Venus in the Dovecote (Part II): The Ancient Sanctuary

The ruins of the great Sanctuary of Aphrodite in Paphos, Cyprus.

The Sanctuary of Aphrodite Paphia

"The Sanctuary of Aphrodite Paphia was a sanctuary in ancient Paphos on Cyprus dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite. Located where the legendary birth of Aphrodite took place, it has been referred to as the main sanctuary of Aphrodite, and was a place of pilgrimages in the ancient world for centuries."

"Before it was proved by archaeology it was understood that the cult of Aphrodite had been established before the time of Homer (c. 700 BC), as the grove and altar of Aphrodite at Paphos are mentioned in the Odyssey..."

"The sanctuary was closed during the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire in the 4th-century, and had at that time been in function for thousands of years since the Late Bronze age."

- Several quotes from the Wiki entry for The Sanctuary of Aphrodite Paphia. The image (centered above the quote) is a scene of Aphrodite's birth carved in high relief in marble (460 BC).

"The systematic excavation of the much dilapidated remains of this sanctuary (1973-1979, 1992-1997, 2007-2008) enabled us to reconstruct the main outlines of its history. The continuity of cult in the sanctuary has been definitely established for more than 1500 years, from the Late Bronze Age (c.1200 BC) to the end of the 4th century AD. Furthermore, there are good reasons to believe that the worship of a fertility goddess on the site reaches back into the chalcolithic period: the Paphian sanctuary thus represents the longest cult tradition known so far in Cyprus. Peculiar to Paphos was the aniconic worship of Aphrodite: she was represented by a conical stone as symbol of fertility, depicted on many Roman coins."

- Via this University of Zurich page. Inset right is the conical stone - a baetylus of andesite - a sacred rock which represented Aphrodite and was imbued with her spirit. Although it looks blue-black in photos it is supposedly a dark green color. This photo was found in the Wiki entry linked to above. Whether or not this conical stone actually represented "fertility," is, however, open to debate.

My personal feeling is that the rock was meant to tether the goddess to a specific place on earth in the same way the magnificent Christian cathedrals were meant to tether the Christian god to a specific location. The pagans realized that no substance was more eternal than a rock - it would outlast both they and much of what they created. I think that many Christian churches possessed a "rock," as well; although not as obvious.*

In any case, Aphrodite's sanctuary was active for over 1500 years. Putting this in perspective, about 500 years longer than the existence of Christianity, thus far... and, realizing that in some places, worship of Venus Aphrodite never really ceased... well!

"Another myth associated with Cyprus and, in particular, with Paphos, is the myth of Pygmalion and his love for the beautiful Galatea. Pygmalion created a female statue of ivory; the statue was so perfect that the creator fell in love with it. Aphrodite took pity on the lovers, and breathed life into the magnificent statue.

The couple had a son, named Paphos, who became the founder of the homonymous town, which he built in gratitude for his birth. He is also credited with the creation and the first temple in honor of the goddess of love."

- From one of the most comprehensive discussions of Venus Aphrodite on the web (via Earth Storiez), we have mention of the goddess and Pygmalion. I had forgotten about the role of the goddess in the story, but, that's the beauty of Aphrodite: she seems to nourish love and creativity across the board, in all its permutations. In the case of Pygmalion, she brought a statue to life for an artist who fell in love with his creation. Inset left is Pre-Raphaelite, Edward Burne-Jones' romantic vision of Aphrodite animating the ivory statue. Note the doves and roses which accompany her.

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Artifacts from Cyprus - 1450–1200 BC - in the Metropolitan Museum.

Welcome to the ancient world! Above, is an image of the emissaries for our journey to this place in time; 5 weird little Barbie Dolls, if you will... or maybe souvenir fetishes given (or sold) at a pagan sanctuary on major holidays. Regarding the two with rings in their "ears," these might also double as rattles or noise-makers... some hand-held percussion instruments pilgrims (or children) might use in processions or celebrations.

They're said to represent bird-women... and, certainly the large one in the center -  a little over 8" (20cm) in height - has a protrusion on her face that might be a beak... and the figure seems to be holding a bird-like object; perhaps a fledgling. Interestingly, this figure also has very large eyes... similar to the older Sumerian statues... which may indicate that, while this particular statue may have symbolized a goddess as a mother, it may also have represented a fetish imbued with the her spirit.

Not so bird-like is the smaller sculpture on the far left which looks like it might possess a ram's head, and the largest one on the far right which appears (to me) as if it has the face of a lamb. As for the two flanking the central bird-woman, however, well, I don't know, but I bet kids would love them. (I would!)

