Priestess Collection

Women of ancient Greece
Ancient Greek women and a priestess (background). Antique hand-colored print

The Pyhthoness
The Phythoness, was the event of when the Pythia, more commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, would sit on a tripod interpreting her divination

DEATH OF ORPHEUS. Orpheus and the Bacchantes. Oil on canvas by Emile Levy (1826-1890)

Iphigenia in Tauris
Rescued by Artemis from sacrifice at Aulis, she becomes a priestess on Tauris, but her experience has given her a distaste for human sacrifice and she is unhappy

Hero and Leander is the Greek myth relating the story of Hero, a priestess of Aphrodite, 17th century (engraving)
3480614 Hero and Leander is the Greek myth relating the story of Hero, a priestess of Aphrodite, 17th century (engraving); (add.info.: Hero and Leander is the Greek myth relating the story of Hero)

Vestal Making Sacrifice at Altar, c.1870. Creator: Unknown
Vestal Making Sacrifice at Altar, c.1870

Costumes de Différents Pays, Bonze et Vestale Chinois, c1797. Creators: Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur, LF Labrousse
Costumes de Differents Pays, Bonze et Vestale Chinois, c1797

The Vestal Tuccia, between 1531 and 1576. Creator: Giulio Bonasone
The Vestal Tuccia, between 1531 and 1576

Imaginary ancient temple designed in the style of those built in honor of the Goddess... c1743
Imaginary ancient temple designed in the style of those built in honor of the Goddess Vesta: in the center is the great altar on which the Vestal Virgins preserved the inextinguishable sacred fire

Costumes de Différents Pays, Jeune Pretresse de Juida, c1797. Creators: Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur, LF Labrousse
Costumes de Differents Pays, Jeune Pretresse de Juida, c1797

Charlotta Fredrika Sparre as Vestal, mid-late 18th century. Creator: Donat Nonnotte
Charlotta Fredrika Sparre as Vestal, mid-late 18th century

Ornament with sacrificial Vestal Virgin, 1677-1755. Creator: Elias van Nijmegen
Ornament with sacrificial Vestal Virgin, 1677-1755

Sibylla Cimmeria, 1625. Creator: Jacques Stella
Sibylla Cimmeria, 1625

Sibylla Hellespontina, 1625. Creator: Jacques Stella
Sibylla Hellespontina, 1625

Sibylla Cumana, 1625. Creator: Jacques Stella
Sibylla Cumana, 1625

Sibylla Phrygia, 1625. Creator: Jacques Stella
Sibylla Phrygia, 1625

Sibylla Delphica, 1625. Creator: Jacques Stella
Sibylla Delphica, 1625

Scène antique, mid-late 19th century. Creator: Eugène Froment
Scene antique, mid-late 19th century. Classical scene. Women offer incense in front of an altar

The appearance of the Virgin to Augustus and Sibyl, c. 1544. Creator: Garofalo, Benvenuto Tisi da (1481-1559)
The appearance of the Virgin to Augustus and Sibyl, c. 1544. Found in the collection of the Musei Vaticani in Viale Vaticano, Rome

Sibyl, 1617. Creator: Domenichino (1581-1641)
Sibyl, 1617. Found in the collection of the Galleria Borghese, Rome

The Apparition of the Tiburtine Sibyl to Caesar Augustus, 1500s. Creator: Veronese, Paolo (1528-1588)
The Apparition of the Tiburtine Sibyl to Caesar Augustus, 1500s. Found in the collection of the Goteborg Konstmuseum

Portrait of a Young Woman as Sibyl. Creator: Gentileschi, Orazio (1563-1638)
Portrait of a Young Woman as Sibyl. Private Collection

Portrait of a Young Woman as Sibyl. Creator: Gentileschi, Orazio (1563-1638)
Portrait of a Young Woman as Sibyl. Private Collection

Vestal Virgin Tuccia, n.d. Creator: Gaetano Gandolfi
Vestal Virgin Tuccia, n.d

After the Antique: Roman Officiant at a Sacrificial Altar, 1531/32. Creator: Francesco Salviati
After the Antique: Roman Officiant at a Sacrificial Altar, 1531/32

The Trojan Wars: Iphigenias sacrifice
3785324 The Trojan Wars: Iphigenias sacrifice; (add.info.: The Trojan Wars: Iphigenias sacrifice. Liebig Company collectible card series : The Trojan War (German: Der trojanische Krieg')

The High Priestess
NKTN

Old Voodoo priestess in her convent, Togoville, Togo, West Africa, Africa

The Last Watch of Hero, 1887, (c1902). Creator: Unknown
The Last Watch of Hero, 1887, (c1902). After a painting in the Manchester Art Gallery. Victorian depiction of a scene from Greek mythology

Weighing of the heart of the deceased against the feather of truth from the Egyptian Book of the Dea
Weighing of the heart of the deceased (Anhai) against the feather of truth by Anubis. Ammut waits to devour the heart if not justified. Thoth, on the left, records the verdict

