Pagan Idolatry

"Semele waiting for Zeus" by F Bol (b. 1616)

When I consider the Gods I do, unavoidably, consider the many representations (written, painted, sculpted) that mankind has made of them. If I think of Venus in corporeal terms I imagine her as an immensely beautiful woman with full hips and breasts, and no hint of prudishness about her. I confess that I imagine her as ethnically European – whether her hair be blonde or dark. The more I think of Venus in this way the more absurd my imaginings seem for being so hopelessly centred in Western perspectives on this mighty Goddess. If I see her as merely a European Goddess of sex and fertility then perhaps my imaginings can be forgiven, but I do not live in Europe so why should I revere a specifically European Goddess? Or do I imagine that, regardless of place, she hears the prayers of those who call her Venus or Freyja or Aphrodite (or some other European title given to her) but not those who may call her Rati (Hindu), Ishtar (middle eastern), Qetesh (Egyptian) or some other name? If the Goddess of sex and fertility is universal why should I not also imagine her in the image of these Goddesses? But the images I have seen of these non-European Goddesses are for the most part alien to me – they do not resonate. Like Cicero, I imagine the Gods from a perspective of cultural bias. Under the guise of an Epicurean philosopher he wrote:

Pagan Pilgrimage to the Capitoline Museums

A few months ago I visited the Capitoline Museums (or Musei Capitolini), here follows some of my favourite works from those Museums. 

Click on the images to enlarge.

"Capitoline Wolf" nursing the twins Romulus (mythical founder of Rome) and Remus, date uncertain (twins added in the renaissance period)

Life in the Roman Forum

One of the wonderful things about the Roman Forum is that it is teeming with life. Here are some examples.

Pagan Pilgrimage to the Roman Forum

A few months ago I visited the Roman Forum (Rome) - here are some of the photographic highlights.

Temple of Vesta

Pagan Pilgrimage to Rome

A few months ago I visited Rome - here are some of the photographic highlights of that all too brief trip  (I will post some more pics from the Roman Forum and the Capitoline Museums in another post).

The Pantheon

The Roman Structure Within Faversham Stone Chapel

Roman brickwork within Faversham Stone Chapel

In a field in Kent the ruins of an ancient building of uncertain origin lies. It is called Faversham Stone Chapel, or alternately Stone-next-Faversham, and was known as the Church of Our Lady of Elverton – or Our Lady of Elwarton – from the 7th century until the 16th century, when it was abandoned after falling into a state of disrepair. The building was not, however, forgotten. From the 18th century onwards it became the occasional subject of archeological interest because it was clear that this was no ordinary church for, as Hasted pointed out in 1798, within the ruins of the Stone Chapel there are:

Imagining the Gods

Click on images to enlarge

Apollo, God of light and the sun, healing (or disease), music (especially stringed instruments), poetry, archery and prophecy

Pagan Offerings

"The Vestal" by Corcos (1900)

Note that I revised this post in 2026 as in all honesty I tend to think it is better for most people to avoid making offerings to the Gods because, for a great many people, for a great many differing reasons, it will not bring benefit. 

Nonetheless, the historical practices of our pre-Christian European ancestors deserve to be understood (based on reliable sources) so, as I have researched the topic so heavily over many years, I offer the information up below from that perspective. My main source was Ovid's Fasti, as well as other ancient sources such as Cato, Livy, Virgil, Petronius, Tibullus and Horace (their writings are available for free on various websites). I also sourced from books written by contemporary scholars, most especially Beard, North and Price, Religions of Rome (Cambridge University Press).

Typical offerings

The types of offerings ancient Romans and Germanics typically made included things such as:

Pagan Prayer

Prayer to ask or to thank 

A model with the head covered in a way that suits
most Roman rites. Image: "Lycinna" by Goward (1903)

If not a regular, household ritual (ie, it is not in honour of household divinities) prayers and offerings are generally best performed outdoors under an open sky, preferably in a place which seems to be associated with the Deity. Creating a shrine, of either a temporary or permanent nature, is a possibility when a sacred location cannot be identified. 

It is important to prepare for rituals. Some of the things you may want to consider are as follows (all that follows relates primarily to Roman rites):

1. Determining what it is that you want, and thus who are the appropriate Deities to supplicate. To identify the Deity the following (hyperlinked) posts may be helpful: Contemporary Visions of the Divine and A Long List of Deities.