20:
66:
286:
The figure of a goddess of nature, of birth and death was dominant during the Bronze Age, in both Minoan and
Mycenean cults. In the Mycenean cult she was known by the title Potnia. The earliest references to the title are inscriptions in
382:
shows a nameless goddess brandishing a spear and standing upon the representation of a mountain flanked by rampant lions, and the representation seems similar to the
Homeric
533:
identifies
Persephone with the nameless "mistress of the labyrinth". Demeter and Persephone were the two great goddesses of the Arcadian cults. According to
723:
David Ben-Shlomo, Philistine Cult and
Religion According to Archaeological Evidence, January 2019Religions 10(2):74, DOI: 10.3390/rel10020074
946:
156:, "mistress") is a poetic title of honour, used chiefly in addressing females, whether goddesses or women; its masculine analogue is
77:
439:
origin, just as the title "Our Lady" in
Christianity is translated in several languages. The Pre-Greek name may be related to
909:
393:. Potnia is almost always accompanied by an epithet characterizing a particular place or function of the mistress :
57:
646:
612:
271:
973:
872:
852:
549:). Demeter and Persephone were also called "Demeteres" as duplicates of the earth goddess with a double function as
355:. She was a goddess of nature concerned with the annual birth of the divine child. Potnia and her male companion (
319:
suggests that she was the mother-goddess of the
Mycenaeans. It seems that she had an important shrine at the site
734:
963:
502:
112:
696:
629:
735:"(Pytho)Gaia in Myth and Legend: The Goddess of the Ekron Inscription Revisited"
131:
identifies Kore with the nameless "Mistress of the labyrinth", who probably presided over the palace of
658:
624:
582:
968:
676:
53:
47:
601:
938:
534:
127:, in a life-death rebirth cycle which leads the neophyte from death into life and immortality.
331:) was her male companion in the Mycenean cult, and this title was usually applied to the god
514:
370:
refers to the "potnia of the labyrinth", who probably presided over the palace of
Knossos (
360:
124:
103:
with the same meaning and it was applied to several goddesses. A similar word is the title
8:
436:
167:
363:, where the following words were uttered : "Mighty Potnia has born a strong son".
750:
983:
921:"However the word doesn't seem to have Indo-European origin" :F.Schachermeyer (1964)
905:
868:
848:
754:
447:
texts. Although Linear A is not yet deciphered, Palmer relates tentatively the word
978:
746:
494:
19:
895:
634:
538:
246:
230:
24:
673:
The Oxford
Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World
292:
233:
147:
100:
69:
195:
957:
926:
758:
654:
620:
572:
525:
491:
383:
316:
96:
88:
73:
530:
389:
Several tablets in Linear B script found at
Knossos and Pylos refer to the
379:
128:
65:
691:
259:
meaning "mistress of the house"). An alternative etymology of the goddess
215:
207:
501:, "the mistress", was given to the nameless goddess of the mysteries of
567:
510:
506:
487:
352:
275:
120:
116:
28:
577:
562:
550:
452:
444:
332:
288:
251:
226:
203:
108:
104:
32:
479:
475:
435:
This divine title could be the translation of a similar title of
420:
410:
367:
344:
307:, dated 1450-1300 BC. On a number of tablets from Pylos, we find
300:
260:
132:
92:
901:
483:
429:
36:
647:
613:
519:
304:
296:
191:
183:, "mistress", "lady", "wife", is the feminine counterpart to
161:
151:
324:
263:
comes through Potnia and
Despoina ("Dems-meter", from PIE
188:
529:("mistress of the animals") who is obviously Artemis.
458:, which means "lady or mistress", and especially with
401:= ethnic adjective, possibly "Asian (Lydian) woman"),
739:
Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research
409:= "grain", of wheat or barley; probably referring to
237:
451:
which seems to have accompanied goddesses, with the
173:
670:
424:, "Horse Goddess"). At Knossos a tablet refers to
270:Potnia is possibly also etymologically related to
107:, "the mistress", which was given to the nameless
27:may be a version of the Minoan goddess, probably
955:
898:- Die Entdeckung der ältesten Hochkultur Europas
249:with the same meaning. A related Greek word is
786:
784:
770:
768:
432:", a form similar to the later Homeric form.
378:). A famous Minoan seal impression found by
671:J. P. Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (2006).
91:word for "Mistress, Lady" and a title of a
781:
765:
602:Princeton Encyclopedia of classical sites
806:
78:National Archaeological Museum of Athens
64:
18:
58:question marks, boxes, or other symbols
956:
712:Griechisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch
732:
923:Die Minoische Kultur des alten Kreta
474:is usually applied to the goddesses
443:, a possible interpretation of some
343:("earth-shaker") and in the cave of
123:), "the maiden", the goddess of the
794:, Princeton University Press, p.159
490:. This title was also given to the
465:
339:). Another epithet of Poseidon was
115:cult. She was later conflated with
13:
778:Bristol Phoenix Press. pp. 181-185
689:
267:, meaning "mother of the house").
