The Great Mother Pendant
Mothers are where everything begins. They carry a power that is impossible to envelop. Mothers are a beacon; they are large. They appear as both shelter and vast ocean, silence and thunder, strength and vulnerability. Mothers hold a universe in themselves.
Mother of children, of the more than human, of other women. Mother of herself. Mother who births, who adopts, who fosters. Mother who is vehement, enduring, and tender-hearted. Mother who protects and encourages, shields and illuminates, creates and transforms.
To mother is an art form every woman carries within, and every woman does it in her own authentic and unique potent way. We may not all be mothers to babies, but we all connect with the extraordinary aspects of the feminine that is to mother.
The symbol of the mother in my mythical imagination is the Venus of Willendorf, an image that encompasses the Great Mother archetype.
The Venus of Willendorf is one of the oldest artistic representations of women. Archeology dated this figurine over 27,000 years ago. Can you imagine the world then? It was perhaps a time when women played a central role in spiritual life, and society was matrilineal (or uterine), with descents traced through the mother.
This ancient figurine is made of limestone and has large breasts, wide hips, and a round belly. Her hands are on her breasts, and her vulva is exposed. She has no facial figure. It was covered with red ochre when it was first discovered in 1908. Red ochre is a pigment associated with the power of birth and ancient fertility rituals.
The Venus of Willendorf, or the Great Mother as I call her, emerged from the earth soaked in red. She lived in spaces where the birthing aspect of women was honored and where mothering was celebrated — a time when women were the umbilical cord to the soul of the earth.
Generous body, vast breasts, hands in the heart, vulva in evidence, face cloaked. This is the image of the goddess.
The mother goddess.
In the mythical world, we would say she is vast because she carries all the babies that haven’t been born yet. Her breasts are significant because it feeds herself and all others. Her hands rest on her chest because she acts with heart. The vulva is exposed because she is not afraid or ashamed of her creative potential. She is faceless because who knows the face of the goddess? The goddess has as many faces as there are women in this world. We are the face of the Great Mother.
This prehistoric statuette measures only 11.1 centimeters. Its small size suggests it may have been carried or worn as a personal talisman or amulet. When did we stop carrying these images with us? It may be time for us to retrieve a practice of celebrating and honoring the Great Mother - within ourselves and in the culture.
Inspired by the Venus of Willendorf and all the great mothers surrounding us, we bring you the Great Mother Pendant.
THE GREAT MOTHER PENDANT
In celebration of Mother’s Day, we invite you to celebrate the Great Mother that lives within you — the one that nurtures others and herself.
Let us revere the power of mothers in our world, their radiance, compassion, and sovereignty. Their immense ability to behold life. May we remember the time mothers were venerated for their nurturing gifts, and may we be the ones that rebuild this blessing.
Let us give birth to a world where mothers are recognized and honored. This world is ancient but never ceased to exist because it lives within each of us.
The Great Mother Pendant was made for those who hold the values of mothering, which fosters in the inner and outer world. The pendant was made showing fidelity to the original figurine, and by consequence, to the women (we imagine) who made it.
We invite you to wear the Great Mother Pendant in honor of yourself and the Great Mother that inhabits our culture: the one that gives and protects life.
You can gift it to yourself as a reminder of your power as a mother or someone who has nurtured you. Let us celebrate motherhood in all its diverse and possible forms.
Wear the Great Mother Pendant to adjoin the ancestral qualities and wisdom of the Venus of Willendorf.
Written by Maria Souza
Mythologist, Author, and Educator
Maria is the author of the mythopoetic book Wild Daughters and is a member of the Joseph Campbell Foundation Myth Maker Network. She hosts the podcast Women and Mythology, in which she shares and interprets myths and fairy tales. Maria delivers programs, courses, and workshops on mythical studies for women.
Visit her website to learn more about her work
Product photos by Tom at Shà Studio
Visit her instagram@tom_shastudio to see more works
