A hypothesis that the rock relief of Aslantaş, Göynüş Valley in Turkey, is a depiction of Potnia Theron. The head is missing, the cave is the womb of the figure at the exact level of the womens genitals, where the legs end. I disagree with the current tomb explanation. This is the proposed depiction, the head blown up or destroyed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/
http://turkisharchaeonews.net/site/g%C3%B6yn%C3%BC%C5%9F-valley-aslanta%C5%9F-and-y%C4%B1lanta%C5%9F
As far as I am aware this has never been published anywhere by anyone, but please do let me know if it has.
There is an identical pose, second similar lion carving in the rock next to it. It is almost unrecognizable.
You can make up its tail, leg/foot standing lion and head if you know what you are looking at.
A 360 view of the site can be seen here:
Potnia Theron
More reference pictures for comparison. This one is more like the rock with the lions below the outstretched arms.
Image: Potnia Theron depiction
Image: Minoan seal with Godess
Some also show a slit for the vagina (at place of womb) as seen in this image:
Other images of Potnia Theron
https://www.google.com.mx/search?q=Potnia+Theron&rlz=1C1CHBD_en-GBZA804ZA804&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjP09K62sLeAhXLfMAKHQmZCZoQ_AUIDigB&biw=1280&bih=833
Image: Gold seal Ishtar as Mistress of Animals Turkmenistan ca 2000-BC Schaffhausen
Mycenean Lionsgate
I suspect this is also the reason for the Mycenean Lionsgate Altar “slit” shown here below, The pillar is also a deiction of the mother godess like Asherot, but trying to explain and link the symbolism of the lionsgate is for another time to discuss and not in scope of this article, even though these links is what I suggest here.
Image for scale and debries rocks shattered around it. Could this be the missing head.
An archeological survey of the site is needed to prove this theory and if perhaps parts of the original head, or traces of destruction of the head can be found at the site nearby in broken rocks. The other lion tomb is completely destroyed in pieces next to it. Further onsite research will prove if my theory was correct.
Noteworthy is that this is currently an Islamic country and that the site and head might have been deliberately destroyed in the past because of the “non idol worship” of Islam.
