Aphrodite and her sisters
A project to research the worship of Aphrodite in Cyprus was the basis of this publication, and so it is not, as the title might suggest, a general overview of the cult and reception of the Greek goddess of love, but rather the search for influences from related religions, which may have led to the worship of Aphrodite in her various guises.
Choosing Cyprus as a starting point is obvious: According to Hesiod, Aphrodite is said to have landed there as a "foam-born", sanctuaries dedicated to her were excavated in the ancient towns of Paphos and Amathus, and there are also many references to her cult up to Roman times.
Thanks to its favorable location in the eastern Mediterranean and rich copper deposits, Cyprus has had extensive trade relations since the Bronze Age. Embedded in this economic and political context, the authors of the anthology present possible role models for Aphrodite: For example, they compare Inanna, Ischtar and Astartein their double quality as goddesses of love and war with the type of armed Aphrodite.
They trace the origin of the widespread theme of the "naked goddess", as well as similarities with early cult figures such as so-called board idols and ingot gods. The deities Hephaestus, Ares and Adonis, which are mythologically linked to Aphrodite, are also de alt with, and the chronological conclusion is the merging with the Ptolemaic one Cult of Isis in Hellenistic times.
Writing sources and archaeological evidence such as statues, vase paintings and places of worship are only examined by the researchers as examples. Overall, "Aphrodite" is a book worth reading, even if it doesn't claim to be complete.
