Thrace was a geographical region in and around the northern part of today’s Turkey and today’s Bulgaria, with Romania to the north. The Aegean Sea bordered ancient Thrace to the south with the Greek civilization to the west of that, the Black Sea bordered it on the east, and the Balkan Mountains on the north. The peoples of the region, called Thracians, were composed of numerous tribes. Thrace and Thracians were names assigned to them by the Greeks. When we refer to Thrace, we usually think of the intrepid, expert horsemen and warriors who fought with the Persians and, later, beside the Greeks and against the Persians.
In the region of Thrace, however, earlier than the Grecian period of history we are familiar with, the line of matriarchal civilization survived unbroken until the end of the 3rd millennium BC, longer than in many other places of the Aegean, with the exception of the Minoans of Crete, whose matriarchal culture continued until the 2nd millennium BC. Archaeological treasures show a rich, graceful culture in Thrace, with beautiful, vibrantly painted pottery and walls made of lath and plaster between 6000 BC and 4000 BC.
Thrace was home to one of the original Amazon tribes of warrior women. It also served as a center of germination of culture that provided a linkage between the original European Paleolithic goddess culture and the Neolithic matriarchal centers. Some scholars believe that Sumerian and Minoan civilizations owe homage to the ancient culture of the Thracian region.
The Great Cosmic Mother by Monica Sjoo and Barbara Mor describes how Thrace remained a center of ancient wisdom and knowledge even down to the classical Greek era. Thrace was considered the home of the great moon goddess, sometimes called Bendis. She was associated with the moon goddess Artemis the huntress, as well as Selene and especially Hecate, crone of the dark of the moon. Healing was one of her gifts to the world, and her worship included sacred orgiastic rites. Orpheus also roamed her mountain abode. Bendis and her Nine Muses or mountain goddesses were attended by her priestess shamanesses, the Maenads. The Maenads were the custodians of mysterious primal goddess wisdom and, per legend, the teachers of the Celtic Druids. This ancient wisdom included belief in the immortality of the soul and reincarnation. Their ideas greatly influenced Pythagoras.
What do you think of the Thracian moon goddess Bendis? Did you know of her?
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Thanks for sharing. I find these posts so fascinating and the various goddess entities interest me a great deal.
She is less well known, Daisy.
Thank you for an interesting historical post that has a direct connection with my country and its mythology!
I only want to add that the cult of Bendis, in Dacia, present day Romania, is confirmed by several archeological discoveries (a head of bronze found at Costesti, a medallion of clay, discovered at Sarmizegetusa, and a bronze bust from Piatra Rosie). Her cult survived during the period of Roman occupation, in the form of Roman godess Diana. Diana’s name can be traced in the Romanian words: zana, sanziana (Sancta Diana) or cosanziana (Quo Sancta Diana).
Carmen, I sure appreciate your leaving the information on Bendis in Dacia. I love how that area was such a hotbed of myth germination. It is also remarkable and, to me, wonderful how Diana lasted into medieval times and even beyond. I believe she is the one who could not be named in many sects.
That is the first I heard of Bendis interesting information!
She’s so interesting to me too, Cathy.
Very weird. I thought I had left a reply on this post but some mythical creature must have gobbled it up, LOL. I had never heard of Thrace or Bendis. The really fascinating thing about this post, Flossie, is that it’s like a mythology lesson and history lesson in one! Love that! 🙂
Hoho, Mae, well I almost majored in history lol. Glad you liked hearing about Bendis.