Lammas Goddess, Lughnasadh Altar Goddess Harvest Decoration

This listing for a Lammas, or Lughnasadh a goddess altar decoration just one in our Goddess of the Year Sabbat collection!

Lammas/Lughnasadh measures around 6 cm in height, she is sculpted in a brown coloured clay, wheat sits on her right thigh, a poppy on her left thigh.  A spiral sits upon her stomach, a symbol of the continuous cycle of life, death and rebirth.  

Lammas a grain festival, the first of three harvest festivals that fall after Litha.  Lammas is derived from the Anglo-saxon word meaning 'loaf mass'.  At this festival we give thanks for the sun's warmth and fertility that has provided the first harvest.  Historically, the first sheaves of grain would have been cut and from this the first loaves baked.  The harvest would have been very important as this harvest ensured the community would survive the harsh winter months ahead.  This was the time to celebrate the bountiful harvest.

Lughnasadh is a Gaelic festival with ancient celtic mythology, named after the Celtic god Lugh.  Lugh, a master of skills and crafts.  This festival alike Lammas does celebrate the harvest, the first wheat and the first fruits.  It is an acknowledgement of the cycle of growth and sacrifice but also a time of celebration. 

As myth has it, Lugh commemorated his foster mother Tailtiu, Earth Goddess who sacrificed herself clearing the lands of Ireland for agriculture by hosting funeral games in her honour.  Lughnasadh being a traditional time for community gatherings, contests, storytelling, a time to celebrate endurance and the spirit of community and ritual ceremonies.  What a legacy to leave to a loved one!

I have tried to incorporate all the colours I associate with Lammas and Lughnasadh into this piece including the grain and a poppy that flowers at this time.

As this piece is handmade, it is important to point out that each piece can vary slightly, but we believe this adds to the magic and makes each and everyone that little bit more special!