Demeter
The Greek Goddess of the Harvest
Demeter
-The Greek earth goddess par excellence, who brings forth the fruits of the earth, particularly the various grains. She taught mankind the art of sowing and ploughing so they could end their nomadic existence. As such, Demeter was also the goddess of planned society.
Family
-Daughter of Kronos and Rhea, sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, and Hestia, Demeter was the mother of Persephone and Iacchus and Pluto, the god of wealth. She also adopted Triptolemus, the Eleusinian prince, who gave the human race the gifts of the plough and knowledge of agriculture.
Cults
-Cults of Demeter Eleusinia, and cults claimed to have been established from Eleusis, are found quite widely spread across central and southern Greece and Asia Minor
Lore
-Demeter's Daughter Persephone was kidnapped by her brother Hades to be his wife, Demeter searched for years and thus the land died due to her neglect, and Hades was forced by the other gods to give demeter her daughter back, but he tricked Persephone to eat food in the underworld, which caused her to be stuck with Hades for 2 seasons, signifying the Winter & fall seasons when Demeter is too sad to care for the land.
Family
-Daughter of Kronos and Rhea, sister of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, and Hestia, Demeter was the mother of Persephone and Iacchus and Pluto, the god of wealth. She also adopted Triptolemus, the Eleusinian prince, who gave the human race the gifts of the plough and knowledge of agriculture.
Cults
-Cults of Demeter Eleusinia, and cults claimed to have been established from Eleusis, are found quite widely spread across central and southern Greece and Asia Minor
Lore
-Demeter's Daughter Persephone was kidnapped by her brother Hades to be his wife, Demeter searched for years and thus the land died due to her neglect, and Hades was forced by the other gods to give demeter her daughter back, but he tricked Persephone to eat food in the underworld, which caused her to be stuck with Hades for 2 seasons, signifying the Winter & fall seasons when Demeter is too sad to care for the land.
Bibliography
Bell, Robert E. Women Of Classical Mythology: A Biographical Dictionary. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, 1991. Print.
Bowden, Hugh. "Cults Of Demeter Eleusinia And The Transmission Of Religious Ideas." Mediterranean Historical Review 22.1 (2007): 71-83. History Reference Center. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.
"Demeter." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014.
"Demeter." Encyclopedia Mythica. 2014. Encyclopedia Mythica Online. 07 Nov. 2014 <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/d/demeter.html>.