Goddess Artemis was one of the twelve gods of the Greek pantheon, and she was worshiped all around the Greece and Anatolia. Artemis later became Diana in the Roman mythology. She gained many nicknames and titles. One of which was the Lady of Ephesus. One of the biggest temples of Artemis was in Ephesus. The Lady of Ephesus looked a bit different from Artemis representations in other cities. In their depictions, they depicted her fertility, abundance and being the protector of cities, nature and animals. The lady of Ephesus Artemis was decorated with multiple large beads on her neck.
Two Artemis statues were found during excavations in Ephesus in 1956. Archaeologists call one of these sculptures the “Beautiful Statue of Artemis” and the other the “Great Artemis Statue”. Both sculptures are exhibited in the Ephesus Archeological Museum today. The beautiful Artemis was carved in the Roman period and carries the traces of the east. There is a three-story tower above the head of the statue of Artemis. This symbolizes that he is the protector of the city. On the neck of the goddess is a large disk shaped like a full moon. The Crescent on her forehead emphasizes that she is the moon goddess like the Greek Artemis. There are 5 eagle-headed lions (griffons) on both sides of the neck of the beautiful Artemis statue. On his necklace, the sun-moon-planets cycle, of which she dominates. About 40 breast depictions in an orderly order draw attention. Recent studies show that these breasts refer to bull testicles. This depiction is a tribute to the blessing of the mother goddess and fertility. Animal depictions in rectangular plates catch the eye on the skirt. There are bulls, goats, lions, bees, griffons and sphinxes in each quadrant. This description expresses Artemis’ rule over nature and is completely unique to Artemis of Ephesus who is also known as the Lady of Ephesus.
Read More —> The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
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Read More —> Saint John the Evangelist at the Temple of Artemis