(Continued after the jump...)

Another shot of Aphrodite's Sanctuary.

But, most of this is merely my speculation, and, while the figures were found in Cyprus, I don't know that they were found at the actual location of Aphrodite's sanctuary... and, I've also seen the bird woman once referred to as Astarte in my cyber-travels. But, if the statues do represent birds (especially doves) and sheep, this might be relevant to this discussion. They may have been symbolic offerings...in lieu of blood sacrifices involving doves - which may have been sacrificed at Aphrodite's temples - as well as lambs, whose entrails were "read" for prophecies.

As for Astarte, she was a Syrian goddess who had much in common with Venus Aphrodite and is generally considered her equivalent, especially in Paphos. Importantly, she was also associated with the planet Venus. Of her, the Roman author, Gaius Julius Hyginus, wrote:

“Into the Euphrates River an egg of wonderful size is said to have fallen, which the fish rolled to the bank. Doves sat on it, and when it was heated, it hatched out Venus, who was later called the Syrian goddess.

A third shot of Aphrodite's Sanctuary.

The trope of a god or goddess being born from an egg is not a new thing on this blog; we saw it with the primeval Eros - often referred to as Aphrodite's (and Hermes') son.

However, in this quote from the mysterious Greek poet Nonnus (who may have been a woman), we have this:

"Beroe first received Kypris; and above the neighboring roads, the meadows of themselves put out plants of grass and flowers on all sides; in the sandy bay the beach became ruddy with clumps of roses.

There, as soon as she was seen on the neighboring harborage, she brought forth wild Eros (Love)... without a nurse, and [Eros] beat on the closed womb of his unwedded mother; then a hot one even before birth, he shook his light wings and with a tumbling push opened the gates of birth."

In other words, Aphrodite was pregnant at birth... with Eros. Talk about virgin births. Incidentally, "Beroe" is a Phoenician city. So, Nonnus may be referring to Astarte... ? In any case, did you know there's a theory that the Phoenicians were the first to reach North America?

Inset left is the humble wild beach rose which is common in coastal regions here in the States - I used to love them back on  the east coast - Rosa Rugosa. They have a heavenly fragrance... fit for a goddess.

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* Another possibility is that Aphrodite's dark, conical baetylus rock may be a prototype of the Black Madonna statues which are found all over Europe and, specifically in France. See this Interfaith Mary Introduction. Note: This site contains a multitude of Black Madonna examples.

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Detail of a geometrically-patterned mosaic floor (still intact) at the sanctuary.

Now, I suppose I should try and give you some idea of the sort of events that took place at Aphrodite's sanctuary, but, this is one case where I believe you truly had to be there to know. Suffice to say, her festival days were probably more like rock festivals than one might imagine, with pilgrims venturing from miles around to meet and greet, eat exotic foods, make music, join in dances and processions, have their fortunes read... and buy souvenirs;  all within a fragrant atmosphere of burning incense, and within the context of peace, love, sex... and, worship.

Inset left, is an example of goods that may have been for sale for the wealthier participants: a Roman, gold ring with an emblem of the sanctuary, which is also found frequently on coins and rings from this period. The triangular (conical) shape in the center - representing Aphrodite - is the baetylus stone shown earlier in the post.

Sometimes versions of this design also feature 2 doves sitting on top or underneath the structure. However, readers of this blog and fans of the phi series will recognize something immediately.

While not all the sanctuary emblems have central cones as "golden" as this one... well, whoever fashioned this ring - and, if you remember from the Roman dodecahedron post, architects and artisans were probably not unfamiliar with the pentagonal golden triangle (inset left). In this case, while not a perfect match - made more unreliable by the graphics program I am forced to use - it's too close to dismiss. Coincidence?

Coincidental or not, the pentagram, which we learned long ago was a symbol connected with the planetary cycles of Venus, her rose, and the arrangement of seeds in apples and pomegranates (her favored fruit) - and, its golden spiral is found in certain shells, another Venus symbol - it is also referred to in this emblem of her sanctuary.

The upshot being that Venus, in the form of the baetylus which represented her, is given the dimensions of a pentagonal golden triangle.

At the top of the carved ring is what appears to be a crescent moon (click on image to enlarge). But, this is unusual. Venus Aphrodite is not a lunar goddess. Selene was the goddess of the moon; Luna was her Roman counterpart. So, why the moon?

As it so happens, Venus, the planet, does display phases very similar to the moon (inset right: the phases of Venus), but this (allegedly) was not known until the 17th century with Galileo's observations... which, in turn, would eventually prove that the sun was the center of the solar system and not the earth.

