It's always fascinating to pay a visit with She Who Seeks; Debra brings us the November Full Moon Altar: Menrva, with back story and provenance of the pieces.
"This month's altar honours Menrva, the Etruscan goddess of war, art, wisdom, and medicine. Ancient Etruscan civilization, which arose in the 9th century BCE in Tuscany and area, dominated Italy until it fell to Rome in the late 4th century BCE. Menrva inspired the creation, character, and attributes of her Greek and Roman divine feminine counterparts Athena and Minerva."
I have been fortunate to have had an education about Menrva many years ago. This celebration was center to the Wicca population in my UU Church community.
Menrva (also spelled Menerva or Menfra) was an Etruscan goddess of war, art, wisdom, and medicine. She contributed much of her character to the Roman Minerva. She was the child of Uni and Tinia.
Although Menrva was seen by Hellenized Etruscans as their counterpart to Greek Athena,Menrva has some unique traits that make it clear that she was not an import from Greece. Etruscan artists under the influence of Greek culture, however, liked to portray Menrva with Gorgoneion, helmet, spear, and shield, and, on one mirrorback, as bursting from the head of her father, Tinia. Also, she commonly is seen as the protector of Hercle (Heracles) and Pherse (Perseus). On a bronze mirror found at Praeneste, she attends Perseus, who consults two Graeae, and, on another, holds high the head of Medusa, while she and seated Perseus and Hermes all gaze safely at its reflection in a pool at their feet. These images are more likely to reflect literary sources than any cult practice. On a bronze mirror from Bolsena, c. 300 BCE, she is portrayed attending a scene of Prometheus Unbound with Esplace (Asclepius), who bandages Prometheus' chest.
In most depictions, Minerva is portrayed wearing a chiton, which was a long tunic usually worn by the Greeks, and sometimes a breastplate. As the goddess of war and battle strategy, she is also usually depicted with a helmet on her head and spear and shield in hand. In the same manner as Athena, Minerva had a rather athletic and muscular physique, unlike the other Greco-Roman goddesses.
One of the most important symbols of Minerva was the olive branch. Although Minerva was often considered the goddess of victory and the one to pray to before either battle or sports championships of any kind, she was also said to have a soft spot for those who were defeated. Offering an olive branch to them was a sign of her sympathy. To this day, lending a hand in friendship to your former enemy or rival is called ‘offering an olive branch.’ The goddess of wisdom was said to have created the first olive tree and olive trees have remained an important symbol for her.
Of course, there is still the ever-fabulous (late) Dame Maggie Smith as "Minerva McGonagall" in the Harry Potter franchise.
Long Live Menrva!
Thank you, Debra!
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menrva and https://historycooperative.org/minerva/
2 comments:
She has always been my favourite goddess ever since I was an adolescent! Thanks for the shout-out to my post and for expanding my knowledge about the origin of "offering an olive branch" of peace.
Long live fierce women!
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