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Goddesses of Ancient Greece - K
Keres
The Keres (singular: Ker) are horrible, black winged, female spirits of
death and doom who also act as the avenging spirits of the Moerae (Fates).
They are the daughters of Nyx and Erebus. In the festival of the Anthesteria,
the Keres were ritually driven from the house. In later times they were
regarded as the vengeful spirits of the dead.
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Kore
The depiction of Kore (also known as Persephone) holding the pomegranate
is one of the earliest. Because she symbolized joy and abundance, statues
in this shape were sometimes used instead of columns to support roofbeams
in Greek temples. When Demeter rescued Kore from the underworld, she gave
her a juicy pomegranate to celebrate the coming renewal of flowers and
fruits. She is the daughter of Demeter and she is the wife of Hades.
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Kypris
An epithet of Aphrodite, who was said to have risen from the sea from
the island of Cyprus. Aphrodite's cult came to Greece from Cyprus, where
she was known as the Lady of Cyprus. Many primitive idols of the mother
goddess (Kypris, or Aphrodite) were found in Cyprus. The Cyprian city
of Paphos was the site of one of the oldest centers of her worship.
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