#Poseidon symbol skin

In fact, Athena’s military dress is the most distinctive attribute of the goddess in art. The goddess of war decorated her own shield with the head of a vanquished foe, which itself had the power to turn her enemies to stone. Most Greeks painted a protective charm or emblem of their patron god on their shields, both as magical protection and to instill fear in their enemies. Possibly made of goat skins, it had first belonged to her father, Zeus, before she inherited it. The world does not have a definite translation, but the Aegis is believed to refer to the shield Athena is generally pictured with. Sometimes images of Athena feature the Gorgoneion worn as an amulet, but more often it is pictured on the front of another of her famous symbols, the Aegis. After using the head to turn his own enemies to stone, the hero gifted it to Athena. Athena was often pictured with the G orgoneion – the head of Medusa.Īccording to legend, Athena was instrumental in helping Perseus slay the monster. Of course, snakes do relate to another symbol often used in the Greek world. Athena was often pictured with snakes along the edges of her clothing. Less well-remembered was the goddess’s association with snakes. Athenian coins were known as “little owls” because they typically had the goddess’s animal on them. The people of Athens eventually adopted the owl as an emblem of their city to reflect their relationship with their patron goddess. The birds were associated with Athena early on and often shown in archaic images of her. One of Athena’s common epithets was Glaukopis, or “Bright-Eyed,” which shares a root with the Greek word for owl. The animal was so closely associated with the goddess of wisdom that it is still used as a symbol of learning today. Many modern viewers are most familiar with the owl as Athena’s sacred animal.

This was in reference to the city’s founding myth, in which Athena gave the tree to the city to ensure its future prosperity. In Athens, for example, she was often pictured with an olive tree or olive branches.

This meant she was shown often in art, and with some regional variations. In Greek art, the goddess Athena had many recognizable symbols and attributes.Īthena was the patron goddess of the city of Athens so she was often depicted there, but she was overall one of the most popular goddesses throughout the Greek world. And these symbols of the goddess can give us clues about her pre-Greek origins. Throughout Greece, especially in Athens, the iconography of Athena was both widespread and distinctive.Īthena is still associated with owls, but she had many other distinctive symbols as well. Some of the most enduring and visible symbols of ancient Greek religion were associated with Athena. Others were so iconic that they are still used today to denote the same ideas the ancient gods stood for. Many of these symbols are known only to archaeologists and students of history.

#Poseidon symbol skin

Some were obvious, like the lion skin worn by Heracles, while others were more subtle or less often used. In ancient art, gods and heroes were often identified through the inclusion of specific symbols.