The nearly 292-centimeters-tall statue of Artemis, known as the “Great Artemis” stood in the courtyard of the “Prytaneion” in the city by the early second century A.D.

The specific type of the so-called “Great Artemis” can be traced back to representations of the goddess on coins and pottery stamps dated to the second century B.C. but ultimately may have been modeled on the seventh-century BC wooden cult image of the goddess that was housed in the temple of Artemis. This cult statue is a copy dating from the reign of Trajan.

Artemis’s role as protector of the city is signified by the three-tiered headgear, or polos, the goddess wears. On the topmost tier are representations of temples, including the Artemision, one of the “Seven Wonders” of the ancient world.

The representations of animals (including lions, bulls, goats, griffins, and sphinxes) on her dress, make clear that Artemis’s identity as mistress of the wild animals, or Potnia Theron, is emphasized here.

The pendants hanging from her chest probably represent the testicles of bulls sacrificed to her during the celebrations of the mysteries. The Ephesians believed that the testicles gave Artemis the procreative power to act as midwife for the birth of bees, which were associated with the souls of initiates. From the sacrifice of the bulls and the birth of the bees initiates into the mysteries of Artemis learned that there was life in death.