Hecate's divine figure in religion and art

Hekata se najčešće smatra „mračnom“ božicom koja se veže uz magiju, nemirne duše i Podzemlje. Iako je ovakva slika božice čini se bila dominantna u većini grčko-rimskog svijeta, Hekata je imala i drugu, svjetliju stranu, pa se tako smatrala zaštitnicom putova, raskrižja i ulaza, djece/mladih (funkcija kourotrophos), a prikazivala se i kao bakljonoša koja osvjetljava put. Jedno od najvažnijih svetišta božice bilo je ono u Lagini (Karija), gdje se i danas nalaze ruševine njezina hrama. Upravo Kariju većina istraživača smatra Hekatinom domovinom, iako podrijetlo božice nije razriješeno, kao ni podrijetlo i značenje njezina imena. Iako postoje umjetnički prikazi jednostruke Hekate (s jednim licem i jednim tijelom), za božicu su možda karakterističniji (i brojniji) trostruki prikazi, koji se najčešće sastoje od tri jednake ženske figure (često s različitim atributima i položajem ruku), grupirane oko središnjeg potpornja. U helenizmu i kasnije, Hekata se povezivala, a katkad i izjednačavala s brojnim božanstvima, ali najčešće s Artemidom. Hekatini spomenici (datirani u rimsko carsko doba) pronađeni na hrvatskom povijesnom prostoru, točnije na području rimske provincije Dalmacije, su: reljef iz Salone, ulomak reljefa iz Čitluka, te hekataion s posvetom Dijani Kelkeji.Hecate is often considered a „dark“ goddess associated with magic, restless souls and the Underworld. Although this image of the goddess seems to have been dominant in most of the Greco-Roman world, Hecate also had another, brighter side: she was considered the protectress of roads, crossroads and entrances, nurse or a caretaker of children (kourotrophos), and was also depicted as a torchbearer who lights the way. One of the most important sanctuaries of the goddess was in Lagina (Caria), where the ruins of her temple can still be found today. While most researchers think Hecate arrived in Greece from Caria, origins of the goddess have not been resolved, as well as the origin and meaning of her name. Although Hecate was depicted as one-bodied, perhaps more typical (and more numerous) representation of the goddess was her triple form, which consist of three identical female figures (often with different attributes and hand positions), grouped around a central column. In Hellenism and later, the goddess was associated and sometimes equated with numerous deities, but most often with Artemis. Hekate's monuments (all dated to the Roman Imperial period) found in Croatia, more precisely in the Roman province of Dalmatia, are: a relief from Salona, a fragment of a relief from Čitluk, and a hekataion with a dedication to Diana Celcea