Tendril woman

Vine woman at the Temple of Hadrian in Ephesus, probably Medusa

As tendrils woman (or tendrils deity ) in the are classical archeology figures referred to, the upper body emerges from a puff or calyx. Their representation can be found on temples and other buildings, but also on jewelry and everyday objects, especially in Asia Minor .

description

The lower body is not visible; the upper body is human and grows from a calyx of leaves or flowers. As a rule the deity is naked; occasionally she has wings or wears a polo on her head . It is not uncommon for her to reach into the tendrils surrounding her with her hands. Usually these are female figures, but from the 4th century BC onwards. There are also male figures. The tendril woman is sometimes shown alone, but there are also combinations with griffins or other mythical animals; the latter especially in Pontus and Scythia .

interpretation

There are no models for the representation of the tendril woman, so that one can see her as a Greek creation. “That it had an important religious function in western Asia Minor can be inferred with certainty from its frequent occurrence in the architectural ornamentation of sanctuaries. The underlying idea is probably the epiphany of the deity in a plant. "

Vine woman of Pantikapaion

According to prevailing opinion, this deity is a life-giving mother goddess. In Ephesus she is presumably identified with Artemis himself. They can also be found at the Temple of Artemis in nearby Magnesia . The above-mentioned representations in combination with griffins particularly emphasize the character as the “mistress of animals”. The male forms, on the other hand, are interpreted as images of the god Sabazios .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Michael Pfrommer : The graves of Tillya-Pepe , in: Bernd Funck (Hg): Hellenism: Contributions to the exploration of acculturation and political order in the states of the Hellenistic age , Tübingen 1996, p. 97ff. ISBN 3-16-146526-1
2. ↑ Robert Fleischer : Artemis of Ephesus and related cult statues from Anatolia and Syria , Leiden 1973, p. 100ff. ISBN 90 04 03677 6
3. ↑ Hans Jucker : Das Bildnis im Blätterkelch , Olten 1961, p. 195ff.