THE CANAANITE PANTHEON

Note:  The Canaanites of the Bible are thought by scholars (and nowDNA evidence proves it) to be the famous sea-going alphabet-inventingPhoenicians. Geneticist Spencer Wells has proved that the modern Lebanesepeople, both Lebanese Muslims and Lebanese Christians are genetically thesame people as the Canaanites and Phoenicians.

Go to the following website:www.inanna.virtualave.net/neareast.html

This site has many Near East goddesses and their consorts; we will focuson the Canaanite ones (as much as possible!).

After reading the article, copy and paste the questions below to a new e-mail,answer the questions, and send to theMystery School with the followingsubject line: CanaanPantheon from ___________ (your magikal name).

1. By what names is Astarte known?

2. What Sumerian goddess does Astarte resemble?

3. Of what was Astarte the goddess?

4. She is represented by what star?

5. Astarte’s religion embraced _____________ ______________ and the ______________________ ritual.

6. Into what goddesses of Egypt, Greece, and Rome was Astarte assimilated?

7. Who is the Canaanite “Lady of the Mountain”?

8. Who is Anath’s consort?

9. What does “Shekhinah” mean?

Essay 1:  Why are so many of these names confused? Draw on what youknow of the history of the Ancient Near East and the Bible to help explainthis puzzle.

Essay 2:  Do you think Astarte and Ishtar are the same goddess? Whyor why not?

Questions by Presvytera Deborah