Images: The Athenian 'Snake Goddess'

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Snake Goddess

Athenian snake goddess

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

A mysterious "snake goddess" found in Athens is painted on a plaque with a molded face.

Votive Shields

Votive shields from ancient Greece

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

Miniature terracotta shields were given as votive offerings at sanctuaries. These shields were found, along with the snake goddess, in fill gravel at the Athenian agora.

Pottery from Athens

Broken ancient Greek pottery

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

The snake goddess deposit included broken pottery as well as terracotta pieces.

Agora Location

Location of the Athens agora

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

The location of the deposit in the Athenian agora. The materials were used in a road-building project in 7th-century B.C. Athens.

Human Figurines

human votives from ancient Greece

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

Small human figurines made of terracotta found in the agora deposit.

1932 Agora Excavations

Athens agora excavations in 1932

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

The deposit was first discovered in 1932 during excavations of the agora.

Snake Goddess Plaque

Snake Goddess Plaque

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

A look at the snake goddess plaque on display.

Terracotta Figures

Terracotta figures from ancient Greece

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

Terracotta figures found at the site include a painted bird, chariot riders, horse teams with drivers and individual horses that would have been part of chariot teams.

Clay Disks

Cut clay disks from ancient Greece

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

Cut clay disks found amid the roadfill rubble.

Mini-Horse

A votive horse from Ancient Greece

(Image credit: Athenian Agora Excavations)

A votive horse found in the agora deposit.

Stephanie Pappas
Stephanie Pappas
Live Science Contributor

Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.