#MermaidMonday: Atargatis of Ashkelon

November 27, 2023

Atargatis, also known as Ataratheh and redubbed Derceto by Pliny the Elder, was a chief goddess in northern Syria, with evidence of her cult being discovered at Palmyria. She was a fertility goddess but also presided over her city at Aleppo, called Hierapolis by the Greek, where she was the baalat (the “mistress”) and presided over the welfare of her people: doves were sacred to her, as a testament to her role as love goddess, but she’s also connected to fishes and it’s said she turned into a fish herself. She’s today’s profile on my Patreon.

art and fashion

Metafisica / Metafisiche

What a splendid exhibition! I was expecting your regular, run-of-the-mill show at Palazzo Reale, which is usually good enough, but I was surprised at the depth and width of this new endeavour, that spans across the city with multiple initiatives and, even within the show

March 15, 2026 9:00 am

books and literature

Isaac Asimov’s “Fantasy” collection

I take issue with this volume, and not because they’re short stories and you’re bound to like some more than the others: they’re all delightful, with very few and negligible exceptions. No, my problem is curatorial: I take issue that instead of grouping all the

March 14, 2026 9:00 am

note to self

Comunicazione 101

Cara Trenitalia, Quando ero ragazza, ogni tanto mi capitava di prendere il treno da Milano a Tirano, per raggiungere i miei genitori in vacanza sul lago. È un viaggio verso nord, attraverso la Brianza Felix, che molto presto trasforma la campagna in una collina boscosa

March 13, 2026 12:27 pm