Qetesh

Qetesh (also spelled Qadesh or Qudshu) is a goddess who appears in the ancient Mediterranean and Levantine regions, particularly in the iconography and texts of the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. Her name, which translates to "holiness" or "sacred" in Ugaritic, a language closely related to Hebrew, reflects her divine and sanctified nature. In Egyptian, her name is often rendered as Qudesh or Qedesh, and in Phoenician, it appears as Qdš. Qetesh is frequently depicted in art as a nude or semi-nude woman standing on a lion, holding lotus flowers or other symbols of fertility and power. She is often associated with love, sexuality, and fertility, and her worship was widespread among the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other cultures in the region. Her iconography and attributes suggest a complex and multifaceted deity who played a significant role in the religious practices of the ancient Near East.