Geography/Culture: Pre-Hellenic, especially Mycenae. Her Chief seats of worship were at Argos, where a complex of sanctuaries are associated with Her, and the Island of Samos. Arcadians claimed their cult of Her was earliest, (contemporary with their earth-born ancestor Pelasgus, Ancient). Hera's worship could be at least as early as 1700 BCE. A temple of Her's is called the Heraeum. She had an oracle near Pagae. Pre-Hellenic Delphi was perhaps Hers at sometime. There is a Temple of Hera (c.575 BCE) at Samos, and a Temple of Hera (c.600 BCE and later) at Olympia.
Linguistic Note: "rough breath-eta-rho-alpha. nu-eta tau-eta-nu rough breath-eta-rho-alpha-nu", was an oath of Athenian women. Her name may represent an original Herwa, 'Protectress'; or it may derive from alpha-eta-rho, 'air', or from epsilon-rho-alpha, 'earth', (Latin Terra). Derived English word: Hero (originally a sacred king who had been sacrificed to Hera.
Description: Early (fairly speculative): Goddess of death; Ruler of the winds; Horned Goddess of the moon; She Who annually renews Her virginity; Mother Earth and Ruler of Her creatures; Divine Hera, Great shapeshifting Goddess of the calendar year; Goddess of women.
Later: Dignified, powerful, Queen of heaven and the Olympian Divinities; Raiser of storms; Goddess of women and Presider over all phases of their lives, especially marriage; Protectress of women in childbed; Protectress of Her cities; She Who bestows the gift of prophesy on any person or beast She pleases; She Who causes madness to overcome those who annoy Her.
Her marriage to Zeus commemorates conquests of Crete and Mycenaean Greece, and the overthrow of Her supremacy. Their maritial relations reflect those of the barbarous Dorian Age, when women had been deprived of all their magical power, except that of prophecy, and come to be regarded as chattles. Hera, the offended and jealous wife was a literary creation.
Invocations, Pleas, Hymns and Other Homage to HER: Hera
To Whom Sacred: pear-tree; oak; lettuce; may-blossom; sprouting ears of corn, which are the flowers of Hera; tree of golden-apples (kept in Her orchard and guarded by the Hesperides on Mount Atlas); pomegranate; cuckoo; partridge; peacock; perhaps wryneck; gad-fly; cow; oxen (especially white); goat (sacrifice at Sparta where She bears the title Goat-Eating; processional chariot; (probably) lion; winds; Her paradise at the back of the north wind; the island Erytheia (which is the name of one of the Hesperides); locks of hair or veils offered to Her by girls before marriage; Milky Way Galaxy (Her milk); the constellation Serpens; the zodiacal sign and constellation Cancer; the Heraean Games.
Iconography: Several images of Hera from the Haifa University Mythology in Western Art collection.
Festival: Kallisteia; Daedala; Herosantheia, a spring festival; Aspis, 'The Shield', May 25.
Iconography: Earliest, a log, plank, or pillar; as Cow-Goddess, horned; holds pomegranate in Her left hand; crowned; enthroned; cuckoo perched on throne; holds sceptre, or double-axe, plain or Cuckoo mounted.

• Hera holding a small horse (6th cent. BCE) Takes to load. This may be an example of a pillar.
• Sophilos. Hera and Zeus in chariot (580 B.C.) Selinus, Temple E. Hierogamy of Zeus and Hera (c. 460 B.C.)
• Douris. Hera and Prometheus (490-480 BCE)
• Selinus, Temple E. Hierogamy of Zeus and Hera (c. 460 BCE)