Ashtoreth, Fig. 1

Alabaster, Paris, The Louvre Museum. From Necropolis of Hillah, near Babylon. Bronze Age to Classical times. Ancient Near Eastern Goddess of the divine power behind life systems, with various names in different cultures. Symbolized by the new moon. She was called Ishtar in Babylon, Astarte in Egypt and Phonecia, Astarte and Ashtoreth in Israel. Her name is veiled in some translations of the Torah, since she was a pre-monotheistic goddess. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtoreth; http://bibleencyclopedia.com/ashtoreth.htm; Photographer Marie-Lan Nguyen (2006) Public Domain; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Statuette_Goddess_Louvre_AO20127.jpg)