Alʿuzza

Introduction

Alʿuzza (العزى) also read Alʿuzzay and Alʿuzzē, is an Arabian goddess associated with beauty and protection. Her name means the mightiest.

Attributes

Relationship to Allāt

Alʿuzza is in many ways like Allāt. She has the same geographic distribution and She was appropriated by Hellenistic culture in the same way. She even shows up with Allāt in South Arabian amulets. Alʿuzza's name means "the Mighty One." She was a major goddess in the Nabataean pantheon and She was known as the goddess of Bosra. However, She's never invoked with Allāt in Nabataea. In fact, Alʿuzza isn't found in Hegra, the Hejazi center of the Nabataeans, while Allāt isn't found in Petra. Alʿuzza was also popular in the Sinai while Allat was not. This lead some scholars to believe that Al'uzza was originally a title for Allat and later split into a separate deity. Another theory is that Allāt was the goddess of the Safaitic-writing Bedouin while Al'uzza is the goddess of the Nabataeans. Alʿuzza is found in the theophoric names of Safaitic-writing Bedouin but they don't invoke her in prayers. When the Nabataeans took over the northern Hejaz they adopted Allāt, the local goddess, instead of exporting Alʿuzza to the region. Alʿuzza was worshiped in Dedan, however, so Her worship did spread to the Hejaz and even further to South Arabia.

Relationship to Aphrodite

This complexity might be ironed out when looking at Hellenistic syncretism. In bilingual and in Greek sources Allāt is associated with Athena/Minerva while Alʿuzza is associated with Aphrodite/Venus. Earrings found in the Nabataean city of Memphis were matched with the imagery of Alʿuzza baetyls which were matched with jewellery of Aphrodite. In the region north of Nabataea Alʿuzza found her counterpart in Aphrodite and even the Egyptian goddess Isis, but there's no evidence that Hellenization made it to the Arabian peninsula so this association with Aphrodite or Isis may not have reached that far south. However, John of Damascus considered the stone at the Kaʿba to be the head of Aphrodite.

Relationship to Venus

Because of Her association with Aphrodite/Venus some have thought that She was a deified form of the planet Venus. We do have Christian Syriac sources talking about Arabs worshipping Venus in the Sinai where Alʿuzza was popular. Although the cult of Venus might encompass all three goddesses, Allat, Manat and Alʿuzza. The problem with this, however, is that we'd have to mostly rely on non-Arabian and even non-Pagan sources. Inscriptions in Ancient North Arabian and Old South Arabian do not link her to Venus. Turning to the South Arabian pantheon, a pantheon which is largely astral and included Alʿuzza, Venus was represented by the male god ʿAthtar, not by the goddess Alʿuzza, and in pre-Islamic poetry Venus is taken to be masculine. Regardless of any connection to Venus or lack thereof, Alʿuzza was a chief goddess worshipped by many in the Hellenized Levant, Nabataea, Hejaz and in South Arabia. She was syncretized with Aphrodite/Venus which is related to the Mesopotamian Inana/Ishtar and Canaanite Astarte.

Worship

Alʿuzza was worshipped by the Nabateans, and there is evidence that her worship in places like Elusa in Negev survived until the mass adoption of Christianity.

Hymns

ذات الإبتسامة الأبدية Of eternal smile

افتحي جناحيك

رحمتن بنا يا عزى

هبينا من عزتك

و لا تذرينا نشقى

إلهة الحب و الحرب

فيهما تعدلين و إن هزمنا

أنعمي علينا هداياك

فبها نتجمل و نحيا

معشوقتنا العزى

ذات الإبتسامة الأبدية

امنحينا عزتن و مجدن

و محبتن سرمدية

Open your wings

Have mercy on us, O' Uzza

Give us from your pride

And do not make us grieve

Goddess of love and war

In both you're just even if we're defeated

Grant us your gifts

With them we persevere and live

Our beloved Aluzza

Of eternal smile

Grant us pride and glory

And eternal love

ها العزى O’ Mightiest

ها العزى أيتها الأعز

إلهة الحب و الحرب

حامية الشجعان

أسطعي ضوءك عليهم

هبيهم مجابهة الوغى

نجمة الصباح يا نور سطع

كني النار في قلوبهم

و أعطيهم القوة كي يفوزوا

O' Aluzza, Mightiest one,

Goddess of love and war,

Protector of the brave,

Shine your light on them,

Give them the strength to fight,

Morning Star, Oh, shining light,

Be the fire in their heart,

And give them the strength to win.

Sources

• Al-‘Uzza: The pre-Islamic goddess of War, Protection, and Healing
• Experiencing Al-‘Uzza Healing Love
• Nabataean Jewellery and Accessories