Her Cyclopedia: The Goddess Anath return to Home Page or move on to Goddess Asherah, next chronologically, or use Her Cyclopedia Index Anath, {Strength-of-Life}. 1N13 [to Whom the fourth day of December, day 338, is dedicated] Geography/Culture: Syria: especially Ugarit, Mount Lebanon. Also worshipped by Canaanites, Amorites, Egyptians (Elephantine), Libyans, and Hebrews. A Phoenician settlement in Sicily was named Mach-anatha. Her sanctuary was called Aeth-Anath, or Anatha Baetyl House of Anath. Linguistic Note: Greek speaking Phoenicians in Cyprus called Her Anat, Strength of Life, below. Description: The Girl, bloodthirsty and unrestrained; She Who binds the severed heads, from Her slaughter in battle, to Her back and the cut-off hands, or some say penises, to Her girdle; She Who plunges knee-deep in the blood of troops, and hip-dip in the blood of heroes; the Maiden; Virgin Anath, of violent passions, especially those of love, hunting and war; She Who fertilizes the fields with blood; Goddess of the earth, grain, sacrifice, death and resurrection; Mountain Mother; Queen of heaven; Lady of Heaven; She Who sprinkles the earth with dew; Mistress of all the Deities; Wetnurse of Deities; She Who concieves but does not bear; Progenitrix of peoples. It was believed She was fertilised by the blood of men, ie. Her worship originated before the recognition of fatherhood. She is capable of manifesting Herself in many places and so has a plural quality expressed in the town name Anathoth (present day Bnatha), plural of Anath, indicating it was not named after any local Anath, but Anaths in general. To Whom Sacred: grain; cedar; heather; lion; heifer (in which shape She had intercourse with Baal); ass; dog (She sets Her dogs on Mot's flocks); horse; dew (in which She bathes before intercourse with Baal); ambergris (with which She rubbed Herself before intercourse with Baal); henna and rouge (with which Her image was reddened before sacrifice); goat-skin apron hung with shorn penises which some say became Athene's Aegis; a Maranatha (Her death curse pronounced over any sacrificial victim); sickle (with which She cleaves Mot); flail (with which She beats Mot); the number 77 (number of times She and Baal made love); cakes made in Her image; the month of September. Male Associates: son/consort/brother, Baal (also called Aleyin). Her adversary is Mot. In Elephantine Her consort is Yahweh. In Jerusalem Her consort is El. Titles/Variants, etc: Egyptian form Anat, {Strength-of-Life}, below. Variant Anatha, ----. Perhaps cognate with Anatu, Graceful-One, Who is linked with Anne, Graceful-One. Daughter of Asherah, Lady-of-the-Sea. Title, Ashtoreth, ----, Who is linked with Astart, Conceiving-Womb. Anath is often closely connected with Astart, Conceiving-Womb, if not confused with. The name Athene, I-Have-Come-From-Myself, may be an inversion of Anath -- (A)th-ana. She was called by Abyssinian Christians Aynat, Evil-Eye-of-the-Earth. See also Aya, The-Bride, Who is linked with Aa, Great-Mother. Iahu, Exalted-Dove, Who is linked with Eurynome, Wide-Wandering, may have been a title of Hers. She is said to be comparable with Mari, {Fruitful-Mother}, Who is linked with Mary, {Sea-Queen}. Perhaps in Libya called Neith, World-Weaver. A title, or aspect, Qadesh, Holy-One, below. She is associated with Sapas, {Torch}, below. Source: Monaghan BGH 147; Graves GMv2 190; Patai HG 19-20, 44, 46, 51-3; 118, 131-2 156; NLEM/76, 78; Walker WEMS 29-31, 38-9; Graves WG 138. Anat, {Strength-of-Life}. 1N1T Geography/Culture: Egyptian, of Syrian orgin. Her cult was introduced by Rameses II (1304-1237 BC). Description: Lady of heaven; Mistress of the Gods; Victorious Goddess of war. To Whom Sacred: panther; horse; chariot; shield (She was called the Shield of the Pharoah); spear; club. Iconography: She is enthroned holding shield and spear in Her right hand, a club in the left. Or She stands dressed in a panther skin, a papyrus scepter in Her right hand and the ankh in Her left, wearing a white feathered crown that sometimes has a pair of horns attached at the base. Male Associate: consort, Seth, (Set). Titles/Variants, etc: She originated as Syrian Anath, {Strength-of-Life}, above. Also called Annuthat, ----. Also called Antit, ----. Title Qadesh, Holy-One, below. Source: WWEM; ASM/Anat. Qadesh, Holy-One. K1D]$ Geography/Culture: Syria: Canaanite, adopted in Egypt. Description: Lady of heaven; Goddess of harvest. To Whom Sacred: lion; ass. Male Associate: consort, Amurru. Titles/Variants, etc: Title of Anat, {Strength-of-Life}, above. Title of Akkadian Ishtar, Light-Giving. Transliteration variant Kedeshet. It is said that in Palestine Qadesh, Holy-One, was the name for a concept of the Goddess similar to Kilili-Mushritu, She-Who-Looks-Out-Invitingly. Variant Qadeshet. Source: HG.RP/ NLEM/44, 76. Sapas, [Torch]. S*P*S Geography/Culture: Mesopotamian: Phoenicia. Phoenician. (ie: Mesopotamian? Babylonian?). Description: Goddess {of the sun}; Torch of the Deities; She Who announces the downfall of Mot; She Who descends with Anath into the underworld to mourn for Baal. Male Associate: Her soldier is Keret. Titles/Variants, etc: Associated with Anath, {Strength-of-Life}, above. Daughter of Asherah, Lady-of-the-Sea, {insofar as She is Daughter of El, Who is the consort of Asherah}. Source: NLEM 78, 79. worked on: October 1995; June 1992; August 1991; July 1990. Return to the top of this document.