Goddess of sexual love.

Known period of worship identified from circa 1300 BC (evolving from an earlier prehistoric Asiatic model), until Christianization (circa 400 AD) and later.

Synonyms equating with Istar; Astarte; Astoreth; Dione, Cytherea, Venus

“She Who Binds Hearts Together”; “She who came from the sea”; Goddess of the Western Corner. She was pictured as beautiful, voluptuous, with blue eyes and fair hair. At one time her name was Marianna or “La Mer”, meaning “the ocean.” She was called virginal, meaning that sher remained independent. Her priestesses where not physical virgins, but celebrated sexual rites; men were excluded from many of her rituals. Frankincense and myrrh were burned in her timples.

The love of women, in whatever form, was sacred to her. Her birds were the heron, lovebird, swan and dove (yonic symbol). Patroness of prostitutes. Goddess of love, beauty, the joy of physical love, sensuality, passion, generosity, all forms of partnerships and relationships, affection, fertility, continued creation, renewal.

The symbol of complete sexual femininity, Aphrodite, is the inspiration of the Gods themselves. She is the goddess of beauty, passion, sensuality and giving. Her name is synonymous with charm and grace. As the patron goddess of the arts it is she who gives creative license to the artisan to produce the beautiful images that are portrayed in the many artistic outlets seen in museums, on canvas, in clay or that has been sculpted.