 
We don't know the original name of the Goddess known in the city later called Aphrodisias, but the Greeks recognized in Her a form of their Aphrodite. Aphrodisias is located in the southwestern part of Anatolia (roughly modern Turkey), in the area known in ancient times as Caria, world-famous for the quality of the marble quarried there. Though Aphrodisias is well inland, it was famous for having a salt-water well; it's likely that this connection with the saltwater ocean is why the Greeks identified the indigenous Goddess known there with their Aphrodite. Her cult-statue in Aphrodisias is of a peculiar Anatolian type: a tall, pillar-like rigid statue wrapped in a tight-fitting skirt. This form may derive from old wooden statues that had a plank-like or log-like shape, and which were hung about with real clothing and jewelry—the famous Artemis of Ephesos is of the same type. She's shown here in much the same form as the ancient marble cult-statue (which we still have). Though I've simplified some of the designs, Her apron still refers to Her realms of the Earth, Sky, Moon, Sun and Sea. This design is available on prints through ArtPal. |