ANADOLU’DA ANA TANRIÇA KYBELE KÜLTÜ
THE CULT OF MOTHER GODDESS KYBELE IN ANATOLIA

Summary/Abstract: There is a variety of evidences that a simple female divine was worshipped with certain symbols and rituals, although she was called by different names during the period from 7000 B.C. until the emergence of Christianity in Anatolia. The Neolithic Age findings related to Mother Goddess Cult were obtained in Eastern Anatolia at Çayönü and in Central Anatolia at Çatalhöyük and Hacılar excavations. Hittites constitute the most important Bronze Age civilization that identified the Mother Goddess with their most valuable goddess in their Pantheon of Thousand Gods. Mother Goddess whose signs are seen also in Hittite and Urartu Kingdoms of Late Iron Age, was given the title of "Mater / Mother" and her characteristic features were created in Phrygia during the same period. During the Hellenistic Period relationships with the Inner Western Anatolian civilizations including the Greek cities of the Ionian Union like Miletus and Smyrna made the continuation of the cult possible. “Cybele and Attis”, which is the only myth about the Goddess Cybele, emerged in the Hellenistic Period. This myth is important to show the change in some of the qualities attributed to the divine presence with the introduction of the Greek Pantheon. Despite her different names and qualities, Mother Goddess worship showed a surprising continuity by taking place always at the top in different eras and civilizations in Anatolia. Mother Goddess Cybele Cult which was expressed frequently in the works of ancient authors, has aroused an interest in interdisciplinary areas, such as history of religion, linguistics, psychology and philosophy besides archaeology, and has been the subject of too many scientific researches since the 20th century.

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