Marble Statue of demeter at the British Museum, London

The Sanctuary of Demeter at Knidos was laid out at about the same time as the re-founding of the city, around 350 BC. The sanctuary consisted of a long platform terraced into the side of an acropolis, with spectacular views of the city below and the sea beyond. Many votive sculptures were once displayed within the sanctuary. Most of these survive only as fragments, but this cult statue of Demeter herself is remarkably intact. Demeter was the goddess of fertility; she governed the cycle of the seasons and the growing of grain. She was also associated with the Underworld and at Knidos was worshipped together with other infernal deities, including Hades and her own daughter Persephone.   This object is part of Scan The World. Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.