Aphrodite's Magic Girdle, later known as the Golden Girdle of Gaea, is a divine artifact revered by the Amazons of Paradise Island.
History
Pre-Crisis
Bestowed by the Goddess Aphrodite, the Magic Girdle lent great strength to Queen Hippolyta, and symbolized her rightful, immortal rule over the Amazon nation. Such was the girdle's power, that Hippolyta and her Amazons remained indomitable even to the great demigod Hercules — until he stole the girdle through trickery, allowing his armies to conquer and enslave the Amazons.
Though initially furious with Hippolyta for losing the girdle, Aphrodite eventually forgave the Amazon queen, and helped her regain the girdle and overthrow Hercules. Thereafter, the girdle's has remained Hippolyta's, even after the Amazons quit the world of men entirely and built a new society on Paradise Island.
When Princess Diana became Wonder Woman, Hippolyta commissioned the craftswoman Metala to create the Magic Lasso from Aphrodite's Magic Girdle as a powerful tool to be used in Man's World.
Post-Crisis
Originally when the Themyscirian Amazons were created by the Gods of Olympus, they assigned Hippolyta and Antiope to rule as co-queens to the new nation. When they assigned these titles they gave each of the Amazon queens a Golden Girdle of Gaea, which were made from the original girdle belonging to the Earth goddess Gaea. The belts provided the two queens with enhanced strength and heightened their other abilities.
Eventually the demi-god Herakles was successful in stealing Hippolyta's belt at the urging of his half-brother Ares. After denouncing the Olympian gods for perceived false judgment, Antiope gave Hippolyta her girdle and left the Amazon nation with a group of faithful Amazons with her. They later became the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall. Together they retrieved Hippolyta's stolen belt and kept it as an heirloom. Thousands of years later when Wonder Woman discovered this lost tribe of Amazons, she took the belt from them and returned it to Hippolyta.
Similarly, the belt given to Hippolyta by Antiope was taken from Hippolyta and transformed into the Lasso of Truth.
See Also
- Appearances of Golden Girdle of Gaea
- Item Gallery: Golden Girdle of Gaea
- Images featuring Golden Girdle of Gaea