They may be fictionalized on the covers of pulp fiction novels and lurid ’50s sci-fi movies, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t real. Yes, millennia ago there really were fierce female warriors known as Amazons. And they were more than fearsome fighters. They also built one of the largest and most impressive temples in the ancient world.
The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was (as described by the ancient Greek scholar Callimachus) created in the Bronze Age by legendary warrior-women. Tragically, the temple was severely damaged by a flood in the 7th century. But the remains that still may be seen near the modern town of Selçuk, Turkey are nevertheless impressive.
Possibly the most iconic attraction to be seen in Ephesus today is the statue of Artemis. She is flanked by a pair of stags and she wears a zodiac necklace, but most outstanding is the cluster of breast-like globules. Are they eggs? Some scholars even speculate they represent sacrificial bull testicles!
Would you like to see her for yourself? Body Mind Spirit Journeys is now taking registrations for a tour of Turkey next May.
“The Goddess in the Mediterranean: Experience the Power of the Divine Feminine in Ancient, Exquisite Turkey” will be hosted by bestselling author Kathleen McGowan May 10-20, 2023.
Here are a few more highlights…
- Go to Troy, famous for its giant wooden horse
- See the sights of Istanbul, including the Blue Mosque and St Sophia
- Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pergamum
Plus there is an optional extension to Cappadocia that features accommodations in a cave!
Click Here For Complete Sacred Turkey Tour Details
Photo credits:
Battle of Greeks and Amazons sculpture: © User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons
Artemis of Ephesus statue: Gargarapalvin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons