Cattle cults are thought to begin in Neolithic times and migrate through trade and travel. Evidence of cow or bull cultures date back to c. 7000 BCE, when the formidable Aurochs still populates the southlands. The Aurochs is the ancestor of today's cattle.
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From early creation myths the cow takes on separate meaning as a symbol of abundance and develops her own cult. Cows embody the qualities of fertility, motherhood, harmony, nurturing, generosity and protection. The Cow is a goddess of women.
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In ancient Egypt the cow goddess Mehet-Weret, whose name means "great flood" represents the primeval waters existing before creation. At the dawn of time she gives birth to the Sun. Since then, she gives birth to him every day, and raises him into the sky.
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Besides Mehet-Weret, several goddesses, including Hathor, Nut, and Neith are equated with the celestial cow. In early Egyptian myth the sky is often envisioned as a goddess embodied in the form of a cow.
The Cosmic Cow celebrates love, joy, music and the heavens. She's a protective deity watching over humankind. Her speckled belly forms the starry sky and Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way is also said to be created by the breast milk of a mother goddess.
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Greek myth c. 800 - 600 BCE credits both Rhea and later Hera with its creation. Rhea creates it when breastfeeding baby Zeus as husband Cronus waits to devour him. She spurts milk into the sky distract him as she switches Zeus for a rock.
In the second version, Zeus wants Herakles to suckle milk from Hera, which would endow Herakles with divine powers. He tries to trick her while she's sleeping. She wakes up and pushes the unknown infant away, causing her breast milk to spray across the sky.
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Below, the Cosmic Cow is Nut in goddess form. She's supported by Shu the god of air, and ram-headed Heh deities, the gods of infinity. Geb, the earth, her male counterpart, reclines beneath her. Nut and Geb were torn apart in the act of love.
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If Shu lets go of the sky, she'll fall together with Geb, and life as it's known will cease to be. To ensure continued mortal and deific existence, Sky and Earth must be held apart.
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The upraised arms of Shu also represent the ka symbol. Ka is the life essence or creative life force of a person. In ancient Egypt ka refers to the aspect of mortals and gods which causes them to be alive.
One of the eight elements of the soul in Egyptian belief, the ka presence differentiates between a living person and one who is dead. A human figure with arms raised is also the hieroglyph for exaltation. Seated with one knee up, it represents Heh gods or eternity.
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The concept of the primordial cow or cosmic cow forms the core of belief in cattle cults and myths of early creation. In the Proto-Indo-European creation myth, the primordial cow sacrifice is a catalyst for creation. From her body are born all plants and animals.
In general the Cow is a cosmic Earth Mother with a giving nature. She produces milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, specialty foods like quark in Germany and of course today's chocolate. Cows can be hitched to wagons and plows, saving work and increasing farm yield.
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In Hindu tradition the great goddess is Kamadhenu, mother of all cows. Her body is the home of deities. In Buddhism, the cow is a reborn human. Kindness to cattle brings karmic rewards.
In ancient Egypt seven goddesses, represented by seven star cows, create the celestial herd providing nourishment to worshippers of the Divine Cow. In the sky the herd is the star group Pleiades, found in the constellation Taurus.
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The position and movement of the Pleiades are used to mark agriculture events such as the beginning of seasons, or times for plowing, seeding and reaping.
In the ancient world, people believe sperm runs through the bones of bull and oxen. Due to this anatomical misunderstanding Kings boast of sacrificing thousands oxen for the fertility of the land.
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Horns of sacrificial bull and ox made into drinking vessels, and bull rhytons are thought to contain spiritual essence of the animal. While the Bull is an important animal of sacrifice, usually the cow is worth more as a producer. She can also make more bulls.
Cattle signify wealth. Throughout the lands cattle raiders ply their trade. Cattle raids become subjects of legend, such at the Celtic Cattle Raid of Cooley. Egyptian Pharaoh Snefru claims to have captured twenty thousand cattle in a raid on Nubia.
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The Cow Goddess is often associated with music. The sistrum is associated with worship of Hathor. Sound boxes on ritual Mesopotamian balaĝ music lyres are decorated with the ornate head of a bull or cow, sometimes in silver or gold.
Both sistra and balaĝ lyre music are specially associated with women and the female voice. Cow votive offerings made of clay or stone, and dairy products such as butter and cheese, are found at worship sites.
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