Bird goddess

The Burney Relief, ca. 1950 BC.

Neolithic bird representation

The term Bird goddess was coined by Marija Gimbutas with relation to Neolithic Europe. The Vinca culture, in particular, had a bird goddess. Griffen (2005) even claims to have discovered a sign for the bird goddess in the Vinča signs.

Later goddesses with associations with birds include Nut and Athena [1] and perhaps Circe.

Gimbutas also identified a "Lady of the Beasts" (the female analogon of Pashupati), a bear goddess and a snake goddess.

See also

• augur
• language of the birds
• Horus
• Leda (mythology)

Literature

• Gimbutas, Marija and Campbell, Joseph, The Language of the Goddess, Thames & Hudson (2001) ISBN 0-500-28249-8