceto, and Eurybia.Hesiod, Theogony 233–239; Gantz, p. 16; Grimal, s.v. Gaia; Smith, s.v. Gaea; Apollodorus, 1.2.6. For a genealogical table of the descendants of Gaia and Pontus, see Gantz, p. 805.
With the help of Gaia's advice,Hesiod, Theogony 626; Oxford Classical Dictionary, s.v. Gaia; Hard 2004, p. 68. Zeus defeated the Titans. But afterwards, Gaia, in union with Tartarus, bore the youngest of her sons Typhon, who would be the last challenge to the authority of Zeus.Hesiod, Theogony 820–880; Gantz, p. 48; Brill's New Pauly, s.v. Typhoeus; Oxford Classical Dictionary, s.v. Gaia. Hard 2004, p. 84: "Hesiod does not explain why Gaia, who was otherwise well-disposed toward Zeus, should have wished to give birth to this threatening monster, nor does he state that she did so with hostile intent."
Diodorus Siculus recounts a legend that Gaia was a human woman named Titaea, one of the wives of Uranus, who in this telling was also originally a human and the first king of Atlantis. According to this story, Titaea was defied after her death and her name changed to "Gê."Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 3.57.1-8
The Apples of the Hesperides that Heracles was tasked by Eurystheus to take were a wedding gift by Gaia to Zeus and Hera.Apollodorus, Library 2.5.11.
When Zeus decided to end the Bronze Age with the great deluge, Deucalion and Pyrrha were the only human survivors. Even though he was imprisoned, Prometheus who could see the future and had foreseen the coming of this flood, told Deucalion, to build an ark and, thus, they survived by landing on Mount Parnassus, the only place spared by the flood. Once the deluge was over and the couple were on land again, Deucalion consulted the oracle of Themis about how to repopulate the earth. He was told to throw the bones of his mother behind his shoulder. Deucalion and Pyrrha understood the "mother" to be Gaia, the mother of all living things, and the "bones" to be rocks. They threw the rocks behind their shoulders, which soon began to lose their hardness and change form. Their mass grew greater, and the beginnings of human form emerged. The parts that were soft and moist became skin, the veins of the rock became people's veins, and the hardest parts of the rocks became bones. The stones thrown by Pyrrha became women; those thrown by Deucalion became men.
Gaia resented the way Zeus had treated her children, the Titans, so she brought forth the Gigantes to fight Zeus. It was prophesied that the Gigantes, who were born from Uranus's blood, could not be killed by the gods alone, but they could be killed with the help of a mortal. Hearing this, Gaia sought for a certain plant that would protect the Gigantes even from mortals. Before Gaia or anyone else could get it, Zeus forbade Eos (Dawn), Selene (Moon) and Helios (Sun) to shine, harvested all of the plant himself, and had Athena summon the mortal Heracles, who assisted the Olympians in defeating the Gigantes.Apollodorus, 1.6.1, to Athena as Hephaestus watches – an Attic red-figure stamnos, 470–460 BC]]The god Hephaestus once attempted to rape Athena, but she pushed him away, causing him to ejaculate on her thigh. Athena wiped off the semen and threw it on the ground, which impregnated Gaia. Gaia then gave birth to Erichthonius of Athens, whom Athena adopted as her own child.Burkert, p. 143.
