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Ancient goddess spotlight: Minerva
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Goddess of Art ~ Goddess of War
An ancient Roman and Etruscan goddess equated to the Greek goddess Athena, Minerva (pronounced Mi-ner-vah) is a goddess of intelligence, creativity, wisdom, domestic skills, and handicrafts. Celebrated for her mental prowess, her name appropriately derives from the ancient root for "mind."
Nearly synonymous with Athena, who is a vertitable incarnation of mental creativity having been born from the crown or mind of Zeus, Minerva is also associated with every function of the mind, not excluding left and right-brained activities ranging from artistic endeavors to the discipline required for soldiers.
Originally an "Italic" patron goddess of artisans and craftspeople (a pre-italian deity), Minerva eventually became a part of the heavenly state triad of the Roman pantheon, one that primarily includes herself and the king and queen of the gods: Jupiter and Juno -- otherwise known as their Greek counterparts Zeus and Hera.
Similar to her own Greek counterpart in this stately position, Minerva also became a multifunctional goddess of war, death, and the sacred mysteries. Although recognized for being one of the virgin goddesses, she was also somewhat linked to childbirth -- though childbirth is typically reserved for the likes of the Greek earth goddess Demeter.
Despite her inextricable bonds to the Greek pantheon, Minerva is not a mere Roman copycat, having been linked to another warrior goddess known as Nerio (or Nerien), a deity originating from the Italic Sabines who neighbored Rome.
Known to wear an aegis (ee-jis), or a warrior breastplate edged with snakes, as well as an owl-like headdress (which signified her status as a goddess of death and mystery), Minerva is markedly similar to many other goddesses worldwide in terms of her consistent association with birds and snakes: animals perceived as divine and magical in the ancient world.
Like many goddesses with animal familiars, Minerva is heavily tied to nature, and is therefore associated with the sacred olive tree, another characteristic borrowed from the Greek Athena. Consequently, she is also the goddess of olive oil.
Sources:
The Goddess Oracle by Amy Sophia Marashinsky (2002)
Whence the Goddesses: A Source Book by Miriam Robbins Dexter (1990)
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Juliette Frette
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