ANATOLIA 2010
A
PHRODISIAS 1

APHRODISIAS 1

APHRODISIAS 2

APHRODISIAS 3

APHRODISIAS 4

APHRODISIAS 5

Aphrodite

Aphrodisias, mon amour. How incredibly sweet, playful and joyful can life be if holistic ("feminine") values are adopted. Where to find them nowadays with women increasingly follow their "masculine" impulses? Maybe the "anima-seeking" men could play a role here!

Text explaining the capitals  down under

The text says that these images represent Goddesses and Gods - like Aphrodite and Apollo - playing in paradise

The unique thing about them is, that Aphrodite and Apollo are not very much  representatives of a vegetation cult, like Dionysos'
It means that both Goddesses and Gods were considered part of nature, whatever their specific functions
Thus Green Men and Wise Women are indeed descendents of Goddesses and Gods

The four seasons

Before the foliate masks of our medieval churches the vegetation Goddesses and Gods were portrayed in various ways. Here, the foliage is sprouting out of the earth "giving birth" to the seasons

 

Dionysos with Phrygian cap and a mask in his hands
Masks in Roman drama
Sarcophage with the owner identifying himself with a vegetation God. Look at the feet of the images. They have changed into leaves!
I want to stress the following here. Green Men as we call them are in Essence vegetation Gods, stemming from the time of the Great Mother and Her Son/Lovers. Depending on time, situation and local practises these Green Men were portrayed in different ways. The Essence remained the same, while their appearence changed. Exactly what can be expected from a "dying and resurrecting" deity

Eros (form of Green Man as well) with feet as leaves

Wise women against the background of the Universal Mother Shell

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 © 2010 Copyright Han Marie Stiekema
Last revising: 04/26/10