Blessing of the goddess Astarte. The image of the goddess Astarte in different cultures

Today is March 31, 2013. (in the month of Daylet, 28th day), Orthodox Slavs and Aryans, Old Believers revere the Goddess Tara, the Heavenly Guardian of the Sacred Groves, Forests, Oak forests. On this day, Nature is actively awakening.

GODDESS TARA (Tarina, Taya, Tabiti) - the younger sister of God Tarkh, named - Dazhdbog, daughter of the Heavenly God Perun.
Goddess Tara always sparkles with kindness, love, tenderness, care and attention. Her grace is poured out not only on Nature, but also on people.

The Eternally Beautiful Goddess Tara is the Heavenly Guardian of the Sacred Groves, Forests, Oak Forests and Sacred Trees of the Great Race - Oak, Cedar, Elm, Birch and Ash. Due to the fact that the Goddess Tara, together with her elder brother Tarkh Dazhdbog, protect the boundless lands of Belovodye and the Holy Race, these territories are called the lands of Tarkh and Tara, i.e. Great Tartaria (Grand Tartaria).

Among the Old Believers, the Goddess Tara is very revered and loved, bloodless sacrifices were and are made to her. Symbol of Tara: Vaiga is a solar natural sign, personifying the Goddess Tara. This wise Goddess protects the four Highest Spiritual Paths along which a person goes. But these Paths are also open to the four Great Winds, which seek to prevent man from reaching his goal.

Slavic legends about Tara: God Mitra saved the Rassen and Svyatorus families from drought, gave them water and food, and indicated which Clans should move to which flowering lands. For the fact that Mitra saved the Childbirth, the dark forces chained him to the Caucasus mountains and sent the wild ones to peck his flesh. Mitra was between Life and Death for three days. From the Clans of the Svyatoruss, a squad of the best distant warriors was chosen, headed by the Priestess - Warrior As "Tara. She led the soldiers to the place of torment of Mitra, where the dark forces were defeated, freed Mitra from the shackles, revived him with the Power of her Love, after which on the Fiery Divine The chariot ascended with Mitra to Heaven. Since then, many Clans of Southern Scythia have revered As "Tara as the Goddess of the Highest Saving Love and Rebirth.

Tarkh Dazhdbog fought with the dark forces and they asked for mercy, a truce and made a feast. At the feast, they poured Sleepy Potion into Tarkh's drink, and when he fell asleep, they chained him to the Caucasus mountains so that predatory princes and animals would torment his flesh. The Goddess Jiva freed him from the shackles, transferred him on her Swan Wings to the tract of Tara to the confluence of Rata and Iria, where, together with her sister Tarha, the Goddess Tara, they healed his bodily wounds, and the Goddess Jiva, by the power of Highest Saving Love and Revival, breathed new strength into him and Life, after which the wedding of Tarkh Dazhdbog and the Goddess Jiva took place.

Dazhdbog, just like Mitra, was chained to the Caucasus Mountains for three days and was between Life and Death.

Glory to the Goddess Tara, Perun's Daughter! Glory to the Mother Gods! Glory to Mother Earth!

This holiday is celebrated on the days of the Spring Equinox, the end of Winter and the beginning of the season of rebirth.

The holiday heralds the full return of the vital forces of nature. English title this holiday (Easter) is Teutonic in origin (as well as the German Ostern). Eostre or Ostara is the name of the German goddess of fertility and the dawn, to whom the holiday is dedicated (among the Slavs, this is the goddess Tara from the family of the gods AS).
The Germans celebrated the return of Astara from the underworld with small wheat buns and colored eggs, which were symbols of new life. On this day, like the Slavs, they rejoiced at the return of migratory birds - the messengers of this spring, and also celebrated the first offspring and the beginning of lactation in sheep. Astara is one of the "oldest" goddesses, evidence of her worship dates back to the end of the 2nd millennium BC!
The spring festival of Astara is dedicated to the Goddess of Fertility and is celebrated, as mentioned above, during the spring equinox, when day equals night and is in full balance.

After it, daytime hours will exceed nighttime hours until summer solstice when the sun will triumph on the longest day of the year.
Astara's hare totem is a legacy of ancient fertility rituals. Also, its symbols are plants that wake up these days and therefore the earth becomes green, daylight hours increase.

The holiday of Astara is permeated with motives of balance, fertility and growth.
This is the best time to connect to the surrounding energy flows, to think about the balance in life, about your own development potential.
During this period, you can meditate, leaning your back against a tree, trying to feel the life rising from its roots along the trunk to the branches.

Astara is also called the holiday of trees, at this time you can study the traditions, customs and magical rites associated with trees.
It is traditional to perform rituals of fertility, readiness for conception and, in general, any rituals related to birth, growth and vitality on this day. The Spring Equinox represents the triumph of life. This day is a holiday of joy and harmony. Even if the weather is not too favorable, Astara should be met in nature, preferably outside the city.

Great Virgin, our Goddess Tara, Hear us, your children, We call to you now. Share this joy with us, Come to us Great, Come down to us, so that together we can Celebrate the day of the Equinox. We call on you, Virgo, We ask you: come Fill us and this place with your power.

The spring equinox is almost universally perceived as a celebration of the beginning of spring and the "opening of the earth." Depending on the climatic zone, it was believed that this day either finally ends winter and begins spring, in others, where it is colder, it was believed that on this day spring conquers winter, but does not drive it away yet. For many nations, the year was counted from the spring equinox, and therefore was accompanied by numerous rituals and magical actions, special importance was attached to the red color (the color of life) or a combination of red and white colors - the colors of life and death, summer and winter, etc. Among the Hutsuls, it is believed that red and white are the colors of blood and milk, and in March children are given blood from goats or lambs mixed with milk so that they grow strong and do not get sick.

If we trace the folk rituals, the holiday turns out to be associated with purification and protection - for example, rites of snake expulsion were held (Bulgaria, Slovakia) - since the “opened” earth on this day releases wintered “reptiles” - snakes, frogs, toads, biting insects and etc. This is a curious group of rituals designed to drive away or scare snakes - they collected and burned all the garbage accumulated in the house and yard (do not ask me how this is connected with snakes - apparently, snakes are more willing to bite hoarders and hoarders), burning rags or manure were scattered around the house , walked around it with copper mallets, beat stones on stones - but at the same time it was forbidden to kill snakes or inflict any harm on them.

