Mythic Travel: Study Tours for the Imaginative Traveler

Mary & the Divine Feminine

August 4-18, 2002

Costs to be announced.

August is the month for two very special journeys. First, trace the Divine Feminine throughout the ages in Turkey. It is said that Mary arrived on Turkish shores after the Crucifixion and we will visit some of the places held sacred to her. Then, we travel back in time to investigate sites even more ancient sacred to Kybele (Artemis) and the Feminine Divine of the Greek Pantheon.

Day 1 Arrive in Istanbul. Istanbul is one of the few cities in the world built on "seven hills" - seven being the number sacred to the divine feminine. (D)

Day 2 Today we visit the sites sacred to the great mother in Istanbul. The cathedral of Haghia Sofia where the great mother was venerated as Sofia or as "wisdom" and the church of Chora where in Christian iconography God is represented as Mary Theotokos - Mother of God - with the new born Christ on her laps. Today we also visit the Topkapi palace where the Queen Mother held the most sacred and central position in the sacred part of the palace (Harem) and the Blue Mosque patterned after the Haghia Sofia. We will also get our shopping feet wet at the Spice Bazaar. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul. (B,D)

Day 3 We fly to Trabzon on the shore of the Black Sea to begin our pilgrimage in pursuit of the Divine Feminine. In the afternoon, we visit a monastery dedicated to Mary carved in a valley on the slopes of Black Sea Mountains. A ravine along a riverbed takes us to the monastery. The slopes are green with tall green trees. There are beautiful frescoes on the walls of the monastery about the life cycle of Christ and of Mary. "Sumela" is derived from the Greek words meaning "dark stone." Water drips down from a dark rock near the monastery. "Dark stone" has been a very ancient symbol of the "divine feminine" going back to pagan times. Dinner and overnight in Trabzon. (B,D)

Day 4 This morning we fly to Ankara to visit the Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum where remains of the oldest city in the world Çatal Höyük are on display. 9 000 years before are time Çatal Höyük was a egalitarian (no kings or queens), peaceful (no wars) and probably matriarchal society. At the museum, together with other remains from Çatal Höyük, we see the first appearance of the Great Goddess seated and enthroned "Anna of Anatolia." We will also visit the splendid Memorial to Atatürk. Dinner and overnight in Ankara. (B,D)

Day 5 We shall be driving to Cappadocia by way of Hattusas. Hattusas is the capital of Hittites, a people who ruled over ancient Turkey between 1600-1200. Their women were equal with men, queens at par with kings and the divine feminine at par with divine male. We visit their great temple, where the divine feminine was worshipped on equal footing with the divine male, other remains of their capital city and the shrine at Yazilikaya where all members of the Hittite pantheon can be observed. Dinner and overnight in Nevsehir. (B,D)

Day 6 Our day will be spent visiting rock churches and enjoying the volcanic landscape in Cappadocia. We will also tour an underground city and see a "Whirling Dervish" show in the evening. Dinner and overnight in Nevsehir. (B,D)

Day 7 Now, we visit Çatal Höyük, the "dig of the millennium," regarded by many as the home of the Neolithic Great mother. We will meet with members of the archaeological team and observe archaeology in progress. From there, we will drive to Konya to visit the tomb of Rumi, shrine of Whirling Dervishes. In the evening, those who wish can have a lesson on "how to whirl." Dinner and overnight in Konya. (B,L,D)

Day 8 Next, we drive northwest to visit the Phrygian highlands and Midas City with its mountain shrines dedicated to the Great Mother Cybele. Dinner and overnight in Afyon. (B,D)

Day 9 Our next stop is Usak Museum to see "Karun's treasure" which was retrieved from the Metropolitan Museum in NY. From Usak, we will go to the Artemis temple at Sardis, which was later taken over by the emperor's cult. Here will also see the restored Roman gymnasium, synagogue and palaestra. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. (B,D)

Day 10 Today, we will visit terraces of Pamukkale; enjoy the glistening pools and cascades. Pamukkale means "Cotton Castle" in Turkish - an apt description of its fantastic white limestone terraces, an incredible natural phenomenon. We will also visit Roman Hierapolis, the Roman City on the terraces. Next, we drive to Geyre to visit the ruins of Aphrodisias, possibly the most interesting current Roman excavation in the world. See the stadium, the theatre, the temple of Aphrodite and the museum with a fabulous collection of sculpture from the site. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. (B,D)

Day 11 Today we visit the ruins of the ancient city Ephesus, one of the world's finest archaeological sites, the largest Roman ruin in the world. We see the Odeon, Curetes Street, Trajan Fountain, the splendid facade of the Library of Celsus and the theatre, which is still being used for concerts. We also visit the small but very interesting archaeological museum, where the statue of the Great Mother Artemis is on display. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. (B,D)

Day 12 Today, is the day when the soul of Virgin Mary was assumed to heaven. We celebrate the feast of Assumption of Mary at the house where it is believed she spent the last years of her life. The house was discovered through a series of miracles. We also visit the site of Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Our lunch will be at a village home at the ancient Greek village Sirince, with our fortunes told (accurately!) by the skilled hostess, from the silt left in Turkish coffee cups. Later we will visit the ancient oracle at Claros with its labyrinth and oracle chamber. Overnight in Kusadasi. (B,D)

Day 13 In the morning, drive to in Bergama (modern Pergamom), impressive site of the ancient kingdom. Visit the Acropolis; see the great theatre and the Temple of Trajan, the site of the famous library and the site of the Temple of Athena. Visit the Aesclepion, the ancient centre of healing, see the temple of Telesphor. In the afternoon, we drive to Homer's Troy, where one can see the ruins of nine cities built on top of each other. Lunch in Bergama (modern Pergamom). Dinner and overnight in Çanakkale. (B,D)

Day 14 In the morning, we cross the Dardenelles Straits by ferry and continue to drive to Istanbul. Visit Byzantine Church of Chora where in Christian iconography God is represented as Mary Theotokos - Mother of God - with the new born Christ on her laps. We return to the hotel following last minute shopping at the Grand Bazaar. Overnight in Istanbul. Farewell dinner and overnight in Istanbul. (B, D)