Ancient Near East Goddess

1 ancient near east

1.1 mesopotamia
1.2 ancient africa (egypt)
1.3 canaan
1.4 anatolia
1.5 pre-islamic arabia

ancient near east
mesopotamia

inanna worshipped goddess in ancient sumer. later syncretized east semitic goddess ishtar. other mesopotamian goddesses include ninhursag, ninlil, antu , gaga.

ancient africa (egypt)


a statue of egyptian war goddess neith wearing deshret crown of northern (lower) egypt, bears cobra of wadjet.



goddesses of ennead of heliopolis: tefnut, nut, nephthys, isis
goddesses of ogdoad of hermopolis: naunet, amaunet, kauket, hauhet; cult of hathor
satis , anuket of triad of elephantine

canaan

goddesses of canaanite religion: ba`alat gebal, astarte, anat.

anatolia

cybele: hittite name kubaba, name changed cybele in phrygian , roman culture. effect can seen on artemis lady of ephesus.
hebat: mother goddess of hittite pantheon , wife of leader sky god, teshub. origin of hurrian cult.
arinniti: hittite goddess of sun. became patron of hittite empire , monarchy.
leto: mother goddess figure in lykia. main goddess of capital city of lykia league (letoon)

pre-islamic arabia

in pre-islamic mecca goddesses uzza, manāt , al-lāt known daughters of god . uzzā worshipped nabataeans, equated graeco-roman goddesses aphrodite, urania, venus , caelestis. each of 3 goddesses had separate shrine near mecca. uzzā, called upon protection pre-islamic quraysh. in 624 @ battle called uhud , war cry of qurayshites was, o people of uzzā, people of hubal! (tawil 1993).

in fact, in ancient times, goddess , god known allat , allah, or better termed deities representing husband , wife .

according ibn ishaq s controversial account of satanic verses (q.v.), these verses had endorsed them intercessors muslims, abrogated. muslim scholars have regarded story historically implausible, while opinion divided among western scholars such leone caetani , john burton, argue against, , william muir , william montgomery watt, argue plausibility.