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Panagia Katholiki, 12th/16th century Franco-Byzantine church next door to Aphrodite's Sanctuary.

"The adoration for the Goddess lasted about 1600 years. It did not even stop when in the 12th century, a Christian Church dedicated to Our Lady was built on the ruins of the Goddess’ Temple. Worshippers called it the “church of Panagia Aphroditissas” (Our Lady Aphrodite) until recently. This changed later on and it was called 'Panagia Chrysopolitissa' or 'Panagia Katholiki.'

The construction is a mix of different styles, since during the 8 centuries of its existence it was transformed and extended various times. It is built of stone coming from the ruins of the adjacent Temple of Aphrodite, and on sliced columns there are Roman inscriptions."

- Found here; this is the most information I could find about the church (in one place), but it tells us all we need to know: it was originally built with the stones from the ruined temple of Aphrodite and was referred to by native worshippers as the church of "Our Lady Aphrodite." Old pagan habits die hard...

But, while the presence of a medieval church within the general area of Aphrodite's Sanctuary is something one might not expect, it might be worth noting that during the Middle Ages, Venus Aphrodite had a mild resurgence of popularity. From the Wiki entry for Aphrodite:

"Early Christians frequently adapted pagan iconography to suit Christian purposes... Throughout the Middle Ages, villages and communities across Europe still maintained folk tales and traditions about Aphrodite/Venus and travelers reported a wide variety of stories. Numerous Roman mosaics of Venus survived in Britain, preserving memory of the pagan past... in the late fifth century AD, Fulgentius of Ruspe encountered mosaics of Aphrodite and reinterpreted her as a symbol of the sin of Lust... He also argued that she was associated with doves and conchs because these are symbols of copulation, and that she was associated with roses because "as the rose gives pleasure, but is swept away by the swift movement of the seasons, so lust is pleasant for a moment, but is swept away forever."

Funny how kill-joys always manage to have the last word. So, in the eyes of Fulgentius, Aphrodite was merely another word for lust, and her son Eros was a "demon of fornication." Meanwhile, contrary to Fulgentius's view, in the 15th century manuscript illumination (inset left, above) we see "Venus, sitting on a rainbow, with her devotees offering her their hearts." In the patriarchal views of men like Fulgentius, we can assume that women, in general, had little value beyond serving as objects of male "lust"... not intuiting - or, totally dismissing - that women turned to Aphrodite for reasons beyond copulation with men. Note that Venus has a lapful of blood-red roses. Inset left is the Aphrodite of Satala (modern-day Turkey).

 

And, then we have the mythical Venusberg, a virtual underworld ruled by Venus, created in a ballad about the virtual poet/knight Tannhäuser, who spent a year of bliss there. Sadly, he developed a guilty conscience and went running to Pope Urban for absolution. "Urban replies that forgiveness is impossible, as much as it would be for his papal staff to blossom. Three days after Tannhäuser's departure, Urban's staff bloomed with flowers; messengers are sent to retrieve the knight, but he has already returned to Venusberg, never to be seen again."

But, there's more historical high strangeness involving Cyprus in the 12th century.

"In 1185 Isaac Komnenos, a member of the Byzantine imperial family, took over Cyprus and declared it independent of the Empire. In 1191, during the Third Crusade, Richard I of England captured the island from Isaac. He used it as a major supply base that was relatively safe from the Saracens. A year later Richard sold the island to the Knights Templar, who, following a bloody revolt, in turn sold it to Guy of Lusignan. His brother and successor Aimery was recognized as King of Cyprus by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor."

Now, that was quite a mouthful for one short paragraph found buried in Wiki's entry for Cyprus... starring Richard the Lionheart, the Knights Templar, the House of Lusignan (see Melusine) and the Holy Roman Emperor, all in 3 sentences. For a fuller, more accurate description of this interesting tale see Wiki's entry for the Kingdom of Cyprus.* Inset left is a Knight's Templar dovecote found in Garway; near one of the six Templar churches in England.

"We will begin our short journey where historians say it all began. In Palaepaphos (Old Paphos, today the village of Kouklia), about 20 kilometers from the New one. Centuries before the new era, it was the pan-Hellenistic center of the cult of Aphrodite. That said, when an ancient Hellene felt like paying his or her respects to the goddess in the right place, Cyprus was the destination to buy a ticket to. Unfortunately, today almost nothing remains of the great cult center, most of it is hidden in the medieval mansion of the Lusignans.

