Lamp, Lampa

In order to highlight her sovereignty over the forces of nature, Meter is often accompanied by lions, fierce creatures associated with power and strength. Sometimes, and perhaps most iconically, they are depicted sitting at the sides of her throne; sometimes a lion is carrying the goddess on its back. As a representation of the more wild aspects of Meter, the mythological lions find a curious counterpart among the goddesses wandering devotees, known as the metragyrtai (an agyrtes being an itinerant religious figure, thus metragyrtai being “of the Mother”) of whom there are various references in ancient literature.

The Roman poet Lucretius describes how the image of Meter is carried through many lands accompanied by so-called “Phrygian bands”, who dance wildly to the accompaniment of cymbals, tambourines, pipes and horns, waving knives around. These groups would have travelled from place to place through the year, begging for alms for the goddess. When cities, like Rome, held their celebrations for Meter, these travelling bands would be allowed to enter the city and join the celebration, following the image of Meter through the street in the procession. The metragyrtai are commonly referred to in ancient literature as being eunuchs, with the two terms at times being used interchangeably. The sources further emphasize the practice of voluntary self-castration, the possible explanation for which can be found in the myth of Attis.

This Roman terracotta lamp from the first century CE is decorated with a lion, in the process of either running or pouncing. Several representations of Meter show her sitting aside a lion that mirrors the pose of the one on this lamp. The lamp was acquired in 1961.