Life Source Goddess Hekate/Kate As Life Transformer

White Venus Hekate of Frasassi from Italy

Hekate/Kate, Frasassi Italy, 30,000 to 10,000 BCE


It is made from a stalactite showing this deity's cave connection. It is 87 mm high. Its white color and hand positions away from its breasts identify it as a source goddess.
About 90% of all Venus figurines were carved from white limestone, bone, or ivory. Some percentage of these were colored red with red ocher to indicate their life power. Yet bones were thought to be the storage place of life powers from Mesolithic time into the Iron Age.
Photo: Don Hitchcock at Don's Maps, 2008 online at: https://donsmaps.com/venusindex.html)

Hekate/Kate Correspondences

(May 7, 2023)  The goddess Kate (Hekate) is the feminine life source goddess of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. She corresponds to dark places such as caves and the under-dome region region below the earth plane.  Her human figurines always show her with arms folded under her breasts in the shape of the under-dome. She actually goes back to the hunter gatherer period of the paleolithic.

Kate represents the transformation of life. Her masculine complement is the god Alu who creates life.  In Akkadian, the word "Kate" means  "depleter power" while "Hekate" means "Hu's depleter power." In order for life to be transformed it must first be absorbed. In regards to Hu she takes his spiritual fertility-fluids (filtrate) which are manifested as light, heat, and rain and collects them under the earth. She is the divine succubus.  She is the chalice. That dark place under the earth plane (underdome) is the place were dead spirits exist until reborn.

Hekate is associated with subterranean waters and deep pools, anything which was though to be a pathway to the under-dome. 

Kate was first presented to moderns by Greek writer Hesiod (500 BCE) as Hekate in his book Theology.  Hekate was not a part of the traditional Greek Pantheon again indicating she was not an Indo-European goddess. He says this about Hekate starting in line 404:

Again, Phoebe came to the desired embrace of Coeus. Then the goddess through the love of the god conceived and brought forth dark-gowned Leto, always mild, kind to men and to the deathless gods, mild from the beginning, gentlest in all Olympus. Also she bore Asteria of happy name, whom Perses (Destroyer) once led to his great house to be called his dear wife. And she conceived and bore Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honored above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honor also in starry heaven, [415] and is honored exceedingly by the deathless gods. 
For to this day, whenever any one of men on earth offers rich sacrifices and prays for favor according to custom, he calls upon Hecate. Great honor comes full easily to him whose prayers the goddess receives favorably, and she bestows wealth upon him; for the power surely is with her. 
... and to those whose business is in the grey discomfortable sea, and who pray to Hecate and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker, easily the glorious goddess gives great catch, and easily she takes it away as soon as seen, if so she will. She is good in the byre (cow shed) with Hermes to increase the stock.

References


Hesiod Online at: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D404
Hekate or Asher Found at Skorba Site (4400-4100 BCE)

Goddess Hekate/Kate, Skorba Temple, Malta (4400-4100 BCE)

The Skorba site was poorly preserved but it did produce a few finds such as this ocher covered goddess. The red ocher means it was a life power. Arms below breasts identifies the goddess as Kate. It is displayed at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, Malta. https://www.malta.com/en/attraction/culture/museum/national-museum-of-archaeology
Photo at Wikimedia Commons by Hamelin de Guettelet. Online at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:D%C3%A9esse-m%C3%A8re_de_Skorba.jpg
Hekate Figurines from Cycladic Islands

Hekate/Kate  Figurines from Cycladic Islands (3200- 2300 BCE)

These Hekate figurines are from the Cycladic Islands between Greece and Anatolia. Picture from Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marble_figurines_from_Cyclades,_3200%E2%80%932300_BC,_AshmoleanM,_142406.jpg

Hekate/Kate figurines from  Cycladic Islands as displayed a the Archaeological Museum of Athens. Photo by I, Sailko via Wikemedia Commons at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cycladic_idol_02.JPG

Hecate from Sardinia

Hekate from Sardinia (3200 - 2700 BCE)

This life source goddess figurine was found on the island of Sardinia at the Pyramid at Monte d'Accoddi. Now at: Museum of National Archaeology, Siena, Italy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Neolitico,_cultura_di_ozieri,_idolo_femminile_di_tipo_cicladico_conbtraforo,_3200-2700_ac_ca.,_da_monte_d%27accoddi,_tomba_II_(SS).JPG

Hekate/Kate As Chalice on Indus Valley Unicorn Bull Seals 2300 BCE

The left side of this seal shows the underdome representing Hekate. which is receiving the waters from a square network. The under-dome sits upon a pedestal such that together they form a chalice. In Sumerian this corresponds to the goddess Erishkigal who after lordification in Sumeria was also called Ningal meaning “lady of the chalice” from NIN.GAL.
This is unicorn bull seal (H97-3433/7617-01) dating to about 2200 BCE which is at the transition between Harappa Periods 3B and 3C. 
https://www.harappa.com/indus4/5.html

 Hekate/Kate As Chalice on Indus Valley Unicorn Bull Seals 2300 BCE

The left side of this seal shows the underdome representing Hekate. which is receiving the waters from a square network. Hecate collects fertility fluids from the life network and is the home of the glowing stars/souls represented by Selu (Selene). 
This is a rare unicorn seal from Harappa has both the upper and lower sky-shell which is shown as a chalice. This seal was found in the central area of Mound E and dates to Period 3B or early 3C, around 2450-2200 BC. 
(image from https://www.harappa.com/)

Hekate found in Egypt (4000 BCE)

This figurine was originally  misidentified as Hathor

Crowns of Egypt

(May 6, 2023) Wadjet was the Egyptian goddess who seems to be equivelent to Hekate. She represented lower Egypt but because this land also included the fertile Nile delta she was also identified with the life powers. Life powers always corresponded to the color red. Consequently she is represented by the squarish red crown.  The stick angled on top represents a snake with its forked curled tongue.
Her complement was the goddess Nekhbet who represented Upper Egypt and who came to be associated with the motion powers represented by the white celestial color. Consquently she wore a white crown.
Below the goddesses Wadjet and Nkebet surround the pharaoh at the temple of Edfu. (Wikimedia Commons at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edfu_Tempel_42-2.jpg)

Double Crown on Horus Falcon

27th Dynasty - c500 BCE at Museum Ägyptischer Kunst. in Munich, Germany.
http://travelphotobase.com/v/DYM/DYMME192.HTM

Double Crown on God Horus

Horus here is indicated by having both bull horns and a hawk head. This relief is on the front wall of the Edfu temple in Egypt which was dedicated to the connective deities of Horus (storm form of Hu) and Hathor (Ayu). It was built during the Ptolemaic era between 237 and 57 BC.
Life source (snake) goddess figurines as they now appear in the Heraklion Museum in Crete.
Life (snake) goddess figurines as they now appear in the Heraklion Museum in Crete with the one on the right being the popular version. Yet the one on the right is fake and the one on the left is one of a kind and is likely an Egyptianized version of Hekate. Both were found in the Knossos temple-palace trash pit.
The right one was originally missing its whole  left arm and whatever the right hand was holding was broken off. Consequently, the snakes as well as the cat on top were added by the “restorer.” (Olmsted personal photo)
The left version is the only one which survived almost whole. She is represented as being similar to the Egyptian goddess Wadget with the cobra on top of a hat. The Egyptians and Minoans had extensive trade connections at this time. The bare breasts and no wings indicate a non-connective life power. Snakes by themselves symbolized the power of life and death.
Wadjet was the name for the feminine life-growth source power in Lower Egypt (Nile delta region). The upper and lower river regions of Egypt had different religious traditions until around the iron age (1150 BCE). Each region had their own set of deities which were later merged often with new deity names, the name which are popular today. Knowledge about these early deities is only found on the funeral texts written in hieroglyphics on various pyramids (called the Pyramid Texts).
Wadjet (Egyptian Wzt) means “lady of the plant” or “lady of the green” in Egyptian. Her temple was at the city of Buto in the Nile Delta. Significantly, Buto was divided into two parts named Pe and Dep. Wadjet was associated with Pe in the Pyramid texts. In the Middle and New Egyptian Kingdoms, Wadjet was often shown with the eagle-vulture goddess Nekhbet on the headdresses of pharaohs to form the Uraeus.  

