Demeter Symbol
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In the history of Greek mythology, goddess Demeter is the generous among the Olympian goddess. This Greek goddess was loved by everybody because of the way she served the mankind with harvesting gift for cultivation.
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She is called Ceres by the Romans. She was called the goddess of harvest and she was the one to teach the human beings, growing crops, preserving them and preparing them for grain. Demeter is the one who was responsible for land’s fertility.
Demeter is the one and the only goddess who got involved in the daily life of common people. Some gods and goddess tried to get into the human affairs depending on their interest and some aided the special mortals whom they likes but it is only Demeter who nurtured the whole of mankind.
Demeter is also a goddess who empathized with the humans when they were suffered and grieved because she experienced it herself.
Demeter defended her daughter Persephone very fiercely. Father of Persephone is Zeus who was the king of gods. Demeter was an early consort of Zeus before he married Hera.
Hades, the god of underworld was impressed with the beauty of Persephone and fell in love with Persephone. When Persephone plucked a flower to have a better look, the earth opened up and hand of Hades came up from his kingdom of Underworld. Hades snatched her into underworld.
Demeter hears the screams of Persephone but she could not find where her daughter was. She searched for her all day and night for nine days, and during this time she never did her job. So, the earth experienced winter. Finally, Zeus sends messengers for apologizing to Demeter. At last she finds Persephone, who was married to the god of Underworld, Hades. However, since Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds, she was forced to stay 4 months in the Underworld with Hades and the rest of the time with her mother.
When her daughter is with her, Demeter is happy and gives fertility to Earth. However, when her daughter goes to the Underworld, she is unhappy and does not give fertility. As Demeter is the goddess of fertility and agriculture, her symbols are grains, scepter, torch, sacrificial bowl and also an ear of wheat.
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