By the way, beliefs are also connected with the same day that bears and brownies wake up (therefore, games of "awakening the bear" were held, treats for the brownie were exhibited). Where bees were bred, a cleansing fumigation of the apiary with herbs was carried out, or (in warmer climates) the flight of the first swarm was celebrated.
Ceremonies were held to protect the herds from wolves - they rang bells, beat metal utensils and shouted loudly: it was believed that the wolf would not approach the herds closer than the distance at which the ringing and screaming were heard.

Houses in some regions (Ukraine, Poland) were circled with an ax so that the evil spirits would not cross, and they tried not to give anything from the house, neither things, nor food (except for bread baked in advance for these days) - so that the owners and household would not be jinxed. Those who had straw mattresses burned them and stuffed new ones.
It was considered a sin to work that day - even to do the lightest work, it was impossible to bake bread and heat the stove (so as not to "bake the earth", not to make it barren). On this day, women avoided combing their hair so that the chickens would not “comb” the beds in the garden in the summer, and the girls would not weave braids so that they would not stray in the forest for a year later. On this day, cattle were not mated, birds were not planted on eggs, and sexual relations between wives and husbands were also not welcomed. By this day, the house should be tidied up and cleaned, it was necessary to avoid evil words and deeds, quarrels, insults and abuse.

It is believed that it is at this time that the birds return from Vyriy, “bird tongues are untied”, and they begin to sing. The first birdsong had to be met with at least a little money in your pocket - otherwise until next spring you will go hungry, angry and indigent. There was a belief that it is not good to see a lonely swallow on this day - you will be lonely all year or you will bury your spouse. Particular importance was attached to storks, as birds promising domestic well-being, and larks - birds that bring spring on their wings.

At the same time, the calls of spring began among the Slavs, the children sang stoneflies. On the day of the arrival of storks, they baked special loaves in the form of a stork's paw, and distributed them to children. They tried to throw one such loaf into a stork's nest. Other ritual "bird" pastries are "larks" and "waders", used in the calls of birds and spring (children's rites).
Bonfires were necessarily lit, through which one had to jump for protection from evil and purification, for the same purpose at dawn they washed themselves with water from a river or a source.

On these days, they also celebrated the farewell to winter (a series of these holidays was called Maslenitsa), which were noisy, stormy, with “bears, stuffed animals” and other mummers. In addition, the fun and noise of carnival is a means of ensuring well-being for all participants and observers. In addition, frequent attributes of the holiday throughout Europe are “ritual gluttony”, cleansing actions (dousing, fumigation, fire) and all sorts of battles (up to battles with ripe oranges - Portugal), competitions and dancing with weapons.

The tradition of noisy processions and festivities during the farewell of winter and the meeting of spring is pan-European, with the exception of island Britain, where this custom "sailed" only in the Middle Ages - there spring carnivals were celebrated quite widely in the 14-16 centuries, and then an uncharacteristic tradition gradually came to naught, and by the 19th century shrank to one day. In Scotland, they prepared the so-called Festy, cakes from oat flour- it was necessary to collect flour in a handful, between the palms, then lower the hands into cold water... the resulting lump was baked in hot ash. Pancakes from batter were baked in Ireland, in Scotland and Britain there is an incredible number of recipes for different pancakes - from dough from steep to semi-liquid, and mixed both with milk and water familiar to us, and with broth, including fish, and with different flour varieties. The last pancake was intended for divination - it was the so-called "sleepy pancake". Putting a piece of such a pancake under the pillow, one could see prophetic dream- The Scots are a brave people, they are not afraid of washing bed linen. A straw effigy was also burned at the festival.
This holiday was called (as mentioned above) Maslenitsa, but in the old days it was also known as Krasnogor. At Shrovetide, there is a disguise very similar to Christmas, but, unlike the processions of the beginning of winter, the terrible character of the procession is no longer the Dead Man (an attribute of Morena-winter), but the Bear - an ancestor animal and a symbol of summer. Most of the Slavic peoples in the Maslenitsa games have a ritual “awakening of the bear”, a very archaic part of the ritual, keeping traces of veneration of this beast and sacrifices to it.

The holiday was also directly connected with the sun and the warming of the earth - therefore, bonfires were necessarily made, fiery wheels were launched from the mountains, straw wreaths on high poles were set on fire. The water also had great importance- in many places, dousing and sprinkling, washing with water from springs on certain days, etc. were practiced.

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there were sanctuaries of A. Another temple of this goddess was erected in Beth San (1 Samuel 31:10), and is believed to have been discovered by archaeologists. As the supreme deity of the Phoenicians A., to the worship of which Solomon was seduced by his wives, the Bible calls "the deity of Sidon" (1 Kings 11:5,33) or contemptuously - "the abomination of Sidon" (2 Kings 23:13). Canaanite A. corresponds to Babyl.-Assyrian. goddess Ishtar. In Babylon, Ishtar was considered the daughter of the moon god Sin, and later - the wife supreme god Anu. Here, as in Phoenicia and Canaan, she was revered primarily as the goddess of love and fertility, and in Assyria and among the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:10)- as the goddess of war. To explain this contradiction, Beul points to duality. the role that was attributed to the planet A., Venus. Already in ancient times, the morning star was identified with the evening one, and the morning star was considered as the star of war, and the evening one - as the star of love. In Babylon, Ishtar was portrayed as bearded, which also testifies to her dual nature. In the Hellenistic the era of Ishtar was equated with the Greek. Aphrodite. Reading about the queen of heaven (in the Synod. per. - "goddess of heaven"), revered in Jerusalem in the time of Jeremiah (Jer 7:18; 44:17-19,25), we can also assume that we are talking about the morning and evening star, and, respectively. - about A. Numerous were found in Palestine. nudity female figurines, which are considered to be images of A. Figurines, discovered. in Gezer, have horns (for the name of the city, see Ashteroth-Karnaim = "Astarte with two horns"). The abundance of found figurines of this kind, relating to the period Kingdom of Israel, confirms the Bible's reports about the spread of the cult of A. in Israel. With the worship of A. as the goddess of fertility and sensual lust, cult prostitution was everywhere associated. Along with temple prostitutes, other women also engaged in fornication in temples. The men who were engaged in prostitution were also in the service of the goddess. (Deut 23:181; 1 Kings 14:24 ; see Fornication, harlot, fornicator). When the prophets call idolatry adultery and fornication, these are not so much figurative expressions as indications of the manifestation of specific forms of the fertility cult (cf. Ezek 23);
2) (Heb. Ashera), a goddess whose name, in addition to VZ, is also mentioned in documents from the Tell-Amarna archive, where she is called Abd-Ashirta, and in texts found. during the excavations of Ras Shamra (Ugarit). According to Byol, Ashirat, or Asherat, was the wife of the god Amurru. A close relationship is also assumed between Ashera and A., goddesses of fertility and love. In the texts of Ras Shamra, Asherat appears as the wife of the supreme god named El, the god of the sun, who lives on a mountain somewhere far to the north. Ashera is designated as "mistress of the sea". She is also called Elat (female f. R. from El). El and Ashera had 70 common children, and Baal was among them. Thus, Asherah was highly revered by the nations around Israel, and the worship of her idols also penetrated among the people of God. (Judg 3:7- pl. h. - MT: "served the Ashers"; 1 Kings 15:13 - MT: "the idol of Asherah"; 2 Kings 24:4,6,7- MT everywhere: "Usher"; 2 Chronicles 33:3- MT: "made Ashers"; Synod. Transl.: "arranged oak forests"). IN 1 Kings 18:19 along with 450 prophets of Baal, 400 prophets of Ashera are mentioned (in the Synod. per. - "prophets of the oak forest"), which were kept by Jezebel.

bible encyclopedia Brockhaus. F. Rinecker, G. Mayer. 1994 .

See what "Astarte" is in other dictionaries:

- (Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1877) Astarte (Greek Αστάρτη ... Wikipedia

- (Among the Jews Ashtaroth). 1) the deity of the ancient Semites. The Phoenicians revered her as the goddess of love, while the Jews reduced her to the level of an evil spirit. 2) the name of the planet Venus. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. ASTARTA 1) ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (Astarte). Syrian or Phoenician goddess, who was compared with the Greek Aphrodite. (Source: "A Brief Dictionary of Mythology and Antiquities." M. Korsh. St. Petersburg, edition of A. S. Suvorin, 1894.) ASTARTA (ttrt, štrt), in West Semitic ... ... Encyclopedia of mythology

The main goddess of the ancient Semites, the wife of Baal, the sun god. She was revered primarily as the goddess of love, sometimes as the goddess of war. She corresponds to the Babylonian Ishtar; in Carthage she bore the name Tanit, among the Phoenicians Rabbat, among the Jews Malkat Gashomaim; at… … Literary Encyclopedia

Goddess of fertility Dictionary of Russian synonyms. astarte n., number of synonyms: 4 ashera (3) goddess ... Synonym dictionary

ASTARTA, in Phoenician mythology, the goddess of fertility and love; warrior goddess, personification of the planet Venus ... Modern Encyclopedia

- (Ashtart) in Phoenician mythology, the goddess of fertility, motherhood and love; astral deity, the personification of the planet Venus ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (among the Jews Ashtoret, among the Assir. Ishtar) the name of the main goddess of the ancient Semitic pagans, namely: the Himyarites, Syrians, Assyrians, Arabs, Phoenicians and Jews. This goddess, as a male element, corresponds to the god Baal, especially Baal Gamman (Jude Moloch), ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Astarte- ASTARTA, in Phoenician mythology, the goddess of fertility and love; warrior goddess, personification of the planet Venus. … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Phoenician goddess of fertility and sensual love. The Greek form of her name (Astarte) is derived from the Semitic Ishtar. In the classical era, Astarte was considered the goddess of the moon (perhaps as a result of confusion with another Semitic goddess). By… … Collier Encyclopedia

Astarte- the Greek name of the goddess, which was worshiped by some Semitic peoples. In Babylon and Assyria it was called Ishtar, in Syria Atar, in Israel Astoret (Ashtarot), in Phenicia Astarte, in Abyssinia Astar In southern Arabia they worshiped a male god p ... Dictionary of Biblical Names

Astarte is a goddess about whom much can be said. The Romans and Greeks identified her with Aphrodite. The Phoenicians worshiped her as the main deity. The Egyptians and Canaanites, representatives of the Semitic tribes, cultivated her image. And in the ancient world, Astarte was the subject of the greatest worship. All this is incredibly interesting, so now it’s worth going in the footsteps of history into the past, right up to the advent of our era, in order to properly immerse yourself in this topic and learn a little more about such a great goddess.

Appearance and origin

The first mention of Astarte dates back to the third millennium BC. According to historical data, she was the central figure of the Akkadian pantheon. You can identify her with the Sumerian goddess of fertility and love, which was Inanna, the mother of heaven.

Interestingly, for the Western Semites, Astarte was precisely the goddess - a certain, specific figure. But for the southern - a synonym for deity. Over time, this word became a household word, as a result of which the very image of Astarte absorbed many Hurrian and Sumerian goddesses. And already by 2000 BC. e. her first cult arose.

It is worth noting that the image of the goddess Astarte contained three important titles. These are the Queen, the Virgin and the Mother. Perhaps that is why she was nicknamed "the oldest of heaven and earth."

In the culture of the Phoenicians

Inhabitants ancient state, located in the east of the Mediterranean Sea, considered the goddess Astarte to be the one who gives life. They called her Mother Nature with ten thousand names and associated with Venus and the Moon.

The Phoenicians represented her as a woman with horns. This image symbolized the crescent moon at the time of the autumnal equinox. They also imagined that she was holding an ordinary cross in one hand, and a cruciform staff in the other.

The goddess Astarte was always seen crying. Because she lost her son Tammuz - the deity of fertility. If you believe the myths, then Astarte descended to earth in the form of a blazing star, falling into Lake Alfaka, where he died.

As already mentioned, the goddess was associated with Venus - the "Morning Star". She was considered as an evening and morning guide, especially helping seafarers. Therefore, a statue in the form of Astarte was always fixed on the bow of each ship, so that it would accompany them and bring good luck.

Turning to Mythology: The Middle East and Egypt

The history of the emergence of the goddess Astarte in the culture of the inhabitants of these states is very long and complex, as it covers millennia, several language groups, as well as a lot of geographical regions.

One of its oldest incarnations, for example, is the Sumerian Inanna - a many-sided deity. However, she still had the main "role". Inanna was the fertility goddess of date palms, livestock and cereals. And also the patroness of rain, storms and thunderstorms. This is connected both with the hypostasis of the goddess of fertility, and with her warlike, even courageous character. These "roles", like many others, are inherent in the Name of which is synonymous with Astarte.

