The Deer of the Amazons
Everywhere was submerged underwater. The women warriors of the Black Sea, the Amazons, advanced southward on roads turned into a quagmire by the rain. They wore armor covered with animal hides and carried weapons in their hands. As they journeyed forward, the Amazons noticed the weather improving and gave thanks to the forces of nature, the sky, water, air, mountains, and rivers.
The Amazon warrior Smyrna, who had participated in countless battles in her lifetime and felled many strong men, gazed at the unfolding scenery with admiration. She loved the lush Black Sea coast where she was born and raised, but she also knew that life in the Black Sea was challenging. It was a place of constant storms and heavy rains, where nature didn’t always show kindness to humans. However, in this new and beautiful land they reached after a long and arduous journey, life was easy.
When they reached the top of a hill filled with pine trees stretching down to a waveless sea, the idea of founding a new city nearby came to the Amazon warrior Smyrna, and she did not hesitate to share this thought with the other Amazon women. But what would the Great Mother Goddess, who was nature itself, say about this? While the Amazons were discussing the matter among themselves, they noticed, to their astonishment, a deer that had approached them. The deer passed by them with heavy steps, as if trying to convey a message. It paused every few steps to look at them, clearly wanting to say, “Follow me.”
The Amazons followed the deer to a lush and flat area. The deer circled around them and finally stopped, stamping its feet on the ground. Clearly, the deer was a messenger of the Great Mother Goddess, perhaps the goddess herself, indicating where the Amazons should build their new city.
The Amazons respectfully saluted the deer and immediately began constructing the goddess's temple. They decided to establish their city around this sacred area dedicated to the goddess. The deer stayed with the Amazons until the temple was finished. It was there as they erected two wooden columns at the entrance of the rectangular wooden temple. Even when the statue of the goddess was placed inside the temple, the deer remained by the Amazons’ side. And once everything was complete, the deer left the temple with a smile and returned to the forest.
The place where the Amazons built their temple would later be known as Ephesos, Ephesus, and eventually Efes. The name of the Great Mother Goddess, who was nature itself – the protector of animals, plants, and cities – would become Artemis. The deer that guided the Amazons to Ephesus would henceforth be known as Artemis's sacred animal and symbol. In truth, the Great Mother Goddess had always existed, for she was the earth, the forest, all of nature. Only her name changed; she remained ever the same. Some called her Kybele, others Artemis or Hecate, and some Demeter...
The powerful women of Anatolia, the Amazons, also established other cities in Western Anatolia in the name of the goddess. One such city, founded upon the suggestion of the Amazon warrior Smyrna, was named after her. Smyrna... Beautiful Smyrna. Later, it would be known as Izmir... Thousands of years have passed, but the legends of the Amazons have not departed from these lands. The Amazons, just like Artemis, continued to live in legends, narratives, the books of ancient writers, and the collective memory of humankind.
NOTE: The ancient geographer Strabo wrote in his work ‘Geographika’ that the city of Ephesos (Efes) was founded by an Amazon named Smyrna. According to Strabo, Smyrna, or Izmir, was also founded by the same person and took her name.
Written for the Ephesus Foundation by author and archaeologist Özlem Ertan.
Everywhere was submerged underwater. The women warriors of the Black Sea, the Amazons, advanced southward on roads turned into a quagmire by the rain. They wore armor covered with animal hides and carried weapons in their hands. As they journeyed forward, the Amazons noticed the weather improving and gave thanks to the forces of nature, the sky, water, air, mountains, and rivers.
The Amazon warrior Smyrna, who had participated in countless battles in her lifetime and felled many strong men, gazed at the unfolding scenery with admiration. She loved the lush Black Sea coast where she was born and raised, but she also knew that life in the Black Sea was challenging. It was a place of constant storms and heavy rains, where nature didn’t always show kindness to humans. However, in this new and beautiful land they reached after a long and arduous journey, life was easy.
When they reached the top of a hill filled with pine trees stretching down to a waveless sea, the idea of founding a new city nearby came to the Amazon warrior Smyrna, and she did not hesitate to share this thought with the other Amazon women. But what would the Great Mother Goddess, who was nature itself, say about this? While the Amazons were discussing the matter among themselves, they noticed, to their astonishment, a deer that had approached them. The deer passed by them with heavy steps, as if trying to convey a message. It paused every few steps to look at them, clearly wanting to say, “Follow me.”
The Amazons followed the deer to a lush and flat area. The deer circled around them and finally stopped, stamping its feet on the ground. Clearly, the deer was a messenger of the Great Mother Goddess, perhaps the goddess herself, indicating where the Amazons should build their new city.
The Amazons respectfully saluted the deer and immediately began constructing the goddess's temple. They decided to establish their city around this sacred area dedicated to the goddess. The deer stayed with the Amazons until the temple was finished. It was there as they erected two wooden columns at the entrance of the rectangular wooden temple. Even when the statue of the goddess was placed inside the temple, the deer remained by the Amazons’ side. And once everything was complete, the deer left the temple with a smile and returned to the forest.
The place where the Amazons built their temple would later be known as Ephesos, Ephesus, and eventually Efes. The name of the Great Mother Goddess, who was nature itself – the protector of animals, plants, and cities – would become Artemis. The deer that guided the Amazons to Ephesus would henceforth be known as Artemis's sacred animal and symbol. In truth, the Great Mother Goddess had always existed, for she was the earth, the forest, all of nature. Only her name changed; she remained ever the same. Some called her Kybele, others Artemis or Hecate, and some Demeter...
The powerful women of Anatolia, the Amazons, also established other cities in Western Anatolia in the name of the goddess. One such city, founded upon the suggestion of the Amazon warrior Smyrna, was named after her. Smyrna... Beautiful Smyrna. Later, it would be known as Izmir... Thousands of years have passed, but the legends of the Amazons have not departed from these lands. The Amazons, just like Artemis, continued to live in legends, narratives, the books of ancient writers, and the collective memory of humankind.
NOTE: The ancient geographer Strabo wrote in his work ‘Geographika’ that the city of Ephesos (Efes) was founded by an Amazon named Smyrna. According to Strabo, Smyrna, or Izmir, was also founded by the same person and took her name.
Written for the Ephesus Foundation by author and archaeologist Özlem Ertan.