Nonnus describes a similar myth, in which Aphrodite fled from her lustful father Zeus, who was infatuated with her. As Zeus was unable to catch Aphrodite, he gave up and dropped his semen on the ground, which impregnated Gaia. This resulted in the birth of the Cyprus .Nonnus, Dionysiaca 14.193
According to little-known myth, Elaea was an accomplished athlete from Attica who was killed by her fellow athletes, because they had grown envious of her and her skills; but Gaia turned her into an olive tree as a reward, for Athena's sake. Gaia also turned the young Libanus into rosemary when he was killed by impious people.Nicolaus Sophista, Progymnasmata 2.4
According to Hesiod, in his lost poem Astronomia,See Gantz, p. 271. Orion, while hunting with Artemis and her mother Leto, claimed that he would kill every animal on earth. Gaia, angered by his boasting, sent a giant scorpion to kill him, and after his death, he and the scorpion were placed among the stars by Zeus.Hard 2004, p. 564; Gantz, p. 272; Hesiod fr. 7 Diels, p. 196 =; Olivieri, pp. 37–8)]; cf. Hyginus, De Astronomica 2.26.2. According to Ovid, Gaia for some reason sent the scorpion to kill Leto instead, and Orion was killed trying to protect her.Hard 2004, p. 564; Ovid, Fasti 5.537–544.
When Anemoi, the god of the north wind, killed Pitys, an Oread nymph, for rejecting his advances and preferring Pan over him, Gaia pitied the dead girl and transformed her into a pine tree.Libanius, Progymnasmata, 1.4
Zeus hid Elara, one of his lovers, from Hera by stowing her under the earth. His son by Elara, the giant Tityos, is therefore sometimes said to be a son of Gaia, the earth goddess.Hard 2004, pp. 147–148.
Gaia made Aristaeus immortal for the benefits he bestowed upon humanity.
Elements of a primitive cult of Gaia appear at Dodona in Epirus. It seems that in an old religion the earth goddess was worshipped together with the sky-god (Zeus)."Zeus was and is and will be hail great Zeus. Earth brings forth fruits, wherefore call on mother earth" Farnell, Cults III, p.8 At Thebes there was cult of "Gaia Makaira Telesforos". Telesforos means "bringing fruits to perfection". Farnell, Cults III, p.8. The earth goddess had powers over the ghosts and the dreams which come from the underworld, therefore she acquired oracular powers. These conceptions are evident in her cults at Delphi, Athens and Aigai of Achaea. An inscription "ieron eurysternou" (sanctuary of the broad-bosomed), is mentioned at Delphi by Mnaseas. Farnell, Cults III, 8-10. A temple of Ge was built to the south of the temple of Apollo. "Eutysternos" is a surname of Ge and it had an earlier use by Hesiod. It was also given to her in her worship at the Achaean Aegai.
In The Eumenides, the priestess announced her first prayers to "Gaia the first prophetess". At Aegai there was a very old image of the earth-goddess, and the service was in the hands of a virgin woman. The serpent represented the earth deity and was related to the chthonic oracular cult. This is evident at Delphi. Traditionally the oracle belonged originally to Poseidon and Ge and the serpent Python represents the earth spirit. Ge was probably present at the oracle of Trophonius at Livadeia. The prophecies were usually given by the priestesses and not by the goddess. At Olympia her altar was called "Gaios". The altars were given the name of a deity in primitive stages of religion. At Olympia like in Dodona it seems that she was honoured together with the sky-god Zeus. At Aigai she had an oracular power. According to Pliny the priestess drank a small quantity of the blood of a bull before entering the secret cave. At Patras in the oracle of "Ge", a sacred well was used for predicting the cause of diseases. Farnell, Cults III, 11-14. At Athens Ge acquired the cult-title Themis. Themis was an oracular goddess related to Ge and she was not originally interpreted as goddess of righteousness.
