List of 999 women of the Heritage Floor / Snake Goddess

This list describes the place setting for the snake goddess on the table of Judy Chicago's art installation The Dinner Party . It is part of the list of 999 women on the Heritage Floor who are assigned to the respective place settings on the table. The names of the 999 women are on the tiles of the Heritage Floor, which is arranged below the table and belongs to the art installation.

description

The installation consists of a three-sided table, each with 13 historical or mythological personalities, thus a total of 39 people, from prehistory to the women's rights movement . These people were assigned a place setting at the table, consisting of an individually designed table runner, an individually designed plate, a goblet, knife, fork, spoon and serviette. The first page of the table is devoted to prehistory up to the Roman Empire , the second to Christianization up to the Reformation and the third from the American Revolution to the women's movement. Each place setting on the table is assigned additional personalities who have received an entry on the tiles of the Heritage Floor, which occupies the space under the table and the center of the space between the sides of the table. This list includes the personalities assigned to the serpent goddess's table setting. Your seat is on the first side of the table.

Hints

In addition to the names as they are used in German transcription or in scientific usage, the list shows the spelling chosen by Judy Chicago on the tiles.

The information on women who do not yet have an article in the German-language Wikipedia is referenced by the individual references listed under comments . If individual information in the table is not referenced via the main article, additional individual references are given at the relevant point. If there are any discrepancies between the information provided in Wikipedia articles and the descriptions of the work of art on the Brooklyn Museum website , this will also be indicated under Comments.

Place setting for the snake goddess

Statuettes of the snake goddess in the Archaeological Museum of Crete , Heraklion

The snake goddess is one of the iconographic representations of Minoan deities that have been handed down on seals . A group of statuettes was found in Minoan excavations by British archaeologist Arthur Evans at the Palace of Knossos in Crete. They come from the new palace period of the Minoan civilization. Evans named the larger of the two statues the title of serpent goddess and named the smaller serpent . However, it is unclear whether his thesis is correct or whether both statuettes represent the same goddess or different goddesses. In Minoan mythology, the snake goddess stands for the earth and the underworld. She is surrounded by snakes or holds up snakes, she also represents a variation of the mistress of animals. Her attribute are snakes.

Chicago goes on to explain in its background description of the serpent goddess's table setting that early interpretations of the worship of the serpent goddess, which Evans also supported, indicate that she was worshiped in a domestic cult. This was practiced in houses and palaces. Later excavations have also revealed shrines with goddess figures in certain areas of palaces, which could mean that the goddess's sphere of influence expanded to official and public areas. Other clay figurines of goddesses and ritual devices found in shrines outside the palace of Knossos suggest that the goddess was mainly associated with snakes and birds. However, a distinction is not precise and there may also be other possible associations. Bare breasts and the bell shape of some clay goddesses suggest a connection with fertility. The association with snakes also evokes an underworld aspect.

The figures of the "snake goddess" excavated by Evans were made of faience. Goddess figures that were later excavated elsewhere are made of clay and have simplified shapes. More statuettes appeared in the market after Evans exhibited his discoveries. They were made of ivory, stone and, in one case, terracotta. The authenticity of these statuettes has been questioned by Kenneth Lapatin .

The table setting of the snake goddess on the dinner party table was designed by Chicago and her team in the colors ivory, gold, brown and yellow. On the back of the table runner are two intertwined snakes that are designed in gold. The initial letter “S” from Snake Goddess on the runner's side is also shaped by a snake. At the front, flounces were attached, which are reminiscent of the clothing of the statuettes found in Crete. Inkle-loom ribbon webbing surround the runner and are embroidered with patterns that resemble those of Minoan clothing. In the center of the plate is a depiction of a vulva with four other similar, light yellow arms that run to the edge of the plate and grow out of the central depiction. The egg-shaped forms are said to represent the generative power of the goddess. The colors used are taken from the color scheme of the Cretan snake goddesses.

Surname	Spelling on the tile	Date of birth	cultural spatial assignment	Remarks
Ariadne	Ariadne	N / A	Greek mythology	She helped Theseus defeat the Minotaur and was worshiped as the fertility goddess.
Artemis	Artemis	N / A	Greek mythology	Goddess of the hunt , the forest , the moon and the guardian of women and children. She is one of the twelve great Olympian gods and is therefore one of the most important deities in Greek mythology.
Athena	Athena	N / A	Greek mythology	Goddess of wisdom , strategy and struggle , art , craft and handicraft as well as patron goddess and namesake of the Greek city of Athens . She belongs to the twelve Olympic deities , the Olympioi.
Britomartis	Britomartis	N / A	Greek mythology , Crete	Nymph in Greek mythology , daughter of Zeus and Karme (daughter of Eubuleus ) in Crete . Sometimes she was also called Diktynna or Aphaia.
Chicomecoatl	Chicomecoatl	N / A	Aztec mythology	Aztec goddess of the earth, livelihood and corn. Her name means seven serpents .
Demeter	Demeter	N / A	Greek mythology	Mother goddess from the Greco-Asia Minor area. Belongs to the twelve Olympic deities, the Olympioi, and is responsible for the fertility of the earth, the grain, the seeds and the seasons.
Europe	Europe	N / A	Greek mythology , Crete	Beloved of Zeus , who kidnaps her in the shape of a bull and brings her to Crete. The connection has three children: Minos , Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon .
Fortuna	Fortuna	N / A	Roman mythology	Goddess of luck and fate in Roman mythology , she corresponds to Tyche in Greek mythology and salvation among the ancient Norse peoples.
Pasiphae	Pasiphae	N / A	Greek mythology	Daughter of the sun god Helios and the Oceanid Perse , at the same time sister of Kirke , Perses , Aietes and Aloeus . She was the wife of King Minos of Crete .
Persephone	Kore	N / A	Greek mythology	Goddess of the dead , underworld and fertility . Daughter of Zeus and his sister Demeter .
python	python	N / A	Greek mythology	Serpent guarding the Delphi Oracle and killed by Apollo .
Rhea	Rhea	N / A	Greek mythology	Goddess and Titaness , wife of Kronos, begat with him the deities Hestia , Demeter , Hera , Hades and Poseidon , who were devoured by their father and Zeus , the father of the next generation of gods.
Wadjet	Buto	N / A	Egyptian mythology	Country goddess of Lower Egypt , ancient Egyptian snake goddess of the delta area , whose main place of worship was Buto , protective goddess of Pharaoh .