Re: The Solar Goddess.

Stephanie,
I'm grateful for the information and the referencies.

The most interesting for me aspect of the problem is the reflection of large
ethnic groups history in mythology.
For example, we can consider Ashtar-'Ashtart-Ishtar as different variants of
development of the same "native" Semitic goddess. Almost like we consider
Akkadian, Canaanite and South Arabian dialects as different variants of
development of the same Proto-Semitic language. (Or you think that I simplify
the situation too much?) When speaking about "genetic relations" or a "native"
goddess I mean in this case that she was not borrowed from ,say, Sumerian
religion (although influences of different kind defititely took place).

Do you agree that we can reconstruct (approximately) the image and the name of
such a goddess on the Proto-Semitic level?
The next question: Was it a proper Semitic creature or a result of development
of a more ancient Proto-Afroasiatic (Hamito-Semitic) diety? To accept the second
variant we have to find a "relative" of her in Berber, Cushitic, Chadic or
Egyptian pantheons and to prove that she was not borrowed from or to there. The
only candidate for such a comparison I could find was Egyptian Isis (Isida).
What is your opinion about the probable common origin of Ashtar and Isis?

Alexander