Which primordial deity is commonly identified as the personification of the Earth?

• A. Rhea
• B. Hera
• C. Gaia
• D. Demeter

Answer: (C)

Gaia is the primordial earth goddess, the personification of the Earth itself in Greek myth. She emerges at the very beginning of creation, representing the fertile soil that sustains all life. In early myths she even mates with Uranus (the Sky) to produce the Titans and other early beings, underscoring her foundational role as the Earth’s mother and source of life. That immediate association with the planet and with the life-giving earth makes her the standard representation of the Earth itself. The other figures are important deities with specific domains—Rhea as a Titaness and mother of Olympians, Hera as queen of the gods, and Demeter as goddess of agriculture—but they are not the primary personification of the Earth.