Hekate as a Snake Goddess is Not Representative of Minoan Culture

(July 12, 2022) The two (and only two) "Minoan" snake goddess were found in one of the Knossos palace's trash pits known as the east Knossos Temple repository. It contained various damaged ritual items used during this period.  (Sinclair 2013):

  1. many fragments of faience figurines 
  2. vessels with molded designs
  3. beads
  4. molded plaques of ‘votive robes’ 
  5. suckling goats
  6. cattle
  7. flowers
  8. leaves
  9. shells
  10. flying fish
  11. fruit 
  12. a figure of eight shields 

In addition, the repository contained stone libation bowls, a large quantity of colored sea shells, clay administrative sealings, a clay tablet, ivory inlays, bone, burnt maize and stag horns. All of which were placed under a jumble of soil, gold foil and some forty ceramic amphorae and jugs which were used to provide a date for the collection of between 1650 and 1600 BCE.

References

Sinclair, Andrea (2013) Enduring Fictions of Late Victoria Fantasies, Sir Arthur Evans and the Faience. ‘Goddesses’ from Minoan Crete. Ancient Planet, Vol. 5 Online at: https://hcommons.org/deposits/item/hc:24487
Pottery Shard with graffito from Tell es-Safi which was the Philistine city of Gath
Pottery Shard with graffito from Tell es-Safi which was the Philistine city of Gath. Image from Maeir and all, (2008). Letter assignments by Olmsted.
Cross section of floor area where Gath Graffito shard was found
Cross section of floor area where Gath Graffito shard was found. It was found in the region labeled 82119. Drawing from Maeir and all (2008)

Philistine Gath (Tell es-Safi) Red Ritual Bowl Held Food Offerings for Hekate - 1000 BCE 

(May 1, 2023) This previously untranslated Alphabetic Akkadian text was found at Tell es-Safi which was the Philistine city of Gath. This shard is from a bowl with a smooth red slip. It reads (right to left):

Translation in Akkadian (Levant Text 9)

(read right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels) 
  1. A Bu KaTe |
  2. Ku Bu

In English

  1. This is for nourishing Kate (Hekate) | 
  2. On account of nourishing t[ ]

This text was first reported in 2006 and published in 2008. It is on a type of pottery which belonged to to the time between the late Iron Age I to early Iron IIA. This dates it to about 1000 BCE. Gath was the reported home of Goliath in the Bible (1 Samuel 17). 

This pottery shard was found in an industrial/commercial area as a cast-away on the floor of a heavily used room. Based upon the number of bones on the floor this room seems to have been a food preparation area. The bowl has a thin red slip which allowed the letters to be scratched with little effort.

References

Olmsted, D.D. (August 2020-2) Three Religiously Themed Philistine Texts in Alphabetic Akkadian (1160-960 BCE). Humanities Commons Permanent URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/yz0s-rh08. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/43968796/Three_Religiously_Themed_Philistine_Texts_in_Alphabetic_Akkadian_1160_960_BCE
Maeir, M. A., Wimmer, S.J. Zukerman, A. Demsky, A. (2008) A Late Iron Age I/ Early Iron Age II Old Canaanite Inscription from Tell eş-Şafi/Gath Israel: Paleography, Dating, and Historical Cultural Significance. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. No. 351 pp. 39-71. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/1403842/A_Late_Iron_Age_I_Early_Iron_Age_II_Old_Canaanite_Inscription_from_Tell_e_-_afi_Gath_Israel_Palaeography_Dating_and_Historical-Cultural_Significance
Seal bought in Jerusalem allegedly from Hebron area. Now at Israel Museum (69.66.551) in Jerusalem. Seal made from Ivory or bone, 15 x 13 x 6 mm.

