The great Bendis goddess

Bendis goddess, discovered in Gradistea Muscelului, dated after the 79th b. C.

The great Bendis goddess (Bhendis, Mendis, Mhendis) was the feminine divinity from north-Thracian pantheon which was managing people’s fortunes, like the Fates.

Goddess’ name is build with the indo-European root of bhend, theonym which minds “to relate” or “to bow”, whence it comes also the Anglo-Saxon word bind or the Germanic “binden”.

From this small but precious idea, we can easy deduce that one of the primordial goddess’ appellatives was “Fortune’s Goddess” or “Weaver Goddess”, “Fate’s Goddess”, “The Fate goddess”.

She, as the Fates, was managing people’s fortunes, the indo-Europeans being especially worshipers of the predestination belief.

It is very probably that, after the Dacia’s Roman conquest, Bendis was assimilated by Diana goddess (Artemis at the Greeks).

Bendis was also the goddess of the matrimonial connections, of the love and the amorous feeling, like the Scandinavian goddess Freyja, the Greek Aphrodite, the Etruscan Albina, the Assyrian- Babylonian Ishtar goddess, Sumerian’s Inanna, the “Dzydzilelyaa” of the old Polish, Albanian’s “Prende”, Slave’s “Shiva” or Roman’s Venus.

All the marriages was officiated in her name, under her divine blessing.

The goddess Bendis cult was taken also by Greeks, becoming a stately cult in Athens since the V century b. C. It was adored especially while the ceremonies called “Bendideia” when it was taking place two ethnical ceremonies: one formed by Traces and another by Athenians.

Bendis goddess’ temple, associated by the Athenians with Artemis, was called Bendideia and it was situated on the Munychia hill, situated in Athena’s part called Piraeus, hill that has approximately 86 m highest. Today it is called with the name of Kastella. Later, after the II century b. C. we can find another goddess’ temple on Hebru’s West part, in Balkans.

Her cult was attested also in the Asia Minor, more exactly in Bithynia, or even in the Ptolemaic Egypt.

On statues, Bendis goddess was represented wearing Thracian clothes and the Thracian cap (Phrygian, the Phrygians was from the Thracian race). Sometimes the goddess has a javelin in her left hand and a coup in the right hand. On some coins she appears either keeping two javelins and a dagger, or two torches or a torch and a Patera.

Bends has also other attributes as the hunting, but we were appearing also as a Moon’s goddess, like Hecate.

Bendis – bronze bust from the Piatra Roșie, showing the goddess with big breasts, that means that she represents the fertile and amorous character of the goddess

Bendis from Tanagra, location situated in Attica, in north Athens (terracotta figure, IV century b. C.)

Bendis goddess’ votive star, discovered at Piraeus (IV century b. C.)

By Kogaion

Marea Zeita Bendis

Medalion ce reprezinta pe zeita Bendis, descoperit la Gradistea Muncelului, datare dupa anul 79 e.n.

Marea zeita Bendis (Bhendis, Mendis, Mhendis) era divinitatea feminina din pantenonul nord-tracic care se ocupa cu destinele oamenilor, asemeni Ursitoarelor.

Numele zeitei este compus din radacina teonimului indo-european bhend care inseamna “a lega” sau “a indoi”, de unde provine si cuvantul anglo-saxon bind sau germanicul binden.

Din aceasta mcia dar pretioasa idee, putem deduce cu usurinta ca unul din apelativele primordiale ale zeitei era de “Zeita destinului” sau “Zeita Tesatoarelor”, Zeita Sortii”, “Zeita Ursitoare”.

Ea, asemeni Ursitoarelor, se ocupa cu destinele oamenilor, indo-europenii fiind prin excelenta adoratorii credintei in predestinare.

Este foarte probabil ca dupa cucerirea romana a Daciei, Bendis sa fi fost asimilata de zeita Diana (Artemis la greci).

Bendis mai era si zeita legaturilor matrimoniale, dragostei si sentimentului amoros, asemeni zeitei scandinave Freya, Afroditei elene, zeitei Albina a etruscilor, Ishtar a asiro-babilonienilor, Inanna a sumerienilor, Dzydzilelyaa a vechilor poloni, Prende a albanezilor, Shiva a slavilor sau Venus a romanilor.

Toate casatoriile se oficiau in numele ei, sub binecuvantarea ei divina.

Cultul zeitei Bendis a fost preluat si de greci, devenind cult statal la Atena inca din secolul V i.e.n. Era adorata in special in timpul ceremoniilor numite Bendideia cand aveau loc doua ceremonii etnice: una formata din traci si alta din atenieni.

Templul zeitei Bendis, asociata de atenieni cu Artemis, se numea Bendideion si era situat pe dealul Munychia, situat in partea Atenei numita Pireu, colina ce are inaltime de aprox 86 de m. Astazi poarta numele de Kastella. Mai tarziu, dupa secolul II i.e.n. mai putem gasi un templu al zeitei pe tarmul vestic al Hebrului, in Balcani.
Cultul ei este atestat si in Asia Mica, mai exact in Bithinia, sau chiar in Egiptul Ptolemeic.

Pe reliefuri si statuete, zeita Bendis este reprezentata purtand vesminte trace si boneta traca (frigiana, frigienii erau de neam tracic). Uneori, zeita are o sulita in mana stanga si o cupa in cea dreapta. Pe unele monezi, ea apare fie tinand doua sulite si un pumnal, fie doua torte sau o torta si o patera.

Bendis mai avea si diverse atribute cum ar fi vanatoarea, dar aparea si sub forma unei zeite a Lunii, asemeni Hecatei.

Bendis – Bustul de bronz de la Piatra Rosie, infatisand-o pe zeita cu sanii mari, ceea ce reprezinta caracterul fertil dar si amoros al zeitei.

Bendis din Tanagra, localitate situata in Attica, la nord de Atena (figurina din teracota, secolul IV i.e.n.)

Stela votiva a zeitei Bendis descoperita la Pireu (sec IV i.e.n.)

Articol scris de Kogaion