Aphrodite from Gortyn

myminifactory

Aphrodite (/æfrəˈdaɪti/ af-rə-DY-tee; Greek: Ἀφροδίτη Aphrodítē) is the ancient Greek deity of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. She is identified with the planet Venus, which bears the name of the Roman goddess Venus, whom Aphrodite was extensively assimilated to. Aphrodite's chief emblems include myrtles, roses, doves, sparrows, and swans. The cult of Aphrodite derived largely from that of the Phoenician goddess Astarte, a cognate of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar, whose cult was based on the Sumerian cult of Inanna. Aphrodite's primary cult centers were Cythera, Cyprus, Corinth, and Athens. Her principal festival was the Aphrodisia, which was celebrated annually in midsummer. In Laconia, Aphrodite was venerated as a warrior goddess. She was also the patron deity of prostitutes, an association that led early scholars to propose the concept of "sacred prostitution", an idea now generally regarded as mistaken. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital repository of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access at no cost. Scan the World is an open-source, community-driven effort; if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate.