The Many Faces of Artemis

The aim of this conference is to explore the diversity of conceptions, cults and sanctuaries of the Greek goddess Artemis. In an interdisciplinary and holistic approach, we seek to further topical discussions on Greek polytheism, and we take up recent renewed scholarly interest in studying individual gods. In modern scholarship, various attempts have been made to find an overarching ‘mode of action’ for Artemis, stressing her connections with untamed nature, with transitions and the dangerous. These are sensible suggestions, yet they cannot capture all manifestations of Artemis.

This conference brings together philologists, epigraphists, archaeologists, linguists and religious scholars to examine Artemis from different angles, by investigating local, regional, and panhellenic aspects of the goddess diachronically. Various epithets show that Artemis is incorporated in different (local) traditions and is associated with various goddesses; and the votive spectrum and sacrificial rituals point in the same direction. We aim to understand the variety of manifestations of the goddess, and develop an understanding of the coherence of her perceived personality. While the majority of written evidence comes from only a few places, first and foremost Athens, the archaeological evidence opens up many parts of the Greek world. Written and iconographical sources provide insights into the ancient ideas of the goddess and her identities. Votive offerings tell us about the concerns that the worshippers associated with Artemis' spheres of competence, animal remains about the sacrificial practices. By taking this multi-angle approach, we hope to understand Artemis better as a case study of the complexities of ancient Greek polytheism.

For more information, contact Machteld Auf der Haar: m.e.auf.der.haar student.rug.nl