DENEV, THE EARTH MOTHER GODDESS
The Earth Mother Goddess, known as Denev to the Valar, represents the balance of forces in the elven belief system. According to elven mythology, she is both creator and destroyer. Her face consists of two fanged serpents, and her skirt is woven of snakes (symbols of fertility). Her necklace is strung from a skull, hearts, and hands (which were possibly tokens of sacrificial offerings). Her fingers and toes are sharp claws to devour the dead, as the earth consumes all who die.
DENEV (den-EV): An ancient goddess worshiped by few but the elves, the Earth Mother is a motif that appears in many mythologies. The Earth Mother is a fertile goddess embodying the fertile earth itself and typically the mother of other deities, and so are also seen as patronesses of motherhood. This is generally thought of as being because the earth is seen as being the mother from which all life springs.
Alignment: Neutral
Domains: Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Water
Symbol: Serpent-faced totem
See also:
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