---
title: Kekrops Looking on as Gaia Gives Erechtheus to Athena
author: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14442/kekrops-looking-on-as-gaia-gives-erechtheus-to-ath/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 1970-01-01
---

# Kekrops Looking on as Gaia Gives Erechtheus to Athena

_Authored by Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher_

## Image File

[![Kekrops Looking on as Gaia Gives Erechtheus to Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/14442.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/14442.jpg)

## Image Caption

[Gaia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Gaia/) offers Erichthonios to [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/), with Kekrops watching. Clay relief from Melos, c. 460 BCE. Illustration from Ausführliches Lexikon der griechischen und römischen Mythologie by Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher, 1890.

Kekrops, the mythical king of [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/) is credited with teaching the Athenians literacy and religious rites. He was born from the earth in the form of a half-man-half-snake. The legend of his birth resembles that of another primordial king of Athens, Erechtheus, who was conceived by Gaia, the Mother Earth, when Athena wiped off the semen of [Hephaestus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hephaistos/) from her thigh with a piece of wool and dropped the cloth to the ground. When Erechtheus was born, Gaia returned him to Athena, who trusted the baby to Kekrops’ daughters in a chest without telling them what was in there for them to protect. Overcome by their curiosity, the Kekropidai opened the chest and, terrified by the revelation of the [serpents](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Serpents/) guarding the baby, rushed away in madness, and jumped from the [Acropolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Acropolis/) to their deaths.

## Cite This Work

### APA
Roscher, W. H. (2021, August 20). Kekrops Looking on as Gaia Gives Erechtheus to Athena. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14442/kekrops-looking-on-as-gaia-gives-erechtheus-to-ath/>
### Chicago
Roscher, Wilhelm Heinrich. "Kekrops Looking on as Gaia Gives Erechtheus to Athena." *World History Encyclopedia*, August 20, 2021. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14442/kekrops-looking-on-as-gaia-gives-erechtheus-to-ath/>.
### MLA
Roscher, Wilhelm Heinrich. "Kekrops Looking on as Gaia Gives Erechtheus to Athena." *World History Encyclopedia*, 20 Aug 2021, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14442/kekrops-looking-on-as-gaia-gives-erechtheus-to-ath/>.

## License & Copyright

[Original image](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaia_Relief.JPG) by [**Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher**](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaia_Relief.JPG). Submitted by [Nathalie Choubineh](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/nathalie.choubineh/ "User Page: Nathalie Choubineh"), published on 20 August 2021. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Public Domain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain). This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.