What does Medusa head symbolize?
The most common interpretation of Medusa suggests she is an apotropaic symbol used to protect from and ward off the negative, much like the modern evil eye. She represents a dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats, an image of evil to repel evil.
What’s the story behind Medusa?
Legend states that Medusa was once a beautiful, avowed priestess of Athena who was cursed for breaking her vow of celibacy. When Medusa had an affair with the sea god Poseidon, Athena punished her. She turned Medusa into a hideous hag, making her hair into writhing snakes and her skin was turned a greenish hue.
Has Medusa’s head been found?
A statue of Medusa’s head was discovered at Antiochia ad Cragum in Turkey, dating to the first century. In the ruins of a Roman city in southern Turkey, archaeologists have discovered a marble head of Medusa, somehow spared during an early Christian campaign against pagan art.
Why did Medusa have snakes on her head?
In later myths (mainly in Ovid) Medusa was the only Gorgon to possess snake locks, because they were a punishment from Athena. Accordingly, Ovid relates that the once beautiful mortal was punished by Athena with a hideous appearance and loathsome snakes for hair for having been raped in Athena’s temple by Poseidon.
What does a Medusa Tattoo mean for a girl?
According to The Met Museum, Medusa is portrayed in most Greek art as an “apotropaic symbol used to protect and ward off the negative,” representing a “dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats, an image of evil to repel evil.” In modern tales of Gorgon though, she is a symbol of female rage.
Was Athena protecting Medusa?
Athena is a virgin goddess, one who was the patron of Medusa. When Poseidon raped Medusa, she called out to Athena for both forgiveness and guidance. Thus, transforming Medusa was not an act of rage, rather, it was an act of protection. Athena could not punish Poseidon for what he did to Medusa.
Is Medusa still alive?
But there is nothing normal about Medusa. However, unlike Medusa, the unnamed animal was never kept alive in captivity. Medusa is currently housed at “The Edge of Hell Haunted House” in Kansas City.
Who is Medusa’s husband?
One of the most popular monsters of Greek Mythology, Medusa was a beautiful maiden with golden hair. She vowed to be celibate her entire life as a priestess of Athena until she fell in love with Poseidon. She went against her vow and married him.
Was Medusa cursed or blessed?
Medusa was not cursed, she was actually helped by Athena. Her patron goddess gifted her with an ability that would never let Medusa feel powerless again.
Who killed Medusa?
Perseus
Because the gaze of Medusa turned all who looked at her to stone, Perseus guided himself by her reflection in a shield given him by Athena and beheaded Medusa as she slept. He then returned to Seriphus and rescued his mother by turning Polydectes and his supporters to stone at the sight of Medusa’s head.
What is the real story behind Medusa?
The oldest story known to feature Medusa is the adventures of Perseus. In this story she is a boss monster whom Perseus defeats by decapitating her (and later using her head to petrify enemies) without looking at her — he sticks to looking at her shadow or looking through a mirrored shield, depending on the version.
Why did Medusa get turned into a monster?
According to him, Medusa had been cursed by Athena. Her supposed crime was an assault by Poseidon in the goddess’s temple. For this infraction, Medusa was transformed into the most terrible looking monster the world had ever seen and eventually hunted down and beheaded by one of Athena’s favored champions. The Curse of Medusa
Is Medusa a real story?
The story of the real Medusa can, therefore, be seen as an allegorical retelling of the history of Bronze Age Greek religion. The Hellenic Greeks, embodied by Perseus, went to the shrines of a non-Greek goddess, the cave of Gorgons, and took the masks of the priestesses that symbolized the religion’s power as their own.
Why Athena cursed Medusa?
Medusa is a monster who can petrify people to stone if they look her directly in her eyes. She is a daughter of Phorkys and Keto and was once a priestess of Athena. After Medusa and Poseidon desecrated Athena’s virgin temple, Athena cursed Medusa and her sisters.