In general, it would not be superfluous to turn to Plutarch's treatise On Isis and Osiris. There are several interesting points in the main myth. In particular, the one when Set locked Osiris in a chest and lowered him into the waters of the Nile. He was carried away by the streams of the river into the sea, as a result of which he ended up on the shore of the city, which was the center of the cult of Tammuz, the husband of Astarte.

Around this chest, according to myth, a giant tamarind tree has grown. It turned out to be noticed by the inhabitants, and they cut it down to make a pillar out of it for the palace of the goddess Astarte and her husband Melqart, the patron god of navigation.

Cult in Egypt

According to historical data, it was formed in the period from 1567 to 1320. BC e. According to the Aramaic texts from Upper Egypt, the goddess Astarte was considered the wife of Yahweh before the so-called monotheistic reform. And Yahweh is one of the many names of God himself.

When the period of Hellenism began (which lasted from 336 to 30 BC), the image of Astarte completely merges with the figure of Anat, who in West Semitic mythology was the goddess of war and hunting.

Why are they "united"? Because Anat, Astarte, and also Kadesh were the three goddesses who bore the honorary Egyptian title of the Heavenly Queen. In addition, only they had a traditionally male crown. In all other respects, the goddesses also had a lot of similarities. So it's no wonder why their images came together.

So, as a result, the goddess Astarte in Ancient Egypt began to be represented as a naked woman with a snake, which symbolized fertility. Or with a lily. Less often - sitting on horseback, holding a sword in her hand.

The center of the cult, of course, was Memphis. There, Astarte was revered as the daughter of the god Ra - the Creator himself. They personified her with a warrior, considered the patroness of the pharaohs.

But in myths, by the way, it is mentioned very rarely. When the formation of the Assyro-Babylonian Empire and the formation of written culture took place, all material monuments dedicated to the goddess Astarte were destroyed. This is a global consequence of numerous military campaigns. Even libraries were destroyed (or confiscated).

Why goddess of love?

Based on the above, one could already conclude that Astarte is, saying plain language, a kind of sublime, cultivated and generalized image of a polynomial deity, who is the patron of many spheres. But something needs to be clarified. Astarte is the goddess of fertility and love.

Everything is more interesting here. Astarte is the astral personification of Venus. Which was originally so named after the Roman goddess of beauty, desire, carnal love and prosperity. Veneris from Latin, by the way, is translated as “carnal love”.

Venus, like Astarte, was identified with Aphrodite. The son of which was Aeneas, who escaped from the besieged Troy, and fled to Italy. They say that it was his descendants - the founders of Rome. Therefore, Venus was also considered the foremother of the Roman people. Astarte, also bore a similar "title", as mentioned earlier.

In ancient Greek antiquity, by the way, Venus was perceived either as a luminary, a material object of nature, or as a personality of one or another deity.

And, of course, one cannot help but turn again to the Phoenician culture. In those distant times, there were cities such as Beirut and Sidon. It was they who were the centers of worship of the goddess of love - Astarte. There she was considered the main, paramount female deity.

Its high priests were the Sidonian kings, and their priestesses were their wives. She was treated with respect, as to the mistress of kings, to the mistress. They respected her strength. What was love in ancient times? You can find the answer to this question by delving into the study of history and texts, the authors of which were such great thinkers as Parmenides, Hesiod, Empedocles, Plato. Love is power. The first to appear in this world. It is under its influence that many events take place, and the chain of generations continues.

Turning to the Bible

Since the topic is related to religion, one cannot help but turn to the Holy Book when talking about the goddess Astarte. What you can not think is that she was mentioned in it. Indeed, even in myths it is difficult to find lines dedicated to her, not to mention the Bible. But there are references. And here are two significant references:

• The Levite city of Ashtartu, the capital of Og. Its full name is Ashterot-Karnaim. This is translated as "Two-horned Astarte." The source of the name is Palestinian archaeological finds depicting a goddess with two horns.
• The line: "They left the Lord and began to serve Baal and the Astartes." These words are epithets referring to deities. "Baal" is, by the way, the personification of motivation and male fertility.

According to calculations, the name of Astarte as a goddess occurs nine times in the Bible. And Ashera (foremother and mistress of the gods), for comparison - forty. This suggests that the worship of Astarte did not prevail among the Jews.

But all the same excavations tell a lot. By 1940, about three hundred terracotta-colored figurines and tablets depicting a naked woman in various images were found in the vastness of Palestine. The examination showed that they were made in the period from 2000 to BC e. and up to 600 years. BC e.! Scientists have confirmed that a large part of these products depicts Astarte and Anat (which, as mentioned above, were combined into a single image).

Later years and fanaticism

The cult of Astarte, the goddess of spring, fertility and love, quickly spread. From Phoenicia to Ancient Greece, then - to Rome, and then to the British Isles. And over the years, he acquired a somewhat fanatical character. The worship of this goddess was manifested in orgies, which, as you know, were condemned by the prophets Old Testament. She was also sacrificed to barely born babies and cubs of animals. Perhaps that is why the Christians did not call her a goddess, but a female demon named Astaroth.

But there was also a female image. Astarte was also called the demoness of pleasure, pleasure and lust, the queen of the spirits of the dead. She was worshiped like an astral deity. The cult, formed in honor of the goddess, contributed to the emergence of "sacred" prostitution. Because of all these events, King Solomon was overwhelmed by darkness, and he went to Jerusalem itself in order to erect a temple (pagan temple) to the demon goddess.

For a long time, the Old Testament prophets tried to fight her cult and did it very fiercely. Even in Scripture, the goddess was called "the abomination of Sidon." And in later Kabbalah, she was portrayed as the demon of Friday - a woman whose legs end in snake tails.

Ashera is the symbol of Astarte. Yes, there is such an opinion. Moreover, researchers believe that it is confirmed by a Phoenician inscription dated 221 BC - Ma-Suba.

So, on the cuneiform Assyrian tablet, created back in the 15th century BC. e., there is the name of the prince of Phoenician-Canaanite origin - Abad-Asratum, Ashera's slave.

It is also interesting that in Holy Scripture no information is given about the image of the goddess in human form. Her sensual beginning was manifested in nudity. Often, “bare” figurines were found during excavations in Cyprus, and they were mistaken for Aphrodite.

It should be noted that within the framework of the cult of Astarte, the goddess of the hearth, the ritual of the "Sacred Marriage" continued to exist. But only until the beginning or middle of the second millennium BC. Then the cult acquired a shade of fanaticism - in honor of the goddess, festivities began to be held with self-torture, self-castration, a manifestation of emancipation, sacrificing virginity, etc. By the way, Ishtar, with whom Astarte is identified, was the patroness of homosexuals, heterosexuals and prostitutes. She herself was called "the courtesan of the gods."