A Vestal. Woman portrayed as a Vestal?;Portrait of a Woman as a Vestal?;A Vestal, 1750. Creator: Carle van Loo
A Vestal. Woman portrayed as a Vestal?;Portrait of a Woman as a Vestal?;A Vestal, 1750

Italy, Pompeii. Villa of the Mysteries. Ancient Roman suburban Villa. Frescoes depicting a bride initiating into a Bacchian Mysteries in preparation for marriage, 1st century AD. Date: 2014

Egyptian wooden sarcophagus
Inner wooden coffin of Henutmehyt, covered in gold leaf. Decorated with representations of different deities as a winged goddess Nut, the boat of the Sun god and other protective deities

Sappho, 1877 (oil on canvas)
MAN75576 Sappho, 1877 (oil on canvas) by Mengin, Charles Auguste (1853-1933); 230.7x151.1 cm; Manchester Art Gallery, UK; (add.info)

Sibylla Delphica, 1868 (oil on panel)
MAN62938 Sibylla Delphica, 1868 (oil on panel) by Burne-Jones, Edward Coley (1833-98); 152.8x60.3 cm; Manchester Art Gallery

La Gran Nusta Mania Occollo
BON78185 La Gran Nusta Mania Occollo by Mexican School, (18th century); 46.3x38.8 cm; Private Collection; Photo © Bonhams, London, UK

Two Priestesses with Vase, 1945 (oil on board on masonite)
988137 Two Priestesses with Vase, 1945 (oil on board on masonite) by Hyppolite, Hector (1889-1948); 69.9x50.2 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Two Priestesses with Vase)

Les Quatre Parties du Monde (Four Quarters of the Globe) (Furnishing Fabric), France, c. 1794
Les Quatre Parties du Monde (Four Quarters of the Globe) (Furnishing Fabric), France, c.1794. Indigenous people with a crocodile or alligator; flying fish

Statuette of a Priestess with Offering Table and Situla, Egypt, Third Intermediate Period, Dynasties 22-25 (about 945-656 BCE)

Hot Water Pitcher, Burslem, c. 1800. Creator: Wedgwood
Hot Water Pitcher, Burslem, c. 1800

Vestals
3433603 Vestals by Ferri, Ciro (1634-89); Galleria Spada, Rome, Lazio, Italy; (add.info.: Ferri Ciro 1634-89 " Le Vestali" - Roma, Galleria Spada ); Italian, out of copyright

Dying Bacchante (stone)
886801 Dying Bacchante (stone) by Roman; Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Tuscany, Italy; (add.info.: (AG542 AI29350) Bacchante mourant. ); out of copyright

Les Vestales (colour litho)
2802042 Les Vestales (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Les Vestales. Illustration for Le Livre D Amour (Boulanger, c 1890).); © Look and Learn

An Oracle (Thetis and Achilles Before the Oracle) before 1643
ALM283419 An Oracle (Thetis and Achilles Before the Oracle) before 1643 (oil on panel transferred to masonite) by Jordaens, Jacob (1593-1678); 58.7x90.8 cm; Allen Memorial Art Museum

The passing of the Vestals, illustration from Hutchinson
STC358083 The passing of the Vestals, illustration from Hutchinsons History of the Nations, 1915 (litho) by Motte, Henri-Paul (1846-1922) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Window depiting Sibylla Delphica (stained glass)
PNH360418 Window depiting Sibylla Delphica (stained glass) by Burne-Jones, Edward Coley (1833-98) (after); 180x100 cm; Private Collection; Photo ePeter Nahum at The Leicester Galleries

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The Priestess: Unveiling the Mysteries of Ancient Women In the enchanting world of ancient Greece, women held a sacred role as priestesses, embodying divine wisdom and spiritual power. Like the revered Pythonesse, they communed with Apollo at Delphi, channeling prophecies that shaped destinies. One such tale is the haunting "Death of Orpheus, " where Orpheus' music enraptured even the Bacchantes, frenzied followers of Dionysus. These wild women tore him apart for his rejection of their ecstatic rituals. Another notable figure is Iphigenia in Tauris, who escaped her sacrificial fate through divine intervention. As a priestess in a foreign land, she navigated treacherous waters to preserve her life and fulfill her destiny. Ancient artifacts reveal glimpses into religious practices across cultures. A cinerary urn adorned with reliefs depicting Heracles showcases reverence for this legendary hero among Greeks. Meanwhile, Druids in Italy left traces of their beliefs on steles like the Kudurru - testaments to their connection with nature and spirituality. Journeying further eastward brings us to Egypt's rich tapestry of faith. An Egyptian wooden sarcophagus stands as a testament to their intricate burial rituals and belief in an afterlife filled with eternal bliss. Artistic expressions also pay homage to influential women throughout history. Sappho's portrait captures her poetic brilliance and influence on Greek literature—a reminder that female voices have always been powerful agents of change. Great queens like Nefertiti ruled over vast empires; their reigns immortalized through artistry and inscriptions that celebrate their strength and beauty. Even architectural wonders like the Parthenon bear witness to priestesses' significance within society—depicted on friezes engaging in sacred ceremonies alongside gods and goddesses alike.