Origins Athena

marble greek copy signed antiokhos , 1st-century bc variant of phidias 5th century athena promachos stood on acropolis

nilsson , others have claimed that, in times, athena either owl herself or bird goddess in general. in third book of odyssey, takes form of sea-eagle. proponents of view argue dropped prophylactic owl-mask before lost wings. athena, time appears in art, jane ellen harrison remarks, has shed animal form, has reduced shapes once wore of snake , bird attributes, in black-figure vase-paintings still appears wings.

it agreed cult of athena preserves aspects of proto-indo-european transfunctional goddess. cult of athena may have been influenced of near eastern warrior goddesses such east semitic ishtar , ugaritic anat, both of whom portrayed bearing arms.

miriam robbins dexter has suggested that, @ least @ point in history, athena solar deity. athena bears traits common indo-european solar goddesses, including possession of mirror , invention of weaving, characteristics held baltic goddess saulė. athena s association medusa, suspected of being solar goddess, adds further solar iconography cultus. athena later syncretized sulis, celtic goddess name derived common proto-indo-european root many solar deities. though sun in greek myth personified male helios, several relictual solar goddesses known, such alectrona.

plato notes citizens of sais in egypt worshipped goddess known neith, whom identifies athena. neith ancient egyptian goddess of war , hunting, associated weaving; worship began during egyptian pre-dynastic period. in greek mythology, athena reported have visited mythological sites in north africa, including libya s triton river , phlegraean plain. based on these similarities, sinologist martin bernal created black athena hypothesis, claimed neith brought greece egypt, along enormous number of features of civilization , culture in third , second millennia . black athena hypothesis stirred widespread controversy near end of twentieth century, has been rejected modern scholars.

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