Lamaria
Svan hearth goddess derived from Mary, mother of Jesus.
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Lamaria, also called Lamara or Lamia, is a Svan goddess in Georgian mythology. Her name comes from Mary, the mother of Jesus. She watches over the hearth, protects cattle, and safeguards women, especially during childbirth.
She also ensured that village grain fields were fertile. Beekeeping was once her domain, but that role later went to the Svan version of St. George. Today, Lamaria is seen as a goddess of female spaces and duties.
Women honored her either inside their homes when no men were present, or at small shrines beyond village borders. Offerings to her included cloth, jewelry, and beads. She was sometimes linked to or seen as the same as Barbol, another goddess of home and women’s work.
Quick Facts
- Also known as
- Lamara, Lamia
- Origin
- Georgian mythology, Svan ethnic subgroup
- Name derived from
- Mary, mother of Jesus
- Domains
- Hearth
- cattle
- women in childbirth
- grain field fertility
- beekeeping
- Offerings
- Cloth
- jewelry
- beads
- Associated with
- Barbol
Facts from the source article.
More in Supernatural beings identified with Christian saints
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Lamaria (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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