hecate with dog

    Caption: "The goddess Hecate is depicted with a bow, pair of flaming torches, and a large dog. The figure is alternatively identified as Artemis." (Slightly edited.)

    Details:
    1. Ceramic: Attic black-figure pottery.
    2. Shape: Kylix: the most common kind of wine-drinking cup of Ancient Greece
    3. Painter: Attributed to Kleibolos Painter (fl. c. 500 BCE).
    4. Period: Archaic Greece (circa 8th century -- 480 BCE).

    Hecate (a Titan) was one of the three ancient Greek Moon goddesses---the other two were the Olympian Artemis and the Titan Selene.

    Hecate was also the goddess of witchcraft---so she had a bit of an evil reputation.

    However, Hecate also had a good reputation---Hesiod (circa late 8th century BCE) praises her:

      Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honoured above all.
      He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the Earth
             and the unfruitful sea.
      She received honour also in starry heaven,
      and is honoured exceedingly by the deathless gods.

        ---Theogony: translation: The Theogony of Hesiod, lines 404--452, by Hugh G. Evelyn-White (1884--1924)).

    Credit/Permission: Anonymous photographer, circa 20th century (uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by User:Stevengravel, 2011) / Public domain.
    Image link: Wikimedia Commons: File:T16.5Hekate.jpg.
    Local file: local link: hecate.html.
    File: Art_h file: hecate.html.