Demeter

Demeter (called Ceres by the Romans) was one of the most widely regarded Goddesses in Ancient Greece. She was worshiped more in rural areas than in cities, partly because rural areas relied more on good harvests. She is the goddess of harvest, grain, marriage, Sacred Law, the Earth, the seasons and the cycle of life. Most importantly, the is the goddess of the fruit-bearing earth; some believe the name to be derived from "ge meter" (Earth Mother).

Her symbols include all forms of grain, flowers, fruits, snakes, pigs, torches, and poppies (which grow in barley fields). In ancient art, she often appears as a solemn woman, seated on a throne or in a chariot. She frequently holds a torch or scepter, often in the shape of a stylized flower or grain stalk. She is also frequently portrayed alongside Persephone and Triptolemos.

The Eleusinian Mysteries taught that the Goddess gave the art of agriculture to Triptolemus in gratitude for his father's kindness. This is said to have happened while she was searching for her lost daughter Persephone. It is virtually impossible to separate this Goddess from her daughter Persephone. Many see this Goddess as a form of triple goddess: Kore (the maiden), Persephone(the Mother or Adult Woman) and Hecate (the Crone).

In the ancient world, myth of Persephone and her mother's search was used to help explain both the cycle of the seasons and the harvest. The importance of the harvest in the ancient world is reflected by the fact that the Eleusinian Mysteries) were one of the most important in the Ancient Greek world.

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