Demeter, the Grain Mother
In Greek myth, Demeter is the daughter of the deities Cronus and Rhea and is
the sister of Zeus. She commonly appeared as a grain goddess, but her
influence eventually grew to include almost all vegetation, making her into
an earth mother figure. Demeter was represented by many objects, ranging
from ears of grain to flower baskets and pigs. Demeter was worshipped as
Ceres in Rome, but all of the myths and rituals were based on the Greek
traditions.
The Central Myth: The Kidnapping of Kore
In the central myth, Kore (called Persephone by the Romans), the daughter of
Demeter was kidnapped by Hades and taken to his kingdom, the underworld.
As Demeter searched for her daughter, she neglected the grain and harvests,
causing a great famine. Along her journeys, Demeter came to the city of
Eleusis. There she befriended the royal family. When the queen refused to
let Demeter grant immortality to her son, Demeter revealed her true identity to
the people of Eleusis. She demanded that the city build a temple to
house her and their worship of her became the Eleusinian Mysteries.
The Eleusinian Rituals
The rituals of Demeter were originally performed at Eleusis, but were
eventually incorporated into Athens. Most of the rituals probably included
some singing or dancing during a reenactment of the myth of Demeter. Initiation
rites began with a procession from Athens to Eleusis. There, the ceremony
continued in secret inside the Hall of Initiation. These initiations took place
in parts and included purification through sacred baths in streams and the sea
as well as three days of fasting and an unknown central rite. By joining,
the members were promised some advantages in the afterlife, as in any good
salvation cult.
Back to Top
Back to Main Page