Who Was The Ancient Greek Goddess Of Corn ?
Demeter is called the goddess of corn by the Greeks. She was the granddaughter of the goddess of earth, Gaia and Zeus’s sister. Demeter maintained the fertility of the earth and helped the mankind to grow crops for survival. She was also responsible for the life in the world. |
She had a daughter named Persephone. One day she goes out with her girlfriends and plucks a flower from the earth which results in Hades snatching her from the underworld and takes her to his kingdom. Demeter goes in search of her daughter for 9 days and nights and finally finds out that Zeus married her off to Hades, the god of the underworld. Persephone accepts to stay with her mother for 6 months and with her husband for 6 months. When Persephone is with Demeter the crops grow and flourish but when she goes to her husband it is winter time. This is how winter was created.
She is the goddess of grains but later she also influenced the vegetation and fruits. Demeter was also considered as the goddess of marriage, health and childbirth. Demeter was also the deity in the underworld. She is worshipped in Sparta and the Chthonia festival is celebrated in Hermoine, Argolis.
Demeter is depicted in the role of goddess of vegetation and agriculture, grain and the basket with flowers, all kinds of fruits. Along with her she carries a scepter, a poppy, corn and torch. Her animal is pig. As she is called the deity of the underworld she is also accompanied with a snake.
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