Artemis Coloring Pages
Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and the wild places, and the twin sister of Apollo. Our Artemis coloring pages show her with her bow, her hunting dogs and the deer that were sacred to her, along with a few of the stories and creatures that go with her.
Our fun facts page covers the basics about Artemis: who her family was, what she carried, and which animals were special to her. Kids can read a few quick facts and then color her in. It works well as a short lesson or a quiet table activity.
information worksheet and coloring pages
This one mixes old myth with modern street art. The name "Artemis" is written in big graffiti letters, which gives older kids and teens plenty of room for bold colors. It's a fun way to bring a 3,000-year-old huntress up to date.
Artemis and Apollo were born twins on the little island of Delos. Their mother was Leto and their father was Zeus. When they were born, singing swans flew seven times around the island and the moon bent down to kiss the babies in their cradle. Not a bad welcome.
Artemis roamed the mountains with her hunting dogs and a band of nymphs who hunted with her. When the chase was done, they'd gather in a shady grove or beside a stream to sing and dance. Dogs were one of her sacred animals, along with the deer, the bear and the wild boar.
Artemis was a hunter, but she also protected wild animals. Her most famous statue, the Diana of Versailles, shows her saving a hunted deer. She has one hand on the stag's head and the other reaching for an arrow, and she's glaring at the hunters who were chasing it.
Artemis took kind care of the timid deer and the small, helpless creatures of the woods. She saved her arrows for wolves, bears and other fierce beasts. Zeus made her queen of the green woods and the chase, and she was loved and feared in every land.
Artemis and Her Deer
Actaeon
Actaeon was a famous hunter. One day he came across Artemis and her nymphs bathing in the forest, and instead of backing away quietly, he crept closer. Artemis did not like being spied on. She sprinkled him with water and turned him into a stag. His own hunting dogs didn't know him anymore, and that was the end of Actaeon.
Ceryneian Hind
The Ceryneian Hind was a deer with golden antlers and brass hooves, and it was sacred to Artemis. It ran so fast it hardly seemed to touch the ground. For his third labor, Herakles had to bring it back alive. He chased it for many weary miles and finally caught it in a deep snowdrift in a far northern land.
The Stags of Artemis
Artemis drove a golden chariot pulled by four stags with golden antlers. They're sometimes called the Elaphoi, which is simply the Greek word for "deer." In some versions, Artemis caught five of these golden-horned deer when she was young. Four pulled her chariot, and the fifth got away and became the Ceryneian Hind.
Artemis and the Bees
Bees aren't the first thing most people think of with Artemis, but they were a big part of how she was worshipped in the city of Ephesus. Her temple there was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It had 127 columns, each 60 feet tall, and each one was said to be a gift from a different king.
The priestesses who served Artemis at Ephesus are said to have been called the Melissae, which means "the bees." The bee was also stamped on the city's coins. To the Greeks, bees stood for hard work and a busy, close-knit community. That's a nice fit for a goddess who watched over the wild world and everything growing in it.
More Artemis Coloring Pages
About Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt
Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo. She asked her father to let her stay unmarried, and he agreed, so she was always a maiden goddess. She was the best archer among the gods, even better than her brother. She carried a bow, a quiver and a spear, and wore a short tunic so she could run freely through the forest. Her sacred animals were the deer, the dog, the bear and the wild boar.
In later times the Greeks also linked Artemis with Selene, the moon goddess, so she's often shown with a shining crescent moon on her forehead. The Romans called her Diana.