Freya, Anna and Lada

These are the names of goddesses, also identified with Astarte, as previously mentioned. They are worth mentioning at least briefly.

Freya is a goddess from Norse mythology. They say she had no equal in beauty. She was the patroness of fertility, love, war, harvest, harvest, and the leader of the Valkyries. Depicted on a chariot drawn by two cats.

Anna is a goddess worshiped by the inhabitants of Babylon. patroness family life, justice, harvest, victory... her cult was supplanted by Anu. And under unknown circumstances.

Lada - Slavic goddess of love and beauty, prosperity, family relationships, blooming nature and fertility. She was called "Mother of all 12 months". All the Slavs worshiped her, they constantly came with requests and prayers. There were also victims - white roosters, beautiful flowers, sweet honey, and juicy berries. Everything that was the personification of fertility, in other words.

Iconography

Now it is worth returning to the initial topic, and complete it with a mention of symbolism. The goddess Astarte has always been portrayed in different ways. The iconographic specificity in this case depended on which particular aspect was depicted in this or that case. After all, Astarte is a very complex figure in Sumero-Akkadian mythology. She is contradictory. On the one hand, the goddess was the patroness of love and fertility, but on the other, strife and war.

In the latter case, for example, she was depicted in human form, sitting on a chariot with a thunderous arrow in her hands. Or on a lion. She may have had arrows on her back. Also a frequent "attribute" was an eight-pointed star, displaying the astral aspect. There could even be a pentagram and a security-military sign. But one of the most interesting versions is the one where Astarte, the goddess of the hearth, fertility and more, is engulfed in flames. Fire, by the way, was also a frequent attribute of her. Like arrows, bow and quiver.

By the way! All these attributes later become symbols of love in the Hellenistic, late antique version of Astarte, as well as Aphrodite and Venus identified with her. Then came Cupid. It was associated with the function of fertility, because it was perceived as a symbol of love. But still, Cupid was armed with arrows and a bow, since he was "the child of the goddess of war."

In early and late images, by the way, when there was a “narrow” cult that sang of her as the goddess of love, she was depicted as a woman with four breasts. However, in the photos above, the goddess Astarte is presented in all the most popular images. Although they are different, it is difficult to deny the presence of something in common in all of them.

Astarte is a goddess who was one of the first to appear in the pantheon of the cradle of civilization and, subsequently, had a huge impact on the formation of the majority European religions. However, many believe that she is a terrible demoness, and given the history, this opinion is well founded.

In the article:

Astarte - goddess personifying the feminine

The cult of Astarte, as a goddess, arose in ancient times where civilization was born - in Mesopotamia. The first written and documentary evidence of the existence of this goddess largely coincides with the very appearance of writing, so it can be easily assumed that the tradition of worshiping Astarte itself existed much longer. In general, despite the extremely different names of Astarte in different cultures and the change in her role, one can note common features, thanks to which she appears in a single common archetype of the Goddess. Namely, she has always personified fertility, femininity, love and beauty.

Also, initially Astarte was the patroness of not only traditionally female "elements", but also direct power - this was a very serious echo of more ancient matriarchal traditions. The Babylonian, Sumerian and Akkadian kings were able to overcome these traditions only within two millennia, gradually reducing the role of Astarte in their pantheons and, accordingly, oppressing the role of women in society.

The archetypal nature of this image can be easily traced in the mythology of almost any European nation. So, the image of Astarte is clearly demonstrated in the Slavic Lade, Scandinavian Freya, ancient Greek Ceres, Aphrodite And Hekate. In general, the goddess most similar to her is the Wiccan Mother Goddess, identified with the Moon and Venus and symbolizing all feminine qualities at the same time. Of course, later this image underwent extremely serious changes, especially taking into account the differences between the peoples who accepted Astarte into their pantheons.

The symbolism of the goddess Astarte was almost always the same - her sign was a trapezoid, the upper face of which was crossed out by a thick straight line on which a circle was located. Many believe that the famous Egyptian ankh symbol originated precisely from the sign of Astarte. Also, due to the role of the morning star or the goddess of the moon, her images were optionally supplemented with either an octogram sign - an eight-pointed star, or a crescent.

Names of Astarte and her role in various ancient cultures

It should be noted that the very name of Astarte is not the real original name of this goddess, but only its Greek version, which appeared several millennia after the immediate flowering and subsequent decline of most of the cults worshiping her. The number of peoples living in the fertile and, at the same time, dangerous territory of Mesopotamia or Mesopotamia was very large, and each of them had their own vision and name of this great goddess.

So, initially appearing as one of the oldest deities and occupying a dominant position in most pantheons, subsequently, Astarte slowly fell to the patroness of not queens, but prostitutes, was declared not a great mother, but the goddess of lies and deceit - such changes were slowly traced in most cultures of that time . If earlier the kings considered it an honor to be able to personify the high priest of this goddess, then later they increasingly strengthened the patriarchal system, in which there was no place for female royalty and strength.

Subsequently, with the development and emergence of Judaism and, subsequent Christianity, the image of Astarte even began to be demonized. She was declared one of the supreme demons. Confirmation of her demonic essence can also be called one of her names - Lucifer or Anunit- the morning star and, concurrently in late Christian theology - the devil.

Astarte and Baal in the Phoenician traditions

Baal and Astarte

The greatest flourishing and reverence, with the exception of ancient pre-literate times, the cult of Astarte reached among the Phoenicians - the dominant nomadic people of antiquity. It was from them that this cult spread to various territories, up to Greece and, most likely, other areas of mainland Europe, giving the basis for the emerging beliefs of the Celtic and Germanic tribes. It is worth noting that according to the Phoenician tradition, Astarte was the wife of Baal- the supreme god of the Phoenician and Carthaginian pantheons, who, like Astarte, later joined the ranks of demons in the Jewish and Christian tradition.

The veneration of Astarte and Baal among the Phoenicians was by no means as bloody as among their descendants, the Carthaginians, and included, first of all, the sacrifices of various fruits and directly parts of the crop. In the Carthaginian pantheon, Astarte was transformed into Tanit- a gloomy and cruel goddess, the patroness of military operations and, at the same time, virginity - this quality distinguished warrior priestesses who devoted their lives to serving their mistress. Also, Tanit was often depicted with a lion's head, which later became one of the reasons for the demonization of this goddess. One of the most common sacrifices to Baal and Tanit was the bloody massacre of children, but children who died a natural death before reaching the age of seven were also dedicated to them.