The cult of Gaia was probably indigenous in Attica. In the cult of Phlya, Pausanias reports that there were altars to Dionysos, certain nymphs and to Ge, whom they called the "great goddess". The Great goddess is interpreted as "Mother of the gods" who is a form of Gaia. It seems that a mystery-cult was related to the Great-goddess. Farnell, Cults III, 15-16 An inscription on the Acropolis of Athens refers to the practice of service in honour of "Ge-Karpophoros" (bringer of fruits) in accordance with the oracle. The oracle was probably Delphic. A sanctuary on the Acropolis was the "Kourotrophion", and the earlier inscriptions mentions simply "The Kourotrophos" (nourisher of children). Pausanias mentions a double shrine of "Ge-Kourotrophos" and "Demeter-Chloe" on the Acropolis.Nilsson, Geschichte Vol I, 457-458 Farnell, Cults III, 16-18. Near the Olympieion of Athens there was the temenos of Ge-Olympia. Thucydides mentions that it was among the oldest sanctuaries built in Athens, where the Deucalion flood took place. A chthonic ritual was performed in Athens in honour of Ge. The Genesia was a mourning festival in the month Broedromion. A sacrifice was performed to Ge, and the citizents brought offerings to the graves of the dead. Farnell, Cults III, 23.
An ancient Gaia cult existed at the "Marathonian Tetrapolis" near Athens . In the month Poseideon a pregnant cow was sacrificed to "Ge in the acres" and in Gamelion a sheep to" Ge-near the oracle". Both sacrifices were followed by rituals and the second was related to Daeira a divinity connected with the Eleusinian mysteries. At Eleusis Ge received a premilinary offering among other gods. Ge was associated with the dead at Mykonos. Seven black lambs were offered to "Zeus Chthonios" and "Ge-Chthonia" in the month Lenaion. The worshippers were offered to feast at the place of worship. At Sparta Gaia was worshipped together with Zeus. There was a double shrine of "Ge" and "Zeus Agoraios" (of the market place). Pausanias 3.11.9
Apollo is the best-known as the oracle power behind Delphi, long established by the time of Homer, having killed Gaia's child Python there and usurped the chthonic power.
Her statues were naturally to be found in the temples of Demeter, such as the Temple of Demeter in Achaia: "They the have also a grove by the sea, affording in summer weather very agreeable walks and a pleasant means generally of passing the time. In this grove are also two temples of divinities, one of Apollon, the other of Aphrodite ... Next to the grove is a sanctuary of Demeter; she and her daughter Persephone are standing, but the image of Ge (Earth) is seated."Pausanias, 7.21.11
The Temple of Zeus Olympios in Athens reportedly had an enclosure of Ge Olympia:
The Hecatonchires (Briareus, Hecatonchires, and Gyes)
The Meliae
The Erinyes
The Gigantes
List notes:
Description
The Greeks invoked Gaia in their oaths, and she should be aware if one broke his oath. In the poems she appears usually in forms of oath. In the Iliad, the sacrifice of a black lamb is offered to Gaia and she is invoked in the formula of an oath.Sacrifices Bring two lambs : let one be white and the other black for Gaia (Earth) and Helios (Sun). N.B.: Iliad 3.104Hard: "The Rootledge handbook of Greek mythology", p.32 Hard p.32 Homer considers her a physical distinct existence not clearly conceived in anthropomorphic form. Gaia does not seem to have any personal activity. In the Iliad, Alpheia beats with her hands the bountiful ("Polyphorbos" = epithet for Gaia) earth, but she calls Hades and Persephone to avenge her against her son.Iliad 9.568: Farnell, Cults III, p.5-6. In the poems of Hesiod, she is personified. Gaia has a significant role in the evolution of the world. Farnell, Cults III, p.5-6. She is the nurse of Zeus, and she has the epithet "Kourotrophos". Kourotrophos was the name of an old goddess who was subordinate to Ge. Dieterich believed that Kourotrophos and Potnia theron construct precisely the mother goddess. Ge is also personified in the myths of Erichthonius and Pluto.Nilsson, Geschichte, Vol I, p. 456-457 Erichthonius is early mentioned in the Catalogue of ships. He is born by the Homeric earth which produces fruits and cereals (zeidoros arura). The name of Erichthonius includes chthonic which is not the underground kingdom of the dead, but the Homeric earth.Nilsson, Geschichte, Vol. I: 317-318 Iliad 2.548 Iliad 2.548
Mythology
Hesiod
Birth of Gaia, Uranus, and the Titans
Hesiod's Theogony tells how, after Chaos, "wide-bosomed" Gaia (Earth) arose to be the everlasting seat of the Twelve Olympians above.Hesiod, Theogony 116–118; Hard 2004, p. 23. And after Gaia came "dim Tartarus in the depth of the wide-pathed Earth", and next Eros the god of love.Hesiod, Theogony 119–120; Hard 2004, p. 23. Hesiod goes on to say that Gaia brought forth her equal Uranus (Heaven, Sky) to "cover her on every side".Hesiod, Theogony 126–128. Gaia also bore the Ourea (Mountains), and Pontus (Sea), "without sweet union of love" (i.e., with no father).Hesiod, Theogony, 129–132: Gantz, p. 10; Hard 2004, p. 31; Fowler, p. 5; Caldwell, p. 6; Grimal, s.v. Gaia; Tripp, s.v. Gaea.
