Priestess of Ephesus

In the 6thc BC, Croesus, the Greek King of Lydia, had a temple built to honor the goddess Artemis. Located in Ephesus, a commercial crossroad city in Anatolia, the Artemisium drew visitors of various religious beliefs. Over time, the Greek iconography of Artemis and her priestesses merged with that of Cybele, the Anatolian mother goddess.

This painting incorporates the iconography of Artemis, her priestesses called Melissae (bees), and that of Cybele. For more information about the iconography see The Key to Priestess of Ephesus.