Symbolic Elements in the Cult of Athena

Robert Luyster in the article “Symbolic Elements In The Cult Of Athena", published in 1965, suggests there are two distinguished personifications of Athena one of a Goddess embodying the war, and her other form as patroness of fertility. In the Homeric poem She is addressed as Queen, Lady Mistress, Queen Mother Goddess. C.J Herington suggests that Parthenon served two Goddesses; Athena Parthenos and Athena Polis (Erechtheion & Parthenon ) who were known as agricultural and warrior Goddesses. Two forms of images seem to be consistent with Athena one a sitting posture inclined towards her motherly aspect and another one standing in warrior-like weaponed pose. Troy in Iliad adapted her sitting posture, likewise Athean Lindia and Athena Polias of Erythrae images depicted her sitting on a throne with a golden crown in latter holding a spindle which was her other attribute. The throne and crown suggest Athena’s status as Queen “Potnia”. Meanwhile, her identification as Mother is clearly seen in invocation Children of Heracles : “But o Queen, for Yours is the Soil and yours the city of which you are the Mother, Mistress, and Guardian”.

Along with that, Athena’s association with Spindle endowed her as Deity who controls fate in the context of birth and death. Incidentally she is associated with birds such as crow, vulture, seagull, owl which later became her main bird symbol. Each bird represents a certain characteristic that embodies Athena, for example, crows were venerated for their longevity, its oracular skill especially insightful to lost travelers. Additionally crows signify the coming of rain. However in other tales crows and Athena are harbingers of war and death. These qualities can be applied to the other birds as well. Athena's symbols can also be detected in other Goddesses such as Ishtar of Babylon or Kali from the Hindu traditions.

Luyster, Robert. “Symbolic Elements in the Cult of Athena.” History of Religions 5, no. 1 (1965): 133–63. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1061807.