And Astarte was dominant in Ancient Carthage throughout its existence, and Astarte herself subsequently began to be considered the hypostasis of Juno when Carthage became part of the Roman Empire. In general, it can be said that it was thanks to the Phoenicians who traveled throughout the Mediterranean and beyond that such extensive knowledge about Astarte, which left its mark on most European and many Asian cultures, has reached our time.

Ishtar and Ashtarot - Babylonian and Egyptian name for Astarte

Queen of the Night, British Museum, London

In many circles the name Ishtar is much more famous than Astarte. This name was assigned to the main goddess of the ancient Babylonian pantheon. It is Ishtar that the famous azure gates, now on display in Germany, are dedicated to. In the Babylonian religion, this goddess personified not only fertility and war, but also prostitution, and high priestess Ishtar was forced to enter into sexual contact with the Babylonian king every year in front of the whole people, symbolizing fertility.

Nevertheless, such a practice has not only a ritual and sacred, but also a logical justification. Ishtar Day, which most often fell on the spring solstice, was a fertility festival and it was believed that conception on these days was most successful. Thus, most children in ancient Babylon were born in winter, when parents had enough free time to care for their offspring.

Ishtar can also be known from one of the oldest epics about Gilgamesh, where she seduces and deceives one of the main characters and personifies female infidelity and debauchery. At the same time, in the most ancient versions of the epic, the goddess Ishtar, on the contrary, is an example of marital fidelity and seeks to support her husband in everything, which once again clearly demonstrates the transition of society from matriarchal to patriarchal traditions. In ancient Egypt, Ishtar was practically not revered - only in the earliest times was she known under the name Ashtarot and was the wife of God Seta.

It should be noted that until now, religious scholars, archaeologists and historians have not come to a consensus on whether Astarte, Ishtar and Inanna were the same goddess in different cultures. This dispute is not least due to the separate demonization of these goddesses in Jewish and Christian cultures, as well as the fact that these different names met in the same area at the same time, but in clearly separated sanctuaries.

Demoness Astarte - the path from the supreme goddess to the personification of evil

The definition of Astarte as a demoness was put in the origins of the Abrahamic religions and, first of all, Judaism. For a long time, before the monotheistic faith of the Jews was formed, almost all Semitic peoples revered Astarte as the supreme goddess. Moreover, the root “astar” in this word even later meant nothing more than “goddess” and was applied to all other female deities. With the spread of Judaism, a fierce struggle began between the new priesthood and pagan traditions and pantheons. Nevertheless, belief in Astarte existed for an extremely long time - even in the legends about Solomon, the creator of the famous Solomon Keys, it is said that at the end of his life, having fallen under the influence of one of his wives, the famous wise king fell into madness and erected a huge altar dedicated specifically to Astarte. Given the factually confirmed finds of the existence of altars to Astarte, dating from the approximate time of the reign of Solomon, it is not surprising that this goddess began to be demonized.

At the same time, unlike, the personification of the demon Astarte, even in the monotheistic tradition, was much stronger. He became the husband of the goddess Astarte - one of the supreme demons of Hell, which was described in detail in many magical grimoires, especially in the Middle Ages. It was then that a lot of gods, angels and demons practically forgotten in antiquity surfaced, to which the most famous magicians and inquisitors turned their eyes in the hope of touching new forbidden knowledge.

As a result of the resulting metamorphosis, Astarte, in the role of a demoness, continued her path as a seductress, mistress of succubi and evil plans. Unlike Lilith, she began to personify not simple lust and base passion, but purposeful cruelty and cunning calculation. Worshiping her in many places began to be severely punished - up to the death penalty, but the trace left by this goddess in history is clearly visible to this day.

The revival of Astarte in the magical tradition

Certain attempts to turn to the image of Astarte have been traced among mankind since ancient times. Even ancient Greek and Roman historians carefully examined the remains of the cults of this goddess, and it was thanks to them that the name Astarte itself arose, since it is a Greek adaptation of other Sumerian-Akkadian, Babylonian and Phoenician tribes. Nevertheless, the ancient Greeks and Romans only stated the fact of the existence of this image and drew parallels with the deities in their pantheons.

Again, various magicians, esotericists, soothsayers and sorcerers began to direct their views to Astarte in the 15-16 centuries. The Renaissance spurred interest in the knowledge of antiquity and the innermost secrets of being. It was then that the most famous grimoires were written, describing in detail the most diverse angelic and demonic beings. Astarte also appeared in some of these books.

Of course, in one of the most preserved magical aids to this day, the name of Astarte is absent, despite the fact that Solomon himself devoted a significant part of his old age to the worship of this goddess. However, many researchers are inclined to believe that in these grimoires there are simply no female names of various demonesses, spirits, or ancient goddesses at all.

It should be noted that unlike most other demons, Astarte retained her divine strength and power, so there were no practical rituals regarding her direct summoning, or evocation. The only direct summoning ritual was to summon the shadows of Astarte. For this ritual, it was necessary to draw an octogram, placing candles along the eight rays of the resulting star. It is necessary to do this ritual exclusively on the day of Saturn - Saturday. After arranging the candles, a fire is kindled in the center of the star, which needs to burn out to coals. After that, incense is thrown into the coals, made independently from a large complex of herbs, namely:

• 1 share of white ash;
• 1 share of nesting present;
• ½ share of fragrant violet root;
• ¼ share of spotted orchis;
• ½ share of silver acacia flowers;
• ½ share of mandrake root;
• 1 share of berries and holly leaves;
• ¼ share of poisonous milestone;
• 1 share of black nightshade berries.

After inhalation of incense, according to the classical ritual, a white and a black dove are sacrificed, and their blood opens the Gates of Astarte into this world, through which her shadows pass. It should be noted that in this ritual the appeal is addressed specifically to the dark and demonic hypostasis of the goddess. The ritual is carried out in the lowlands, preferably at the site of strong fires or bloody battles. The power of the summoned shadows will allow you to receive a blessing for almost any business aimed at your enrichment, personal revenge, or simply success in any endeavors at the expense of the suffering of other people.

There are also practices of calling and other incarnations of Astarte - a warrior, a heavenly mother, a patroness of sailors or an earthly goddess. So, for people of dangerous professions related to military affairs, it will be very useful to turn specifically to Astarte the Warrior:

Astarte, Goddess, whose name is sacred,
Your power is everywhere
Warrior, rushing in formidable majesty,
Your stern gaze glides over the lands, inspiring horror,
Your arrow finds the heart of every enemy

Your heart is the passion of fire and the fury of the storm,
Your essence is a bloody war
Your will is immutable and adamant
Your blessing is precious.

Astarte, Goddess, washing with the blood of enemies,
A fierce lioness, protector of her children.
Astarte, she whom I call and exalt,
Astarte, she who rules death and birth,

I'm in front of you, I offer you my sacrifice
I humbly ask for your favor,
Trust your decrees, your word,
Entrust your sacred laws.

In general, far from everything that people knew in ancient times is known about Astarte, but the abundance of magical practices, as well as archaeological sources, allows us to quite accurately reconstruct the image of this goddess and the essence of the main cults of her worship. And the use of this information in a magical sense can ensure the rapid achievement of almost any goal, from establishing family life to causing harm and suffering to someone.

We are convinced that the world is moving towards globalization, allegedly - the rapprochement and growth of interrelations of nations and states, accompanied by the development of common political, economic, cultural and value standards - is an inevitable process.

K. Marx, considering the causes of globalization, associated this process with the specifics of capitalism, which constantly needs new markets and resources, F. Nietzsche - with the “will to power” characteristic of the Western spirit, M. McLuhan - with the development of modern technology, communications and the media , which, by connecting disparate parts of space and accelerating the dissemination of information to the speed of a nerve impulse, turn the globe into a “global village”, where a state of universal inclusion arises and the “tribal community” of people is reborn.

IN late XIX early 20th century major representatives of world business, including Cecil Rhodes, who organized the "Round Table" group, and the largest American banker J. Morgan Jr. began the practical implementation of globalist plans, striving "to contribute to the establishment of a system of unhindered trade throughout the world and the creation of a single World governments.” To a certain extent, these plans were put into practice through organizations such as the League of Nations, the United Nations and UNESCO.

Since the 1970s American geopoliticians have begun to implement the doctrine of the "new world order", the purpose of which is to erase the differences between nations, states, ideologies, cultures and create a single universal civilization based on the principles of liberal democracy.

Part of the ideological basis of this doctrine was the "convergence theory", developed by a group of analysts led by Z. Brzezinski and adopted by M. Gorbachev in the mid-1980s as a "scientific justification" for perestroika. G. Kissinger also offered his versions of the theory of globalization , F. Fukuyam a, J. Attali, K. Santoro.

Who are the modern globalists? - this is the world's political-oligarchic elite, managing and controlling finances, the world's mass media and other basic resources.

What is their task? - get absolute power, where an ordinary person will have only a tiny particle of freedom, and humanity will resemble a degraded herd that will go where it is pointed.

What do they need for this? - to change the way a person thinks, his consciousness, because. a person is not only the main executor of the "globalist plan", but also, at the same time, its main "brake".

How do they achieve this? - change and deformation of traditional foundations.

Some origins of the idea of ​​globalization (its worldview) are seen in a number of utopian and chiliastic theories of the Middle Ages, whose adherents believed in the coming gathering of all the peoples of the world in a single Kingdom, which would no longer know conflicts and contradictions. Others go further and see the current globalist elite, which is in the business of moving humanity from a Christian-conditioned to a gnostic module, a gnostic worldview.

I offer you an interesting study on the genesis of Gnosticism - the forerunner of the "globalistic worldview".

Great Goddess

“Strange and wild was the temple of the Great, or Supreme, Goddess, Ashtoret, the Lady of the Lower Abyss, the Feminine Triad: Ana, Belita and Davkip, the Queen of the Earth and Fertility, Cybele and Rhea the All-Carrying, the Mother of the Gods, the Ruler of the Nights.”

Ivan Efremov, “Thais of Athens”

Even at the dawn of mankind, this very humanity asked questions - how did this world appear? what are, so to speak, the beginnings of the beginnings?

We all know from history that there was an era called the Neolithic. Many scholars argue that this was the era of matriarchy. At this stage of evolution, the researchers say, male tribal gods did not exist. There was only a cult of a female deity that everyone worshiped.

Cybele. Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara

Worship of the Great Goddess was expressed in ritual dances, singing and dancing, which were orgiastic in nature. The cult of the Great Goddess was bloody, with human sacrifices and ritual cannibalism (in general, cannibalism played a rather prominent role in antiquity. There were rituals of eating one's own children; these rituals were observed for quite a long time historical time and were preserved in Greece of the Mycenaean period, in Phoenicia, Carthage, Crete).

Like an animal or a blind force of nature, for the Great Goddess there were no concepts of good and evil.

Sexual rituals were of a pronounced masochistic nature: self-flagellation and public self-castration in a state of frenzy were practiced.

The veneration of the Great Goddess was broken with the advent of the Bronze Age, when the patriarchal way of life began to prevail. Male gods appeared relatively late, but along with male deities, female deities occupied an important place in the pantheon of gods.

The cult of the Great Goddess persisted for a very long time and the Great Goddess remained in the pantheons of almost every ancient culture- Cybele in Phrygia (Efremov described the cult of Cybele very well in his book “Thais of Athens”), Isis in Egypt; we, the Slavs - Makosh; Artemis (Diana) in Greece, Astarte in Phenicia, etc.

Darkness over the Abyss

Chaos, Night and Erebus - that's what it was at first, and even only the Tartarus abyss

Aristophanes. "Birds"

In the same ancient times, which are scary to think about, a tradition was formed, according to which the ancestral basis of all things was proclaimed model Chaos/Darkness/Abyss.

Ancient people believed that there was something primary - a kind of initial non-material disorder - Chaos, which was represented as a dark Abyss.

This model of eternal Chaos is described in the Old Testament:

“The earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.”

Genesis, ch.1

talking modern language,this model means the most disordered state, the absence of forms, norms, boundaries, life.

The Great Goddess was the embodiment of Chaos; some transformed image of the dark Abyss, from which everything that exists comes and where everything that exists, dying, returns.

Later, when many gods began to be worshiped, it was assumed that these gods were born by Chaos (this is especially detailed in Gosiod's Theogony).

It is also important to note that the cult of Astarte and Baal had a great influence on the formation of the Gnostic worldview.

Cult of Astarte and Baal

So as not to live, who is old,
So that he does not live, who is sick,
goddess Ishtar,
Keep my fire
Flame of fire!

