There has never been a time when humans did not look to animals. So frequently seen and interacted with, yet so mysterious in their seemingly otherworldly instincts, animals have always embodied something outside of the human experience.
The oldest known structure at Gobekli Tepe displays animals on each pillar. Every ancient polytheistic or henotheistic religion throughout the world used animals as allegories for defining the divine and the laws by which nature abides. They’re said to have helped to shape the cosmos, the world, and humanity. Gods of the ancient world were seen as human, yet their powers exceeded human capabilities, finding their way into the animal kingdom. Their animal counterparts were companions, others innately reflected their preeminence and omnipresence, and some magically intertwined with their very being. Every culture, whether it be ancient or modern, tell stories of animals and their supernatural abilities to guide, challenge, or rescue humans from danger or from themselves. As figures of transformation, transcendence, and truth, animals are the ultimate archetype.
Divine Companionship: The Greek Gods
In the ancient Greek world, the gods found a fondness in the animals that they connected with through companionship, as the ones who pulled their chariots or flanked their sacred regalia. They reflected their power over humans and acted as mounts, very similar to the concept of vahana in Hinduism. The king of gods, ruler of the sky, Zeus, echoed the bold spirit of the soaring eagle or the brilliant bull. His wife, Hera, queen of the gods and women, childbirth, and marriage, was like the cow – fertile and nurturing – as well as the vibrant peacock, cuckoo, and the fiercely protective lioness. Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes, ruled over the majestic horse, which guided him on his aquatic chariot. He was also associated with sea creatures, like dolphins and fish, that wandered his domain or the formidable bull, much like Zeus.
Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, was likened to the owl, a fearsome predator, but incredibly wise and strategic. Like the all-seeing and quick-witted bird, she would also be depicted with the goose, rooster, dove, or eagle. The god of brutal war, Ares, was seen in vultures and the eagle owl, circling the battlefield ready to consume the freshly dead, and the deadly snakes that guarded the graves of his warriors. The loyal, carnivorous dog was also a sign of Ares, as it was with the lord of the underworld, Hades. The black ram and the chilling screams of the screeching owl were signs of Hades. Demeter, mother to Hades’ wife, Persephone, was the goddess of harvest and agriculture. She was personified through the snake’s regenerative powers to shed its skin and begin anew, like the changing of the seasons. Two massive, winged snakes carried her along in her chariot.
