Attis figurines

Attis figurines

[Myth & Religion, 10]

These small clay figurines represent Attis (he/his).  He is depicted as a shepherd wearing a Phrygian cap, used to denote an Eastern origin in Greek and Roman art. One of them holds a musical instrument called a syrinx or pan-pipes.  The travel writer Pausanias tells us that there were many local legends of Attis, describing him as intersex in one form or another. Most intertwine with the myth of Kybele (she/her), the Phrygian goddess of fertility, also known as Agdistis (they/them).  Agdistis was a demon who grew from the fallen sperm of Zeus, father of the Olympian gods, and had male and female genitalia (sex organs). The overpowering sexual force was seen as a threat to the gods, who therefore castrated them—cut off only the male organ (phallos)— in hope of diminishing Agdistis’ strength. The blood from Agdistis’ castration fertilised an almond tree, from which Attis (he/his) was born. One day, Attis came across Agdistis (now she/her) and became crazed at the sight of the divinity, castrating himself and cutting away his genitalia. After Agdistis’ forced transition to female, it could be said that in falling in love with Attis, she fell back in love with the part of herself that was stolen; they are reclaiming their own identity. Attis and Agdistis/Kybele are usually represented with musical instruments — in this case the syrinx — as musical rituals played a key role in their cults, favouring emotional and physical release.