Marina Tsvetaeva, “Goddess Ishtar”

Astarte was the Great Goddess of the tribes that lived in the territory of the ancient Near East.

Later, Astarte became the main goddess of the Phoenicians, and although pantheons of gods had already formed by that time, Astarte continued to be called the Great Goddess - Mother.

The main male deity of the Phoenician pantheon was the god Baal (husband of Astarte). The pair of Baal - Astarte personified the masculine and feminine principles.

Through the Phoenicians, the cult of Astarte and Baal came to the Jews and was formalized under King Solomon.

Goddess Astarte. Pottery, circa 1400 BC Israel.

Astarte

"The people are ready for debauchery."

from k / f Kalina red

Astarte was dedicated to a huge number of temples. The priestesses in these temples were harlots, but not ordinary, but sacred. Temple prostitution was the main occupation of the priestesses - sex was sacralized.

Interestingly, the priestesses of Astarte were not engaged in prostitution in order, for example, to glorify the fertility of the earth or in such an original way to ask the gods to increase the birth rate.

The meaning of fornication was precisely sex. That is, sex as such was sacred.

Astarte (as the embodiment of the Great Goddess, that is, Chaos) was considered infinitely free, not subject to anyone, absolutely liberated - both sexually and psychologically.

Great importance was attached to the ritual of sexual initiation, that is, the introduction of adolescents (both girls and boys) to the transition to adulthood. First of all, virginity was sacrificed to Astarte. The ritual of deprivation of virginity was as follows - on the appointed day (usually on the day of her 14th birthday), a chaste girl came to the temple and gave herself to the one whom the priestesses pointed out to her.

Some pullets were left at the temple to serve the parishioners - for a fee, of course. Prostitution was sacred, but not free. At the same time, the girl was severely beaten so that she would overcome some of her psychological thresholds and enthusiastically accept any kind of sex - and they were very diverse. Astarte was pleased with both heterosexual sex, and homosexual, bisexual, oral, zoophilic, etc. Any intercourse, even with a stool, was considered sacred.

In general, trading oneself at the temple was prestigious. Some women amassed decent fortunes on sacral activities.

neo-pagan post-modernist construct of breaking the Christian-conditioned paradigm - the Femen movement

During the holidays of Astarte, unbridled and bloody orgies began. The priestesses of Astarte with special technologies (not without hallucinogens such as ephedra or poppy) put themselves into an extremely excited state, stripped naked and, like animals, began to rush around the neighborhood.

The madness of the priestesses was accompanied by mass debauchery and self-mutilation. Moreover, the frenzy reached such intensity that some especially violent ones inflicted serious wounds on themselves, or even cut off something for themselves.

Auguste Leveque. "Bacchanalia"

There was also the eating of human flesh, that is, cannibalism. If the priestesses considered it necessary, they snatched babies from the crowd and tore their bodies with their hands, pulled out and gnawed out the insides.

Astarte - the prototype of the dark forces in Christianity

Babylon, the great harlot, ... furious
She made all nations drink of the wine of her fornication.

Revelation of John the Theologian, 18:2

According to Christian tradition, John the Theologian introduced the metaphor "Whore of Babylon". There is an assumption that the basis of the image of the Whore of Babylon (she is also called the Scarlet Woman) - the terrible harbinger of the Apocalypse, sitting on the Beast 666 - was just the goddess Astarte.

Also, some researchers believe that the goddess Astarte subsequently served as a prototype of infernal forces like Astaroth and Asmodeus, who were worshiped at satanic black masses. I will cite a well-known historical fact about such a black mass, which took place in 1673 by order of the Marquise de Montespan, favorite of the French king Louis XIV,

And it was like that. Her crowned lover began to glance in the direction of other women, and in order not to lose her status as the king's mistress, the Marquise de Montespan decided to turn to the dark forces for help, in which a certain abbot Gibourg contracted to help her.

The abbot declared that human sacrifice was necessary for the success of the work. Especially for this, a baby was found and Gibourg celebrated three masses over the naked body of the Marquise de Montespan, which he used instead of an altar, placing a chalice on her stomach. Having reached the consecration of gifts, the abbot cut the throat of the child, filled the chalice with blood and, adding flour, made a host. After the consecration of this monstrous prosphora, the marquise cast a spell:

"Astaroth, Asmodeus, princes of harmony, I conjure you to accept this child as a sacrifice, and in return give me what I ask: so that the king and dauphin do not deprive me of their friendship, so that the princes and princesses at court pay honors to me and so that the king does not refused me whatever I asked him for the sake of my relatives and my faithful servants."

Then de Montespan took with her the consecrated prosphora and some of the child's blood and mixed them into the king's food (by the way, this ritual did not work).

Baal

Baal was depicted as an ugly, but still human-like creature. The statues dedicated to him were made of metals, most often of bronze, and huge furnaces were arranged inside these statues. Baal worshipers threw burning coals into these furnaces, heated all the ugliness and handed innocent victims - their own children - into the twisted, ugly hands of the fierce deity.

Emilio Salgari. "Death of Carthage"

Baal was "responsible" for the unbridled, wild forces of nature, including fire. Human sacrifices were offered to him. The victims were taken out in turn, adults were first stabbed on the altar with one blow to the heart, after which they were burned.

Engraving “Sacrifice to Baal” (artist Henri Mott)

The children were burned slowly alive (children were placed on the outstretched arms of an idol that had the head of a bull, a fire was burning below). It was customary to sacrifice one's own firstborn to Baal.

baby sacrifice to Baal

Sometimes the priests of Baal performed the ritual ritual of eating human flesh.

In general, many of the rituals of the cult of Baal were associated with the killing of children. If, for example, built new house, then a child was walled up in the wall.

Products from the bones of the victims, the skin of the victims, stretched over the drums, were a tool for the communication of the initiates - that is, the priests - with mystical forces. It was believed that through these objects a special mystical connection was established between them and the gods.

The number of victims sometimes reached incredible proportions. During the orgies accompanying the sacrifice, the priests, in a frenzy of ecstasy, cut themselves with knives and stabbed with spears until they fell from loss of strength in puddles. own blood. At this time, the rest of the people indulged in sexual revelry.

In connection with the cult of Baal, one can also recall the biblical legend about the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose population worshiped Baal and was distinguished by extreme licentiousness. According to legend, fun and feasts, accompanied by sodomy, pedophilia and bestiality were commonplace there.

Fragment of John Martin's painting "The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah", 1852

to be continued