Tanit
Tanit was a Carthaginian lunar goddess (she was also a mother goddess and symbol of fertility). A consort of Baal (Baal Hammon), she was the Patron of Carthage. She may have been related to the Phoenician goddess Astarte (Ishtar).She is also a goddess to the Berber people.
Her symbol, found on many ancient stonecarvings, appears as a trapezium closed by a horizontal line at the top and surmounted in the middle by a circle (the horizontal arm was often terminated either by two short upright lines at right angles to it or by hooks.) Later, the trapezium was frequently replaced by an isosceles triangle.The symbol is usually seen as woman raising her hands. There is significant, albeit disputed, evidence, both archaeological and within ancient written sources, pointing towards child sacrifice forming part of Tanit's worship.
In Egyptian, her name means Land of Neith, Neith being a war goddess.
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Categories
Carthage | Lunar goddesses | West Semitic goddesses