7 Ancient Goddesses That Are All About Female Power

In ancient times women played a different role both in society and everyday life. They weren’t simply wives, lovers, and mothers – they had a profound connection with the forces of nature, life, and death. That link, often mysterious, was acknowledged and revered by everyone, finding a reflection in powerful female deities. Those goddesses represented the Divine in female form in the cultures all over the world. They had different names, features, and powers, but all of them were an example of amazing, strong women we could all learn from. Here are 7 ancient goddesses that are all about female power.

Bast (Ancient Egypt)

A cat-lady by day and a feline by night, Bast was one of the most revered goddesses in the Ancient Egypt. She was mostly associated with fertility, female secrets, women’s health, and, of course, cats. But she wasn’t just a protector of the household as she held the all-seeing powers of the Eye of Ra. She was also addressed when creating ointments and healing potions as she was known to fight plagues and diseases. As The Lady of Dread, she had a relentless side to her – a feline-headed female warrior who protected those in need.

Ishtar (Ancient Babylon)

Ishtar, also known as Inanna, is one of the earliest goddess mentioned in written scriptures. Being both the goddess of war and love, this goddess from ancient Mesopotamia influenced the images of deities that came later (like the gorgeous Aphrodite from the Greek mythology). She’s the daughter of Moon god Sin and the sister of Sun god Utu. Ishtar herself is associated with planet Venus, that’s why she has beautiful appearance and is connected with love and sensual desires. She is also a goddess of thunder and storm, often depicted alongside a lion, whose terrible roar can be compared with the sound of a storm. According to some myths she went to the Underworld to rescue her husband, Tammuz, others believe she went there to rescue her sister.

Aphrodite (Ancient Greece)

You’ve probably heard about Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, pleasure, beauty, and fertility. Often accompanied by Eros, the god of love, Aphrodite wasn’t just gorgeous – she was powerful and could bestow both blessings and curses on the people who worshipped her. She had a love affair with god Ares, played her part in the Trojan War, punished Hippolytus for ignoring love and beauty, and answered the prayers of Pygmalion, who fell in love with the beautiful statue he created and asked the goddess to make it alive. She was definitely a busy lady!