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Gaea, Earth Mother

© Catherine Harris

Gaea, Ge, Gaia, are all the same goddess, the earth goddess. She was born of Chaos, along with Tatarus (the lowest part of the earth, below Hades), and Eros. Gaea gave birth to the sea, also called Pontus, Ourea, the mountains, Uranus also called heaven, the Titans (6 male and 6 female), the Gigantes, the Erinyes (the furies), and the Cyclops giving her the name mother of all. She is believed to have been worshipped before Zeus, who was introduced by the Hellenes.

The early Greeks worshipped her as the giver of dreams, and the nourisher of plants and young children. The Romans called her Terra, Tellus, or earth mother. Her celebrations involved the sacrificing of cows that were with young. The main celebration (Sementivae) was held on January 24 until 26 January.

As the mother of all the gods, Gaea has many legends surrounding her. Among the most interesting are the ones concerning the birth of Zeus, whose later worship supplanted Gaea. Supposedly, her husband Cronus would swallow the children of Gaea since he had been told that one of his offspring would usurp him. Becoming tired of this, she protected Zeus by replacing him in the swaddling clothes with a stone. After Cronus swallowed the stone, Zeus was taken to Crete.

Cronus was not the first of Gaea husbands. Uranus came first. Cronus with the assistance of Gaea severed Uranus' genitals, thus forever separating heaven and earth. Legend says that when his blood hit the earth, they became the Erinyes, also called the Furies, the giants, and the Meiae or nymphs.

Another legend has Gaea married to Pontus. From that union came the sea gods Nereus, Thaumas, and Phorcys, who was killed during the Trojan War by Ajax. She is also reputed to have offspring with Tartarus.

Her offspring, Echidna, and Typhon were reported to be so hideous that all who saw them ran in fear. Zeus stood his ground and when Typhon lifted mount Aetna to throw at the fleeing gods, Zeus hit it with lightening bolts so hard that if fell on Typhon. Typhon is buried underneath the mountain, and can be seen breathing smoke and fire from it.

Gaea had very little interaction with humans. Her legends revolve around the gods that she gave birth to. Gaea was associated heavily with the fertility goddess, Ceres. A temple was built approximately 268 BC on the forum Pacis. This is where her celebrations were held and the pregnant cattle were sacrificed to her.

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