She lay with Heaven and bore deep-swirling Oceanus, Coeus and Crius and Hyperion and Iapetus, Theia and Rhea, Themis, and Mnemosyne and gold-crowned Phoebe and lovely Tethys. After them was born Cronos (Cronus) the wily, youngest, and most terrible of her children, and he hated his lusty sire.Hesiod, Theogony, 132–138; cf. Apollodorus, 1.1.3.
Other offspring and the castration of Uranus
According to Hesiod, Gaia conceived further offspring with her son, Uranus, first the giant one-eyed Cyclopes: Brontes ("Thunder"), Steropes ("Lightning"), and Arges ("Bright");Hesiod, Theogony 139–146; cf. Apollodorus, 1.1.2. then the Hecatonchires: Cottus, Briareos, and Gyges, each with a hundred arms and fifty heads.Hesiod, Theogony, 147–153; cf. Apollodorus, 1.1.1. As each of the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires were born, Uranus hid them in a secret place within Gaia, causing her great pain. So Gaia devised a plan. She created a grey flint (or ) sickle. And Cronus used the sickle to castrate his father Uranus as he approached his mother, Gaia, to have sex with her. From Uranus' spilled blood, Gaia produced the Erinyes, the Gigantes, and the Meliae (ash-tree nymphs). From the testicles of Uranus in the sea came forth Aphrodite.Hesiod, Theogony 154–200.
Titanomachy
Because Cronus had learned from Gaia and Uranus that he was destined to be overthrown by one of his children, he swallowed each of the children born to him by his Titan older sister, Rhea. But when Rhea was pregnant with her youngest child, Zeus, she sought help from Gaia and Uranus. When Zeus was born, Rhea gave Cronus a stone she received from Gaia wrapped in swaddling-clothes in his place, which Cronus swallowed, and Gaia took Zeus into her care.Hesiod, Theogony 453–491; Hard 2004, p. 68.
Other sources
According to the Roman mythographer Hyginus, Terra (Earth, the Roman equivalent of Gaia), Caelus (Sky, the Roman equivalent of Uranus) and Mare (Sea) are the children of Aether and Dies (Day, the Roman equivalent of Hemera).Hyginus, Fabulae Theogony 2 (Smith and Trzaskoma, p. 95; Latin text). With Aether, Terra produces Dolor (Pain), Dolus (Deception), Ira (Anger), Luctus (Mourning), Mendacium (Lying), Iusiurandum (Oath), Vltio (Vengeance), Intemperantia (Self-indulgence), Altercatio (Quarreling), Oblivio (Forgetfulness), Socordia (Sloth), Timor (Fear), Superbia (Arrogance), Incestum (Incest), Pugna (Fighting), Oceanus (Ocean), Themis, Tartarus, Pontus, the Titans, Briareus, Gyges, Steropes, Atlas, Hyperion, Polus, Saturn, Ops, Moneta, Dione, and the Furies (Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone).Hyginus, Fabulae Theogony 3 (Smith and Trzaskoma, p. 95; Latin text). By Tartarus, Terra then becomes the mother of the Giants, which are listed as Enceladus, Coeus, Ophion, Astraeus, Pelorus, Pallas, Emphytus, Rhoecus, Ienios, Agrius, Palaemon, Ephialtes, Eurytus, Theomises, Theodamas, Otos, Typhon, Polybotes, Menephiarus, Abseus, Colophomus, and Iapetus.Hyginus, Fabulae Theogony 4 (Smith and Trzaskoma, p. 95; Latin text). In addition to these figures, there are two Giants listed whose names are unintelligible. According to the mythographer Apollodorus, however, Gaia and Tartarus were the parents of Echidna.Apollodorus, 2.1.2; Smith, s.v. Echidna.
Cult
It seems that the worship of the "earth" was indigenous in Greece. Farnell, Cults III, p.1. However it is doubtful if the mother-religion is rooted to the Pre-Greek population.Nilsson, Geschichte, Vol I 456-458 In classical times Ge was not an important deity and she didn't have any festivals. She was usually honoured together with other gods or goddesses. Local cults of Gaia are rare and only some of them can be mentioned from the existing evidence.
Epithets
Gaia has several epithets and attributes. In poetry chthon frequently has the same meaning with gaia.Nilsson Vol I, 460. Some of her epithets are similar in some Indo-European languages. The universitality of the goddess is expressed by the prefix pan,(πάν). πάςM.L.West (2007). Indoeuropean poetry and myth, pp.179 .Oxford University Press, p.179 Some of the epithets of Gaia and Demeter are similar showing the identity of their nature.
Temples
Gaia is believed by some sourcesJoseph Fontenrose 1959 to be the original deity behind the Pythia at Delphi. It was thus said: "That word spoken from tree-clad mother Gaia's (Earth's) navel-stone Omphalos."Pindar, Pythian Odes 4.76 Depending on the source, Gaia passed her powers on to Poseidon, Apollo, or Themis. Pausanias wrote:Many and different are the stories told about Delphi, and even more so about the oracle of Apollo. For they say that in the earliest times the oracular seat belonged to Earth, who appointed as prophetess at it Daphnis, one of the nymphs of the mountain. There is extant among the Greeks an hexameter poem, the name of which is Eumolpia, and it is assigned to Musaeus, son of Antiophemus. In it the poet states that the oracle belonged to Poseidon and Earth in common; that Earth gave her oracles herself, but Poseidon used Pyrcon as his mouthpiece in giving responses. The verses are these: "Forthwith the voice of the Earth-goddess uttered a wise word, And with her Pyrcon, servant of the renowned Earth-shaker." They say that afterwards Earth gave her share to Themis, who gave it to Apollo as a gift. It is said that he gave to Poseidon Calaureia, that lies off Troezen, in exchange for his oracle.Pausanias, 10.5.5 ff
(2026). 9781851096343, ABC-CLIO, LLC. ISBN 9781851096343 Hera punished Apollo for this by sending him to King Admetus as a shepherd for nine years. Gaia or Ge had at least three sanctuaries in Greece which were mentioned by Pausanias. There was a temple of Ge Eurusternos on the Crathis near Aegae in Achaia with "a very ancient statue":Pausanias, 7.25.13 ff.It is a journey of about thirty stades from to what is called the Gaion (Gaeum), a sanctuary of Ge (Earth) surnamed Eurysternos (Broad-bossomed), whose wooden image is one of the very oldest. The woman who from time to time is priestess henceforth remains chaste and before her election must not have had intercourse with more than one man. The test applied is drinking bull's blood. Any woman who may chance not to speak the truth is immediately punished as a result of this test. If several women compete for the priesthood, lots are cast for the honor.
