Editing Demeter (section)

===As an earth and underworld goddess===
[[File:NAMA 16346 Cornucopia.JPG|thumb|left|240px|Pelike. Plouton with a [[cornucopia]] and Demeter with a sceptre and plough. By the Orestes Painter. 440-430 BC.[[National Archaeological Museum, Athens]]]]
In addition to her role as an agricultural goddess, Demeter was often worshipped more generally as a goddess of the earth, from which crops spring up. Her individuality was rooted to the less developed personality of [[Gaia]] (earth). In [[Arcadia (ancient region)|Arcadia]] Demeter ''Melaina'' (the black Demeter) was represented as snake-haired with a horse's head holding a dove and dolphin, perhaps to symbolize her power over the Underworld, the air, and the water.<ref>Jeffery (1976), 23</ref><ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]]|[http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:8.42 8.42.1–4]</ref> The cult of Demeter in the region was related to [[Despoina]], a very old chthonic divinity. Demeter shares the double function of death and fertility with her daughter Persephone. Demeter and Persephone were called ''Despoinai'' (the mistresses) and ''Demeters''. This duality was also used in the classical period (''Thesmophoroi'', ''Double named goddesses'') and particularly in an oath: "By the two goddesses".<ref>Stalmith in GRBS48(2008) 118–119</ref>

In the cult of [[Phlya]] she was worshipped as ''Anesidora'' who sends up gifts from the Underworld.<ref>Anesidora: inscribed against her figure on a [[White ground technique|white-ground]] ''[[Kylix (drinking cup)|kylix]]'' in the British Museum, B.M. 1881,0528.1, from Nola, painted by the Tarquinia painter, ''ca'' 470–460 BC ([https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectid=461511&partid=1&searchText=Anesidora+Nola+Tarquinia&fromADBC=ad&toADBC=ad&numpages=10&orig=%2fresearch%2fsearch_the_collection_database.aspx&currentPage=1 British Museum on-line catalogue entry])</ref><ref>[[Hesychius of Alexandria]] ''s.v.''</ref><ref>[[Scholiast]], ''On [[Theocritus]]'' ii. 12.</ref>

In Sparta, she was known as Demeter-''Chthonia'' (chthonic Demeter). After each death the mourning should end with a sacrifice to the goddess. Pausanias believes that her cult was introduced from [[Hermione (Argolis)|Hermione]], where Demeter was associated with [[Hades]]. In a local legend a hollow in the earth was the entrance to the underworld, by which the souls could pass easily.<ref>Farnell Cults III, 48–49 [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.56574/page/48/mode/2up Farnell III,48]</ref> In [[Ancient Elis|Elis]] she was called Demeter-''Chamyne'' (goddess of the ground),<ref name=Stalmith116/> in an old chthonic cult associated with the descent to Hades. At [[Levadia]] the goddess was known as Demeter-''[[Europa (consort of Zeus)|Europa]]'' and she was associated with [[Trophonius]], an old divinity of the underworld. The oracle of Trophonius was famous in the antiquity.<ref>Farnell Cults III,30-31 [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.56574/page/29/mode/2up Farnell III,30]</ref>

[[Pindar]] uses the rare epithet ''Chalkokrotos'' (bronze sounding). Brazen musical instruments were used in the mysteries of Demeter and the Great-Mother [[Rhea (mythology)|Rhea]]-[[Cybele]] was also worshipped with the music of cymbals.<ref>Raubitschek-Jane Biers, in MVSE vol. 31–32 (1997–1998), 53. [https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/83637/muse1997-98v31-32p53-67.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y MVSE (1997–1998), 53]</ref>
[[File:Attic white calyx crater, 440-430 BC, side B, AM Agrigento, 120965x.jpg|thumb|right|320px|Attic white calyx crater 440-430 BC. Two female figures, probably Demeter and Persephone. Archaeological Museum of Agrigento.]]

In central Greece Demeter was known as [[Temple of Demeter Amphictyonis|Amphictyonis]] (of the dwellers-round), in a cult of the goddess at [[Anthele]] near [[Thermopylae]] (hot gates). She was the patron goddess of an ancient [[Amphictyony]]. Thermopylae is the place of hot springs considered to be entrances to [[Hades]], since Demeter was a chthonic goddess in the older local cults.<ref>Jeffery (1976), The city states, 72-73</ref>

The Athenians called the dead "Demetrioi",<ref name="sacred-texts.com"/> and this may reflect a link between Demeter and the ancient cult of the dead, linked to the agrarian belief that a new life would sprout from the dead body, as a new plant arises from buried seed. This was most likely a belief shared by initiates in Demeter's mysteries, as interpreted by [[Pindar]]: "Blessed is he who has seen before he goes under the earth; for he knows the end of life and knows also its divine beginning."<ref>{{cite book|author=John Ernest Leonard Oulton|author-link=John Oulton|year=1954|title=Alexandrian Christianity The Library Of Christian Classics; Volume II|url=https://archive.org/details/alexandrianchris012826mbp/page/n51/mode/2up|publisher=Westminster Press|quote=And Pindar speaks of the Eleusinian mysteries as follows: "Blessed is he who has seen before he goes under the earth; for he knows the end of life and knows also its divine beginning."|quote-page=48}}</ref>

In Arcadia Demeter had the epithets ''Erinys'' (fury) and ''Melaina'' (black) which are associated with the myth of Demeter's rape by Poseidon. The epithets stress the darker side of her character and her relation to the dark underworld, in an old chthonic cult associated with wooden structures (xoana).<ref name=Cole201/><ref name=Stalmith116/> [[Erinyes|Erinys]] had a similar function with the avenging [[Dike (mythology)|Dike]] (Justice).<ref>C.M. Bowra (1957), 87, 169</ref> In the mysteries of [[Pheneus]] the goddess was known as ''Cidaria''.<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:8.15.3 8.15.3]</ref> Her priest would put on the mask of Demeter, which was kept secret. The cult may have been connected with both the Underworld and a form of agrarian magic.<ref>Nilsson, Geschichte Vol I p. 477-478</ref>