The Lion and the Goddess: Big Cats and the Divine Feminine in Ancient Iconography

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The Lion and the Goddess Big Cats and the
Divine Feminine in Ancient Iconography

• Presentation by Dr. Anne Key

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Egypt
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• There are no wild lions in Egypt today however,
  they were most likely present in prehistoric
  times.
• During the formation of the Egyptian cosmology,
  lions became spiritually significant symbols.
• Lion populations declined steadily as the more
  lush climate of the prehistoric period faded into
  the desert climate and as the inhabitable land of
  Egypt became more and more densely populated.

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• Lions were relatively few in Egypt during the
  Pharonic period, but they were significant and
  potent symbols to the Egyptians.
• Lions usually lived on the edges of the desert,
  and so they became known as the guardians of the
  eastern and western horizons, where the sun rose
  and set.
• In the hieroglyph for Horizon (akhet), they
  sometimes replaced the symbols for the eastern
  and western mountains.

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Egyptian Feline Deities

• Most feline deities were female, of which Sekhmet
  was almost certainly the most important.
• In the Delta site of Greek Leontopolis the lion
  god Mihos, the son of Bastet or sometimes of
  Sekhmet, was revered.
• It was not uncommon to find Shu and Tefnut, who
  were linked with the paired lion god Ruty,
  venerated in leonine form at Leontopolis.

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• The lion-god Aker guarded the gateway to the
  netherworld through which the sun passed each
  day.
• Since the sun was born each morning and died each
  evening on the horizon, the lion was associated
  with death and rebirth.

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Sekhmet

• Sekhmet was called the Mother of the Gods, an
  appellation attesting to her ancient heritage.
• She was considered Protector of the Divine Order,
  and she was called to restore Maat, balance.
• A solar disc sits on her head, showing her as a
  solar deity.
• The uraeus, symbolized by the rearing cobra atop
  her head, is an image of powerful energy.

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• A statue of Sekhmet dated at 1000 BCE.
• Her seated posture, with one knee raised, is
  reminiscent of the posture of many ancient
  Goddesses.

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• To the right is a statue of Sekhmet at Karnak,
  the temple of Mut. This temple was built during
  the New Kingdom (1000 BCE).
• In her temple at Thebes, there were 730 statues
  of Sekhmet, one for each sunrise and sunset of
  the year.
• Astrological changes, such as sunrise and sunset,
  heralded unstable times. Sekhmet was called upon
  to bring stability.

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• To the right is Pakhet, a female lion-headed
  deity.
• Her name means she who scratches.

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• The lion-headed deity Tefnut was the Goddess of
  moisture.
• Her partner, Shu, was the God of sunlight and
  air.
• Tefnut was associated with the creative aspect of
  water.
• Related to moisture, Tefnut was also linked to
  the moon. She was originally thought to be the
  Lunar Eye of Ra, and thus she was linked to the
  night sky as well as to dew, rain and mist.

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• The god Ruty was depicted as a double lion and
  called, "yesterday" and "tomorrow".

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• The Goddess Wadjet was usually portrayed as a
  cobra.
• She was also considered to be the "Eye of Ra.
• She could sometimes also appear in lion form
  depicted as a cobra with a lion's head, as she is
  at the right.

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• The lion jar to the right held unguents.
• This piece was found amongTutankhamens grave
  goods.

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• This lion-bed was part of Tutankhamens grave
  goods.

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Mesopotamia
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• This lion-human sculpture was found in
  Mesopotamia.
• It has been dated to 1000 BCE.
• It may possibly express a shamanic relationship
  between the lion and the human.

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• This sculpture was found in the ancient city of
  Nimrud, Assyria.
• It has been dated at 800 BCE.
• This sculpture is similar to the previous slide
  in that it may show a shamanic relationship
  between the human and the lion

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The Goddess Inanna-Ishtar

• The Sumerians called their principle Goddess
  Inanna, and she was referred to as Ishtar in
  Northern Sumeria.
• She was often pictured with lions flanking her,
  as to the right.
• As well, she was pictured riding astride or on
  top of a lion, much like Durga.

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• Here Ishtar holds the lion scepter (center).

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The Gates of Ishtar

• King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon dedicated the
  main entrance into Babylon to the Goddess Ishtar.
  
• The gateway was completely covered with
  beautifully colored glazed bricks.
• Enameled tiles of glorious blue surrounded the
  brightly colored yellow and brown beasts.
• These murals date from 500 BCE.

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• This striding lion holds its mouth opened in a
  roar.
• Lions decorated one side of the 'Processional
  Way.
• Walking down the Processional Way, people would
  pass some 120 lions and 575 dragons and bulls, in
  13 rows.
• The lion symbolizes power, and the Babylonians
  believed that it was Ishtar that gave them their
  glory.

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• To the right is a reconstructed version of the
  Gates of Ishtar.
• Each year, during the celebration of the great
  New Year Festival, the images of the city's
  deities were carried out through the Ishtar Gate

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• To the left is the Goddess Inanna, standing atop
  a pair of lions.
• Notice as well Inannas avian attributes.
• This piece is referred to as the Burney Relief.
• It has been dated to 2300-2000 BCE.

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India
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Durga

• The Goddess Durga is often shown astride a lion.
• In Sanskrit, Durga means "She who is
  incomprehensible or difficult to reach or
  invincible.
• The Goddess Durga is a form of Shakti worshiped
  for her gracious as well as terrifying aspect.
• Mother of the Universe, she represents the
  infinite power of the universe and is a symbol of
  a female dynamism.

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• Durga in battle, astride her Lion, slaying
  demons.
• This carving is from 700 CE.

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• Durga is pictured astride her Lion.

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Europe
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• This statue dates from 30,000 BCE and is one of
  the oldest known sculptures in the world.
• It was found at Hohle Fels Cave in southwestern
  Germany.
• It was originally classified as a male, then
  later reclassified as female.
• The sculpture is 11.7 inches in height. It was
  carved out of mammoth ivory using a flint stone
  knife. There are seven parallel, horizontal
  carved gouges on the left arm.
• A similar, but smaller, lion-headed sculpture has
  been found in another cave in the same region,
  along with other animal figures.
• This statue leads to the possibility that the
  lion-human played an important role in the
  mythology of humans of the early Paleolithic.
• The Lion man can be seen in the Ulmer Museum in
  Ulm, Germany.
• The figure to the left has been partially
  restored.

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• This seal is from Knossos, on the island of
  Crete.
• It dates to 1500 BCE.
• The woman on the hill, flanked by two lions, is
  saluted by the man at the right.

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• The statue to the right was found in a grain bin
  in the ancient city of Catal Huyuk (modern day
  Turkey).
• It is dated at 6000 BCE.
• The Goddess gives birth, supported by the two
  lions at her side.

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• These double lions are atop a gate in ancient
  Anatolia.

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• The Goddess Cybele was honored in Anatolia
  (modern Turkey) and Rome.
• Cybele is often shown with lions.
• This relief of Cybele shows her in a chariot
  drawn by a pair of lions.

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• A statue of Cybele, flanked by lions.

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• Another statue of Cybele, flanked by a lion.

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• A statue of Cybele from 1200 BCE.
• She is again flanked by lions.

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• Cybele, seated with lions.

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• A statue of the Christian Virgin Mary seated upon
  a lion throne.
• This statue is dated at 1360 CE.

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Cactus Springs, Nevada

• The Temple of Goddess Spirituality Dedicated to
  Sekhmet

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• The temple stands in the desert, built in honor
  of the Goddess Sekhmet.

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One last thought
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• To the right is the VIII Major Arcana card from
  the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck.
• The power of strength is built with compassion,
  not with belligerence.
• There is strength in vulnerability.
• Strength depends on trust and patience.

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Bright Blessings to you and all of your relations.
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References

• The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt.
  Wilkinson, Richard H. 2003 Thames Hudson, LTD.
  
• A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses.
  Hart, George. 1986 Routledge.
• Gods and Myths of Ancient Egypt. Armour, Robert
  A. 1986 American University in Cairo Press.
• The Gods of the Egyptians. Budge, E. A. Wallis.
  1969 Dover Publications, Inc.
• The Myth of the Goddess. Baring, Anne and Jules
  Cashford. 1993 Arkana/Penguin Books.
• www.touregypt.net
• http//www.thekeep.org/kunoichi/kunoichi/themestr
  eam/egypt_column.html