Origin of a Goddess: Minerva on the Consolidated University era seal

During the period of the Consolidated University of North Carolina (1931-1971), a seal for the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (now The University of North Carolina at Greensboro) appeared featuring an image of Minerva quite different from those previously used for the school's seal.

Letterhead from Consolidated University period

The seal appeared together with the seals of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University on official documents and letterhead from the office of the Consolidated University throughout this period.  The seal, by itself, was also used sporadically on items produced by the Woman's College such as Bulletins and Programs.

Seal from 1943 Bulletin of Courses

As has been discussed in previous blogs and exhibits, a wide variety of images has been used for our school's seal and unfortunately, we don't have much information on how many of these images came to be.  We still do not know who came up with the Consolidated University era seal, but we can now state that we know the original source of the image.
In the Louvre Museum in Paris, there is a Greek pot (Krater) dating back to about 460 B.C. This Krater, a form of Greek pottery used to mix wine and water, is an example of Attic red-figure painting. This particular Krater is the name vase of the Niobid Painter, so-called because of the scene depicting the slaughter of the children of Amphion and Niobe by Apollo and Artemis. The scene illustrates a central theme of the Greek world, Hubris, since Niobe had boasted that she had more children than Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis.

The Niobid Painter Krater, showing scenes on both sides

It is not the scene for which the Painter is named, but the scene on the opposite side (image on the right in the above picture), which reveals a familiar face (indicated with red arrow above).  It is a question of debate as to what this side of the Krater depicts, but there is no doubt about one particular figure.  Near the handles stands a robed figure of a woman, wearing an aegis (breastplate of armor) with the head of Medusa, a war helmet, and carrying a shield and spear.  Sound familiar? It's Athena, and it's the source of the image for the Consolidated University era Woman's College seal. The drawing taken from the Krater in the image below shows a better view of the goddess.1


Drawing from Niobid Painter Krater showing detail of Athena and seal



It's very clear that officials weren't aware of the origin of the image used in this seal. In 1963 when the official seal currently used by The University of North Carolina at Greensboro was adopted, long-time Registrar Hoyt Price curiously said, "the 1963 rendition of the university seal actually is more authentic in so far as Minerva is depicted, especially her headdress and the wreath around the figure."2  

1-The Niobid Painter Krater is located in the Louvre and designated as Louvre G341; All Images used here of the Krater are from Tufts University's Perseus Digital Library

2- Quote is from "Today on Campus" October 2, 1983.



The Many Faces of Minerva

1894

Minerva has been with the university almost since its inception, but her image has undergone many transformations during her tenure as UNCG's representative goddess.  The first extant image appears on an 1894 diploma.  Indeed, many of the very early images we have of Minerva come from diplomas bearing the university seal.

1897

The next seal, from 1897, not only reflects the change from "School" to "College," but also shows a completely different image of Minerva.  By the time the school's name changed again in 1919 to the North Carolina College for Women, Minerva had once again transformed, and unfortunately it wasn't her best image.  When the name changed again, it was no more kind to Minerva than the previous version.

1919

1937

1943

The 1937 seal shows another revision of Minerva's image. Around this same period, yet another image of Minerva appeared concurrently, but on different forms of media.  A strong departure from the previous seals altogether, this seal from the 1943 Bulletin of Courses shows perhaps a more artful version of Minerva.
This seal was used on the letterhead during the period of the "Consolidated University".  A time when the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (also known as Woman's College of the University of North Carolina) were governed together as a system.

The origin of many of the seals is unclear. Changes might be attributable to style of the time, name change requiring a new seal, type of object upon which the seal was placed, or even (lack of) talent of the artist.



Letter from Bill Friday explaining need for new seals -note the letterhead using the "1943" Bulletin seal posted above

Official seal adopted 1963/1964

In 1963, when the university's name changed to The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, an official seal was created to adorn diplomas and official documents and it has a face very familiar to those who have had a connection with UNCG's recent history.  Never a cause for concern before the university was to become coeducational in 1963 and admitted it's first male students for the fall semester of 1964, suddenly even Minerva's gender was challenged.  Helen P. Yoder, administrative assistant to Chancellor Singletary, said, "Some people thought Minerva looked too much like a woman" and Hoyt Price, long-time Registrar (1960-1987) agreed that one objective of the 1963 redesign was to make Minerva, "less feminine."*

This is just a small sampling of the many, many different images of Minerva from the Archives.  Please take a look at our online exhibit featuring even more diverse images of our goddess!
(*quotes from "Today on Campus" Oct. 2, 1983)

Minerva, Our Goddess

How long has Minerva been associated with UNCG? An 1894 diploma in our Archives (the earliest diploma we have) proudly displays Minerva within the seal.

Seal from 1894 diploma featuring Minerva

 It is strictly conjecture, but certainly plausible that the school's founder, Charles Duncan McIver, is the person responsible for selecting Minerva. McIver won a medal in Greek and honors in Latin while attending The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Edwin Alderman, a former classmate and charter member of the school's faculty, was also in the classics course at Chapel Hill, and is another possible source for the use of Minerva on the school seal.  Whoever is ultimately responsible for the selection, a short history of the goddess reveals why she was such an apt choice for the school.

Minerva was a Roman goddess whose origin is believed to be Etruscan, her Etruscan antecedent being known as Menrva.  Menrva was the third part of the Etruscan holy triad composed of Tinia and Uni, which is later reflected in the Roman Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. By the time Minerva was worshipped along with Jupiter and Juno in temples known as Capitolia, Minerva was visually indistinguishable from the Greek goddess Athena.  People of the classical world had no problem borrowing gods from other cultures!

Bronze votive figurine of Minerva, she originally held a spear in her right hand and shield in her left. (Image from Dictionary of Roman Religion, Lesley Adkins & Roy Adkins, 1996)

 Throughout her history and various guises, the goddess has been associated with many aspects of worship. She was a tutelary goddess in Athens and to a lesser extent, Rome.  She was associated with aspects of war and this is evident in numerous depictions of her in arms (notice the war helmet in the seals and figurine). She was a goddess of arts, crafts, teaching, and music (she invented the flute), and in these aspects enjoyed festivals called Quinquatria held in her honor in Rome. As Minerva Medica (also Athena Hygeia) she was the goddess of healing.

If all these aspects seem disjointed (Latin poet Ovid calls her the "goddess of a thousand things"), it helps to keep in mind that she is most renowned for her wisdom and mental prowess.  Was it most likely this aspect that McIver had in mind when he chose her as our representative goddess? Perhaps so, but he may have also read and heeded the words of Ovid's Fasti, "Una dies media est, et fiunt sacra Minervae...quod est illa nata Minerva die...Pallada nunc pueri teneraeque orate puellae, qui bene placarit Pallada, doctus erit" or "After an interval of one day, rites are performed in honor of Minerva...because that is her birthday...Make your prayers to Pallas* (Minerva) boys and gentle girls, those who honor her well, will be learned!" (Fasti 3.809-816) A very appropriate verse for a teacher's school!

Official University seal adopted in 1963

As the University has grown, it is interesting to see how many of her other aspects have been fulfilled with the mission of the University. From teacher education and home economics, to the inclusion of arts, music, and even nursing degrees being offered, Minerva has proven a very wise choice for The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

(*Pallas is another name for Athena/Minerva-)