THE ORIGINS OF ARTEMIS

Artemis is the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt and the moon, and the protector of women and children

Artemis devoted herself to transformation. She discovered how to effect the healing of young children and the foods which are suitable to the nature of babes. Goddess of the hunters, and watcher over streets and harbours, Artemis remained a maid.

Artemis was the twin sister of the god Apollo. Her father and mother were Zeus and Latona.

Artemis was the goddess of the Moon. She was also known as the goddess of the hunt. Romans identified Artemis with the Greek goddess Diana.

Some say that Artemis's origins lie in Artemis Ephesus, as a Great Mother Goddess. As Artemis Ephesus she is featured in a sculpture with many breasts, thus, signifying that she is mother of all life. Leeming speculates that Artemis probably once had a lover attendant as Artemis Ephesus, but never as a Greek goddess. He continues to say that the change from the Mother Goddess to the virginal and masculine Pallas Athena "suggests a defeminization of the Great Goddess." Leeming contributes this "defeminization" to the undermining of her powerful matriarchal cult by patriarchal Homeric/Olympian religion. The final product of this "defeminization" is the Artemis that most are familiar with today: the virgin goddess of the hunt and the birthing process and the protector of new life forms.

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