

There were originally five of these creatures pulling her chariot, but one managed to escape and become known individually as the Ceryneian Hind. It is said that Artemis traveled by a golden chariot pulled by four huge golden-antlered deer named the Elaphoi Khrysokeroi (literally “golden-horned deer”). On rare occasions, both spear and knife are associated with Artemis. The use of bows and arrows in both hunting and warfare was incredibly popular in ancient Greece along with other hunting weapons including a spear and a knife, known as a kopis. In the Homeric hymn to Artemis, the goddess is declared to draw “her golden bow, rejoicing in the chase.” Later in the hymn, she is described as the “huntress who delights in arrows.” Bow and ArrowĪ prolific archer, Artemis’ preferred weapon was the bow. Much of these are related to a specific myth, though some may be following broader identifying trends in ancient history. What Were Some Symbols of Artemis?Īll gods within the Greek pantheon had symbols associated to them. The etymology of Artemis was speculated to be of pre-Greek origin, a singular deity forged from a multitude of tribal divinities, although there is reasonable evidence attesting to the goddess of hunting being related to the Phrygian religion – an example being the extensive worship of Artemis of Ephesus.

She is the twin sister of the Greek god Apollo, born of a short-lived affair between Zeus and the Titaness Leto.Īs the guardian of young children – especially young girls – Artemis was believed to cure those afflicted with diseases and curse the people who sought to harm them.

