Atargatis
Sign in to saveAlso known as Ataratheh, Derceto, Dea Syriae, ‘Atar‘atah, Derketo, Aphrodite Derceto
Atargatis (known as Derceto by the Greeks) was the chief goddess of northern Syria in Classical antiquity. Primarily she was a fertility goddess, but, as the baalat ("mistress") of her city and people she was also responsible for their protection and well-being. Her chief sanctuary was at Hierapolis, modern Manbij, northeast of Aleppo, Syria.
Key facts
- Deity.type
- Canaanite
- Deity.name
- Atargatis
- Deity.god_of
- fertility, moon, water goddess and femininity goddess
- Deity.image
- Atargatis, Nabatean, c.100 AD, Jordan Archaeological Museum.jpg
- Deity.caption
- A Nabataean depiction of the goddess Atargatis dating from sometime around 100 AD, currently housed in the Jordan Archaeological Museum
- Deity.cult_center
- Hierapolis Bambyce
- Deity.symbols
- dove, fish
- Deity.consort
- Hadad
- Deity.greek_equivalent
- Aphrodite; Hera
- Deity.roman_equivalent
- Dea Syria, Venus
- Deity.canaanite_equivalent
- Astarte
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Atargatis & lion.JPG
Show 1 more fact
- Commons category
- Atargatis
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~19 min read
Article
17 sectionsContents
- Origin and name
- Classical period
- Iconography
- Numismatics
- Sculptures
- Mythology
- Analysis
- Syrian Venus
- Syncretism
- Cult
- Temples
- Priesthood
- See also
- Explanatory notes
- References
- Sources
- External links
Atargatis (known as Derceto by the Greeks) was the chief goddess of northern Syria in Classical antiquity. Primarily she was a fertility goddess, but, as the baalat ("mistress") of her city and people she was also responsible for their protection and well-being. Her chief sanctuary was at Hierapolis, modern Manbij, northeast of Aleppo, Syria.
Michael Rostovtzeff called her "the great mistress of the North Syrian lands". Her consort is usually Hadad. As Ataratheh, doves and fish were considered sacred to her: doves as an emblem of the love goddess, and fish as symbolic of the fertility and life of the waters.