Happy International Women’s Day! I offer this statuette of the goddess Cybele, the ancient mother goddess from Anatolia, as homage to all of the mothers and women in leadership and caretaking positions. Your power is profound and inspirational. You all have goddesses within!

This marble piece is Roman from 1st-2nd century AD, based on a late 5th century BCE gold and ivory statuette by Greek sculpture Pheidias. It is in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.

The cult of Cybele was strong during ancient times in what is now Messina Province, Sicily, especially at Tindari, where the Basilica Sanctuary of the Black Madonna is today.