14:
995:
883:Chadwick: The Mycenean world P.92
776:The origins of the Greek religion
751:10.5615/bullamerschoorie.365.0001
315:) without any accompanying word.
733:Press, Michael D. (2012-02-01).
23:This Archaic image known as the
932:
915:
886:
877:
857:
837:
824:
815:
797:
386:(the mistress of the animals).
726:
717:
704:
683:
664:
640:
606:
595:
470:In classical Greece the title
1:
792:Mycenae and the Mycenaean age
588:
245:. The word was inherited in
213:, "master", "husband", fem.
138:
111:goddess of the mysteries of
95:. The word was inherited by
16:Ancient Greek feminine title
7:
845:Documents in Mycenean Greek
843:Ventris M. and Chadwick J.
697:Online Etymology Dictionary
556:
505:cult, later conflated with
295:) syllabic script found at
216:
208:
10:
1000:
648:
614:
553:and vegetation goddesses.
351:is related to the cult of
281:
238:
174:
162:
152:
583:List of Mycenaean deities
545:("mistresses", plural of
900:, Verlag C.H. Beck oHG,
677:Oxford University Press
630:A Greek–English Lexicon
255:("Des-potnia" from PIE
513:), the goddess of the
497:(Ge). A similar title
395:po-ti-ni-ja,a-si-wi-ja
376:-ri-to-jo, po-ti-ni-ja
81:
46:This article contains
40:
974:Women's social titles
943:Description of Greece
812:Dietrich: pp.109, 141
621:Liddell, Henry George
523:(xxi 470) mentions a
413:or her predecessor),
166:). Its hypothetical
76:on an archaic ivory (
68:
22:
964:Ancient Greek titles
867:.1976.Cambridge UP.
847:1976. Cambridge UP.
834:ri-to-jo po-ti-ni-ja
679:. pp. 207, 505.
515:Eleusinian Mysteries
366:An inscription from
125:Eleusinian Mysteries
774:B.Dietriech (2004):
426:a-ta-na-po-ti-ni-ja
415:po-ti-ni-ja,i-qe-ja
225:is attested in the
168:Proto-Indo-European
865:The Mycenean world
790:G. Mylonas (1965)
359:) survived in the
221:, "lady", "wife".
82:
48:special characters
41:
910:978-3-406-62210-6
896:Donauzivilisation
892:Harald Haarmann:
690:Harper, Douglas.
541:they were called
403:si-to-po-ti-ni-ja
135:in Minoan Crete.
72:in the stance of
54:rendering support
35:(c. 640–630 BCE,
991:
948:
936:
930:
919:
913:
904:, 2011, p. 241,
890:
884:
881:
875:
861:
855:
841:
835:
828:
822:
821:Dietrich:166-167
819:
813:
810:
804:
803:Dietriech, p.181
801:
795:
788:
779:
772:
763:
762:
730:
724:
721:
715:
708:
702:
701:
687:
681:
680:
668:
662:
651:
650:
644:
638:
617:
616:
610:
604:
599:
466:Classical Greece
241:
240:
219:
211:
199:
181:
180:
165:
164:
155:
154:
999:
998:
994:
993:
992:
990:
989:
988:
969:Greek goddesses
954:
953:
952:
951:
937:
933:
925:, pp.256, 263,
920:
916:
894:Das Rätsel der
891:
887:
882:
878:
862:
858:
842:
838:
833:
830:Kn Gg 702:da-pu
829:
825:
820:
816:
811:
807:
802:
798:
789:
782:
773:
766:
731:
727:
722:
718:
709:
705:
688:
684:
669:
665:
645:
641:
635:Perseus Project
611:
607:
600:
596:
591:
559:
517:. Homer in the
468:
375:
361:Eleusinian cult
341:e-ne-si-da-o-ne
284:
247:classical Greek
197:
178:
141:
97:Classical Greek
63:
62:
61:
52:Without proper
25:Lady of Auxerre
17:
12:
11:
5:
997:
987:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
950:
949:
931:
914:
885:
876:
856:
836:
831:
823:
814:
805:
796:
780:
764:
725:
716:
703:
682:
663:
639:
605:
593:
592:
590:
587:
586:
585:
580:
575:
570:
565:
558:
555:
467:
464:
373:
293:Mycenean Greek
283:
280:
274:, an attested
176:
140:
137:
101:Mycenean Greek
70:Artemis Orthia
56:, you may see
44:
43:
42:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
996:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
961:
959:
947:
944:
940:
935:
928:
