Tell us (Terra Mater) Roman A goddess of fecundity, or the ability to produce young.

Tell us (Terra Mater) Roman A goddess of fecundity, or the ability to produce young. People sought her protection and help even before they developed formalized religion in Italy. Many scholars see Tellus as an equivalent of the Greek Gaia, the Earth Mother. Tellus means "Earth," as the name of the third planet from the Sun, though the word "Terra" in her alternative name refers to soil or land. Tellus was also the divinity who watched over wedding ceremonies and whose goodwill couples sought before their marriages. On April 15, people gathered to sacrifice a pregnant cow to Tellus. They cut the unborn calf from its mother and burned it, too. In this ceremony, people sought protection of their own fertility. Romans seem to have worshiped Tellus in conjunction with the goddesses Ceres and Flora, both Roman goddesses of fertility, though Tellus is more ancient. All three were feared as goddesses of the dead, Tellus as their queen. This image seems to have evolved from people's understanding that death was the opposite of birth and the belief the goddess of one function must have an influence over the other. On December 13, people honored Tellus, Ceres, and Flora together.