Israelite Sealing: Blaming Goddess Hekate and Her Veil for the Drought (732 BCE Drought)

(April 1, 2023)  Image (double lines) is that of the sky-shell.  The pointed letter "A" indicates this seal was made around 732 BCE.

Translation in Akkadian (Levant Text 60.69)

(Read right to left. Capital letters on seal. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verb is italic bold)
  1. Lu  ALu  ISsu  Ku (Levant Text 60.69.1) 
  2. Bu  Zu  APu (Levant 60.69.2)

(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English. 

  1. Lack of Alu involves the woman (Hekate)
  2. Nourishments are emanating from the veil

Previous Hebrew Translation Attempt

Some Hebrew language scholars claim the text reads as follows: 

Reference

Avigad, Nahman; Sass, Benjamin (1997) Corpus of West Semitic Stamp Seals. Published by THE ISRAEL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES, THE ISRAEL EXPLORA TION SOCIETY, THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY, asnd THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/4786835/1997_Avigad_N_revised_and_completed_by_Sass_B_Corpus_of_West_Semitic_stamp_seals_Jerusalem 
Bluish seal was found in the Giv’ati parking lot excavation in Jerusalem.
This seal was found in the Giv’ati parking lot excavation in Jerusalem. 

Israelite Seal: Lack of Hostility Will Cause Hekate To Allow Life Powers To Once Again Be Manifested (605 BCE Drought)

(Feb 26, 2023)  Kate (Hekate) is the life anti-source goddess and thus a complement to the life source god Alu.

Translation in Akkadian (Levant Text 27)

(Read left to right because mirror image of its sealing. Capital letters on seal. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verb is italic bold)
  1. Lu  TuŠu  GaBu  Nu (Levant Text 27.1)
  2. KaTe  Nu  Ya  Esu   (Levant Text 27.2)

(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English. 

  1.  Lack of hostility will reveal the cistern (life source waters)
  2.  Kate (Hekate) is not revealing the filtrate.

Previous Hebrew Translation Attempt

The discovery report claims the letters are (letter differences in red):

  1. LTAR  BN  
  2. MTHYHS  

Which makes the name:

  1. "Ikkar Ben 
  2. Matanyahu" 

This is a failed translation due to the following:

  1. Incorrect letter assignments
  2. The last letter "S" is left out of the English translation
  3. Names are not a translation because they can be any cluster of letters 

References


Borschel-Dan, Amanda (2019) Tiny First Temple find could be first proof of aide to biblical King Josiah.
Times of Israel , March 31. Online at: https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-tiny-first-temple-inscriptions-vastly-enlarge-picture-of-ancient-jerusalem/
Seal previously in  Altman collection in Paris. Its present location and find location was not reported. Seal made from hard orange-yellow stone, 17 x 14 x 9 mm.

Israelite Sealing: Goddess Hekate Is Not Involved With Drought (732 or 605 BCE Drought)

(May 1, 2023) A different seal rises to the defense of Hekate

Translation in Akkadian (Levant Text 60.134)

(Read right to left. Capital letters on seal. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verb is italic bold)
  1. Lu  ESu  Du  Ya  ESu (Levant Text 60.134.1) 
  2. KaTe  Ku  Ya  ESu (Levant Text 60.134.2) 

(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English 

  1. Lack  filtrate is from not manifesting the filtrate
  2. Kate is not getting involved with the filtrate

Previous Hebrew Translation Attempt

Some Hebrew language scholars claim the text reads as follows: 

  1. Belonging to Hoduyahu
  2. (son of) Mattanyahu

References

Avigad, Nahman; Sass, Benjamin (1997) Corpus of West Semitic Stamp Seals. Published by THE ISRAEL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES, THE ISRAEL EXPLORATION SOCIETY, THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY, and THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/4786835/1997_Avigad_N_revised_and_completed_by_Sass_B_Corpus_of_West_Semitic_stamp_seals_Jerusalem 

Piacenza Liver Right Outer Section 6 (500 BCE)

Translation in Akkadian (Celt Text 1.5.6)

(read right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)
  1. KaTe Pu
  2. EGu

In English

  1. Kate (Hekate) is opening
  2. neglect