927:W. Kohlhammer
924:
918:
911:
907:
903:
899:
897:
889:
880:
874:
873:0-521-29037-6
870:
866:
860:
854:
853:0-521-08558-6
850:
846:
840:
827:
818:
809:
800:
793:
787:
785:
777:
771:
769:
760:
756:
752:
748:
744:
740:
736:
729:
720:
713:
707:
699:
698:
693:
686:
678:
674:
667:
660:
656:
652:
643:
636:
632:
631:
626:
625:Scott, Robert
622:
618:
609:
603:
598:
594:
584:
581:
579:
576:
574:
573:Potnia theron
571:
569:
566:
564:
561:
560:
554:
552:
548:
544:
540:
536:
532:
528:
527:
526:potnia theron
522:
521:
516:
512:
508:
504:
500:
496:
493:
492:earth goddess
489:
485:
481:
477:
473:
463:
461:
457:
454:
450:
449:a-sa-sa-ra-me
446:
442:
438:
433:
431:
427:
423:
422:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
392:
387:
385:
384:potnia theron
381:
377:
369:
364:
362:
358:
354:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
279:
277:
273:
268:
266:
265:*dems-méh₂tēr
262:
258:
254:
253:
248:
244:
235:
232:
228:
224:
220:
218:
212:
210:
205:
201:
200:
193:
190:
187:, "husband";
186:
182:
169:
159:
149:
145:
136:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
89:Ancient Greek
86:
79:
75:
74:Potnia Theron
71:
67:
59:
55:
51:
49:
38:
34:
30:
26:
21:
942:
934:
922:
917:
893:
888:
879:
864:
859:
844:
839:
826:
817:
808:
799:
791:
775:
742:
738:
728:
719:
711:
706:
695:
685:
672:
666:
642:
628:
608:
597:
546:
542:
531:Karl Kerenyi
524:
518:
498:
471:
469:
460:išhaššaramis
459:
455:
448:
440:
434:
425:
418:
414:
406:
402:
398:
394:
390:
388:
380:Arthur Evans
371:
365:
356:
348:
340:
336:
328:
323:near Pylos.
320:
312:
308:
285:
269:
264:
257:*dems-potnia
256:
250:
242:
222:
214:
206:
194:
184:
171:
157:
143:
142:
129:Karl Kerenyi
84:
83:
45:
929:, Stuttgart
863:Chadwick J.
462:(my lady).
441:a-sa-sa-ra
309:po-ti-ni-ja
243:po-ti-ni-ja
170:(PIE) form
958:Categories
714:Entry 1271
589:References
568:Persephone
511:Persephone
488:Persephone
428:, "potnia
399:a-si-wi-ja
353:Eileithyia
337:po-se-da-o
276:Philistine
229:script in
202:, "host",
121:Persephone
939:Pausanias
759:0003-097X
653: in
543:Despoinai
535:Pausanias
456:išhaššara
437:Pre-Greek
349:Enesidaon
321:Pakijanes
278:goddess.
139:Etymology
984:Linear B
745:: 1–25.
692:"despot"
578:Poseidon
563:Despoina
557:See also
551:chthonic
547:Despoina
503:Arcadian
499:Despoina
445:Linear A
357:paredros
347:(Crete)
333:Poseidon
329:wa-na-ka
317:Chadwick
289:Linear B
252:despoina
239:𐀡𐀴𐀛𐀊
231:Mycenean
227:Linear B
204:Sanskrit
113:Arcadian
109:chthonic
105:Despoina
33:Despoina
979:Knossos
710:Frisk,
655:Liddell
633:at the
539:Olympia
480:Artemis
476:Demeter
453:Hittite
421:Hippeia
419:Potnia
411:Demeter
368:Knossos
345:Amnisos
301:Knossos
299:and at
282:Origins
261:Demeter
175:pot-nih
133:Knossos
93:goddess
908:
902:Munich
871:
851:
757:
615:πότνια
486:, and
484:Athena
472:potnia
430:Athana
391:potnia
313:potnia
223:Potnia
217:pátnī-
185:*pótis
153:πότνια
144:Potnia
87:is an
85:Potnia
37:Louvre
659:Scott
649:πόσις
520:Iliad
407:sitos
372:da-pu
325:Wanax
305:Crete
297:Pylos
272:Ptgyh
234:Greek
209:páti-
192:Latin
163:πόσις
158:posis
148:Greek
99:from
906:ISBN
869:ISBN
849:ISBN
755:ISSN
657:and
507:Kore
495:Gaia
198:spēs
117:Kore
29:Kore
747:doi
743:365
537:at
189:cf.
31:or
960::
783:^
767:^
753:.
741:.
737:.
694:.
675:.
627:;
623:;
619:.
482:,
478:,
303:,
236::
196:ho
150::
39:).
945:.
941:.
912:.
832:2
761:.
749::
700:.
661:.
637:.
509:(
417:(
405:(
397:(
374:2
335:(
327:(
311:(
291:(
179:-
177:a
172:*
160:(
146:(
119:(
80:)
60:.
50:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
