At the temple of Aphrodite at Eryx, priestesses were called “melissae”, which means “bees,” and Aphrodite herself was called Melissa, the queen bee. At the Ephesian temple of Artemis, the melissae were accompanied by transgendered priests called “essenes”, meaning drones. Bees are classified as members of the hymenopteran order, meaning “veil-winged,” recalling the hymen or veil that covered the inner shrine of the Goddess’s temple, and the high priestess who bore the title of Hymen, presiding over marriage rituals and the Honey Moon.
The Birth of Aphrodite (Venus) by Botticelli
Pythagoreans worshipped bees as Aphrodite’s sacred creature, who in their honeycombs create perfect hexagons; their endless symmetry seemed to suggest to them an underlying order in the cosmos. Demeter is also known as the mother bee, who governs the cycles of life. In ancient Greece, the dead were often embalmed in honey in large burial vases, crouched in the fetal position for their next birth.
Stories from: http://www.philomuse.com/kingfisher/lab/bees.htm (A Garden of Bees)
Picture from: http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/gallery/aphrodite.jpg
[...] See also my recent entry: http://beelore.com/2008/01/20/the-melissae-and-aphrodite-in-ancient-greece/ [...]
[...] See also my entry on Aphrodite/Venus: http://beelore.com/2008/01/20/the-melissae-and-aphrodite-in-ancient-greece/ [...]
There are indeed few artworks referring to bees as attributes of Aphrodite/Venus. I published recently “The Iconography of Venus Vol.1.1 The Italian Venus” (www.lulu.com) and, besides the Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”, I found among the identified Italian artists only an emblem in Andrea Alciato’s Book of Emblems (1531): Emblem 113 with a text of Theocritus , a theme often taken up by Cranach. Thus not at all with the same iconological meaning as in Botticelli’s painting.
I would be glad to learn about other artworks showing bees with Venus/Aphrodite.
Thank you for this wonderful website. These types of stories always remind me that the mystery of bees goes well beyond what we see day to day. Mystic rhythms abound . . .
I have loved honeybees all my life and when in my early teens, in 1966 would help a beekeeper in Ojai, california named Khan Bashiroff who had orange groves that the honeybees loved as I did. At this time my spiritual life journey began. When I was told of the dying of so many bees, I prayed about this and
was told my part to play was to make people aware of the honeybees and to do ceremonies in England in Avebury and Stonehenge. This is what I have been
doing. I found this link and thought I would email you and thank you for your
sharing. I look forward to hearing more about the Bee Lore
Blessed Bee, Elizabeth
I think your site is great. I have recently read a book called The Shamanic Way of the Bee by Simon Buxton, after bouncing round the idea of beekeeping. I also love Tori Amos, whose comment can be found on the front of the book. I am also a pagan, thinking of taking Shamnic courses, which is why I chose that book as my first book into my journey into what I hope is a future relationship with bees and beekeeping. So, looked up the Melissae because of his book and came to your site and wanted to thank you for it, as I am sure I will find a font of bee knowledge here!! Cheers!! I think I am experiencing something strange, magickal and unexplainable as I learn more about bees and are relationship to them. I got interested in beekeeping and thinking about doing it after reading about the disappearing bees and watching a show about a Buddhist monk beekeeper. Amazing creatures. Thanks for taking the time to dedicate this site to the noble bee!!!
[...] See also: http://beelore.com/2008/01/20/the-melissae-and-aphrodite-in-ancient-greece/ [...]