The name is probably familiar to you at least from the movie “Kingdom of Heaven”, where one such Lusignan became the reason for the taking of Jerusalem from the Crusaders. However, I had no idea that the entire island of Cyprus was in their possession for almost four centuries, from the beginning of the 12th to the end of the 15th. There is not much connection to Aphrodite here, except that their mansion in Kouklia is neatly located right in the cult center of the goddess and today the archaeological museum is huddled inside. You can find more interesting things inside than outside. Including a strange sarcophagus decorated with bearded naked men and their goats."

- Via Manya the Tourist's delightful page. The Lusignan Manor House mentioned became Palazzo del Provveditore.

Inset left is one portion of the original gothic structure - the Cathedral of Saint Sophia - possibly a Templar stronghold... and the location of their trials for heresy - until it was converted into a mosque after Nicosia fell to the Ottomans. If you click on the image you will note a large rose in the upper portion and a very obvious Green Man in the lower left.

Another building associated with the Lusignans: Kyrenia Castle.

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* I'll provide a short-cut to the necessary Wiki information here. After the Knights Templar buy Cyprus from Richard the Lionheart...

"Their severity of rule in Cyprus quickly incurred the hatred of the native population. On Easter Day in 1192, the Cypriots attempted a massacre of their Templar rulers; however, due to prior knowledge of the attack and limited numbers of troops, the Knights had taken refuge in their stronghold at Nicosia. A siege ensued and the Templars, realizing their dire circumstances and their besiegers' reluctance to bargain, sallied out into the streets at dawn one morning, taking the Cypriots completely by surprise. The subsequent slaughter was merciless and widespread and though Templar rule was restored following the event, the military order was reluctant to continue rule and allegedly begged King Richard to take Cyprus back. King Richard took them up on the offer and the Templars returned to Syria, retaining but a few holdings on the island."

Is it just me, or is there something missing from this narrative? The presence of the Knights Templar on what can only be considered a sacred island, and the "subsequent" merciless slaughter of the Cypriots - the natives of the island - is really a rather ugly picture. We might also question what really "incurred" the initial hostility on the part of the Cypriots. All things considered, why were the Templars anxious to purchase property that Richard clearly didn't want to begin with?

But, there's more. After the Templars "sallied into the streets,"  slaughtering the offending Cypriots and, thereby, regaining control of the island, why then did the Templars "beg" Richard to take the island back? While I can't quite put my finger on it, something seems wrong with the picture... as if it was a cartoon and not actual history. Meanwhile, after they returned to Syria, the Templars continued to "retain but a few holdings on the island." But, why... and where?

Note: Inset right (above) is a carving (5th to 6th century) - presently in the Louvre - featuring an angel, a throne with an (unidentified) cross, and a downward dove.

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More ruins from Aphrodite's Sanctuary. Note the enigmatic square hollows.

There's an odd sequence of events that took place for me - on a personal level - while blogging for the past few hot, summery months. It began with the dove story I eventually reflected upon here, but, it's hidden message was a buried in a creative cycle initiated by my poem, The Master's House. It was a necessary feminist journey I failed to recognize although, considering the circumstances which inspired it, it should've been clear to me.

Inset right is a small ceramic dovecote from Cyprus, featuring what is described as the figure of Aphrodite peering from its open door. (I swear I did not find this till I was researching this post!)

Basically, I was pulling my psyche out of a potentially injurious situation; one that involved some heavy, patriarchal oppression* coupled with the absurdities posed by fate. On a fundamental level, this oppression began to lift when I mentally pulled down the Master's House. By the time I reached the visionary experience of Venus in the Dovecote (found here), however, I was already regaining my "central force" and during my subsequent (imaginary) wanderings through Aphrodite's paradise - before it was rendered into unintelligible fragments by the various "horsemen" who defiled it - I noticed an internal sea-change.

Every woman - and, possibly, some men - should possess an inner Aphrodite's Sanctuary. It's just you. the ocean, sweet fragrances... and silence.

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* Venus Aphrodite is not a matriarchal goddess, however. While she is a mother, and has maternal instincts, she is not wholly described by them. She is a Lover... not merely as a sexual entity, but in her engagement with the world. In some myths, she is both motherless, and essentially fatherless; born from the ocean sexually mature and fully autonomous. She has a number of other interesting aspects, however, loosely attached to her by her eventual integration with Inanna, Ishtar and Astarte - all three of which are associated with the planet Venus. (Note: Ishtar was also associated with the Black Madonna, as well as the Phrygian goddess, Cybele)

For an interesting Aphrodite source, apart from the ones already mentioned, see: The Darker Side of Venus...

For Sanctuary descriptions and photos, see: Fergus Murray's pages, Always Carry On, and Michael Watt's Cyprus pages.