Demeter and Persephone

The central myth of Demeter, which is at the heart of the Eleusinian Mysteries, is her relationship with Persephone, her daughter. In the Olympian pantheon, Persephone became the consort of Hades (Roman Pluto, the underworld god). Life came to a standstill as the depressed Demeter searched for her lost daughter.

Finally, Zeus could not put up with the dying earth and forced Hades to return Persephone by sending Hermes to retrieve her. Hades agreed, but said he could send her up only if she hadn't eaten any food in the underworld.But before she was released, She had eaten 6 pomegranate seeds which forced her to return for six months each year. When Demeter and her daughter were together, the earth flourished with vegetation. But for six months each year, when Persephone returned to the underworld, the earth once again became a barren realm.


Close-up / detail [link]

Persephone - model - - [link]

Demeter - model - - [link]

Background - personal stuff