Cult of Ephesus

In the Greek pantheon, Artemis was the goddess of many things; hunting, wilderness, childbirth and virginity, as well as the protector of young girls. However, the Ephesian Artemis was a separate, individual aspect of the deity. In the Ephesian form, she appears to have been worshipped as a distinct figure by pre-Hellenic cultures, thus pre-dating the Olympian Artemis. The Ephesian Artemis is depicted in wood carvings with many breasts, or 'eggs', which imply her status as a goddess of fertility. Some, however, have instead suggested that the egg-shapes are grapes or even bull testes, which some idols of Artemis depict hanging around her neck. Interestingly, her legs are encased in a term - a binding pillar - which bears resemblance to representations of the ancient Egyptian gods.