The Revadim Asherah is an artifact from Revadim representing a genre of Asherah figurines. Like the inscriptions found at Khirbet el-Qom and Kuntillet Ajrud, these findings revealed Asherah's prominence in Canaanite and Hebrew religion.

Depiction

The figure displays her vulva and she is breastfeeding twins. Miriam Tadmor emphasizes that the figure represents a deity, not a wetnurse. This distinction wouldn't have made sense to the people of Ugarit, who called her 'wet nurse of the gods'.Rahmouni's "Epithets" cites Ginsberg 1946 p 23 and more. In Revadim, she has features such as long locks that are reminiscent of snakes directed towards the infants she cradles, jewelry adorning her wrists and neck, where hangs a large crescent pendant. Her hands open her vulva, and above is a ridge suggesting pubic hair. On each of her legs is a tall and sparse tree accompanied by an Ibex.

The crowded symbolism of the Revadim Asherah stands in contrast to related Judean pillar figurines. Whereas the pillar figures are plain, definitionally emphasizing their face and breasts without detail below, the Revadim prototype is maximalist, filling all possible space with sophisticated polysemy. Specimens

Following publication in 1986, were found at Tel Afek, Tel Harasim, Tel Burna, and Revadim in historic Judea. Differences are regional features, as they are dated as contemporaries from the latter 13th century BCE.

A Tel Burna goddess differed most in jewelry around the chest: The overall impression is of a long necklace of many small, chained elements.

See also

Judean pillar figure Khirbet el-Qom Deir Alla inscription Puġat

References Notes

Bibliography NB: Margalit and Margalith are different scholars.

Via: O. Turfnell pl XLVIIB p 229 Pubic triangle is substituted for the stereotyped tree w flanking ibices: "the tree... symbolized the fertility goddess Asherah."

There are "copious amounts of scholarship on their context and iconography." p. 71 Distrib. across economic classes p. 64 "One cannot always trust excavation reports or catalogues, nor photographs or secondary line-drawings."

External links Public domain photo CC-licensed high-res photo by Nick Thompson. NB: the caption repeats incorrect information from Israel Museum Sharp photo