July 20: International Moon Day

The ancient Greeks loved their bling, and they even had a dedicated goddess for all things shiny and brilliant. Theia, also called Euryphaessa, was the eldest daughter of earth goddess Gaia and sky god Ouranos. She was the goddess of sight and vision, and by extension, the goddess who endowed gold, silver and all gems with their luster and intrinsic value. Naturally, she would also be the mother of three shining children: Eos (or Aurora), goddess of dawn, Helios (or Sol), the sun god and Selene (or Luna), the moon goddess. Theia was very proud of them and enhanced their brightness with the most glistening outfits, woven and gem studded herself. As such, she was a role model for every little Greek girl, who would admire Theia’s handy work in the sky. Especially the silvery garments of moon goddess Selene impressed them, because how did Theia make them fit, when the moon kept changing shape and size, sometimes full, then half, then crescent-shaped? No wonder that – if you look closely – you see a crinkle here and there.

Theia, Pergamon altar, British Museum, London, UK

Luna as monday, mosaic, Villa of Orbe-Boscéaz, Switzerland

Did you know?

• About Helios (Sol): cfr. ‘Party Island”, “Follow the Sun”, “Joyride”, “Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh”, “Feel the Static”, “Too little, too late”, “Blind Tasting”, “To the End of the World”.

• About Gaia (Terra) and Ouranos (Uranus): cfr. “Cheating Mother Nature”.

• About Eos (Aurora): cfr. “Blowing in the Wind”, “Northern Lights”, “Dawn till Dusk”, “Tears of Dew, “The Fox and the Hound”.

• About Selene (Luna): cfr. “Sleeping Beauty”.