Pausanias also mention the sanctuary of Ge Gasepton in Sparta,Pausanias, 3.12.8 ff and a sanctuary of Ge Kourotrophe (Nurse of the Young) at Athens. Aside from her temples, Gaia had altars as well as sacred spaces in the sanctuaries of other gods. Close to the sanctuary of Eileithyia in Tegea was an altar of Ge;Pausanias, 8.48.8 ff Phlya and Myrrhinos had an altar to Ge under the name Thea Megale (Great goddess); as well as Olympia which additionally, similar to Delphi, also said to have had an oracle to Gaia: On what is called the Gaion (Gaeum, Sanctuary of Ge) at is an altar of Ge (Earth); it too is of ashes. In more ancient days they say that there was an oracle also of Ge (Earth) in this place. On what is called the Stomion (Mouth) the altar to Themis has been built.Pausanias, 5.14.10
Within Within the precincts are antiquities: a bronze Zeus, a temple of Kronos (Cronus) and Rhea and an enclosure of Ge (Earth) surnamed Olympia. Here the floor opens to the width of a cubit, and they say that along this bed flowed off the water after the deluge that occurred in the time of Deukalion, and into it they cast every year wheat mixed with honey ... The ancient sanctuary of Zeus Olympios the Athenians say was built by Deukalion (Deucalion), and they cite as evidence that Deukalion lived at Athens a grave which is not far from the present temple.
In Athens, there was a statue of Gaia on the Acropolis depicting her beseeching Zeus for rainPausanias, 1.24.3 ff. as well as an image of her close to the court of the Areopagos in Athens, alongside the statues of Plouton and Hermes, "by which sacrifice those who have received an acquittal on the Areopagos".Pausanias, 1.28.6 ff.
Interpretations
Some modern sources, such as James Mellaart, Marija Gimbutas, and Walker, claim that Gaia as Mother Earth is a later form of a Neolithic Europe Mother goddess, venerated in Neolithic times. Her existence is a speculation and controversial in the academic community. Some modern mythographers, including Karl Kerenyi, Ruck, and Danny Staples, interpret the goddesses Demeter the "mother", Persephone the "daughter", and Hecate the "crone", as aspects of a former great goddess identified by some as Rhea or as Gaia herself. In Crete, a goddess was worshipped as Potnia Theron (the "Mistress of the Animals") or simply Potnia ("Mistress"), speculated as Rhea or Gaia; the title was later applied in Greek texts to Artemis. The mother goddess Cybele from Anatolia (modern Turkey) was partly identified by the Greeks with Gaia, but more so with Rhea.
Modern paganism
Beliefs and worship amongst modern pagans (also known as Neopaganism) regarding Gaia vary, ranging from the belief that Gaia is the Earth to the belief that she is the spiritual embodiment of the earth or the goddess of the Earth.
Compare:
Family
Olympian descendants
Offspring
Gaia is the personification of the Earth, and these are her offspring as related in various myths. Some are related consistently, some are mentioned only in minor variants of myths, and others are related in variants that are considered to reflect a confusion of the subject or association.
+Offspring and fathers (Hesiod)
! scope="col" style="width: 230pt;" Offspring
! scope="col" style="width: 120pt;" Father Uranus,Hesiod, Theogony 126–8 Pontus,Hesiod, Theogony 131–2 The OureaHesiod, Theogony 129–30 No father The Titans (Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Iapetus, Hyperion, Theia, Themis, Tethys, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, Rhea, and Cronus)
The Cyclopes (Arges, Cyclopes, and Cyclopes)
Uranus Nereus, Thaumas, Phorcys, Ceto, Eurybia PontusHesiod, Theogony 233–9 TyphonHesiod, Theogony 820–2 Tartarus
See also
Notes
External links
Categories: Consorts Of Hephaestus, Divine Women Of Zeus, Earth Goddesses, Earth In Religion, Greek Goddesses, Greek Primordial Deities, Kourotrophoi, Mother Goddesses, Nature Goddesses, Oracular Goddesses, Personifications In Greek Mythology, Personifications, Women Of Helios, Women Of Poseidon, World
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