In Utero Symbol Meanings
Origional research by Marie Artimis
Rephrasing and Demeter research by Katey Corrigan

moving clockwise, beginning in top left hand corner:

Sow: Demeter and other godesses appear as sows; in Buddhism there's a "Diamond Sow" seated on a lotus throne attended by 7 pigs.

Jar: fertility symbol in Middle East and Egypt, this drawing is of the Nile Water being lifted in a resurrection type idea.

Honeycomb: Aphrodite worshipped bees (her sacred number was 6, as in 6 sides of a honeycomb). It's also a symbol of resurrection/reincarnation as in those times salt and honey were the only preservatives. see also the Bee symbol.

Dolphin: the word itself is dirived from the Greek 'delphinos', which means 'womb'. This is another symbol of Demeter, and on funeral urns dolphins represented the soul passing into another world.

Triangle: represents female, as well as the godess trinity: Virgin, Mother, Crone. It also represents fire.

Mare: Iron Age Britian worshiped a godess as a white mare; symbolizes the Goddess Epona and the daytime aspect of Mareheaded Demeter. Demeter as an avenger was in the form of a Night-Mare: punisher of sinners. Scandinavian withces are said to be able to turn into mares.

Alchemial Rose: red and white rose adoped by alchemists as a symbol of the sacred womb- the symbol of a virgin daughter (white) within the mother (red).

Baubo: female clown who managed to draw laughter from Demeter in the midst of her grief. Baubo also induced the Great Mother to forget her anger long enough to take a little nourishment. (you might think of this with Kurt as Demeter and Courtney as Baubo? eh?)

Diameter: symbol for water, salt, and sea- related to the primordial Mother Goddess, who mingled all elements to create life from flesh (earth), blood (water), breath (air), and fire (vital heat).

Sea: Temu, Egypian name for maternal deep, or uterine abyss, where the universe was born from; associated with the moon, love, birth, beauty, and sexual fire mingling with waters.

Pluto: Roman name for the god of the underworld, also representing riches and abundance. The Greeks dispised a female version of Pluto.

Poppy: associated with sleep, numbness and death. Demeter as a death goddess was sometimes shown holding poppies, which are also associated with fertility because the flower produces so many seeds. (poppies are a popular image for Nirvana, they are also present on the cover of Incesticide and in the Heart-Shaped Box music video.)

A/A/D: Analog Instruments Input, Alalog Recording, Digital Master

Sub-Pop Logo: just that.

David Geffen Company Logo

Moon: a very versatile symbol, similar to much i've already spoken about.

Bee: grately prized because of their valuble honey. Demeter was adressed as "the pure mother bee"; in folklore, the bee is identified with mortality; and the bee was a symbol of female potency in nature.

Infinity: the mathamatical symbol for endless time; also, the male (on the right) is connected with the female (the left), as an equality because they are side by side.

Cowrie: shell said to resemble female genitalia; revered in India to avert the evil eye, as a rebirth symbol, also for healing, fertility, magic power, and good luck.

Athene/Sulfer: sulfer, with is sacred with Athene (the Greek godess of female self-determination, freedom, and skill in the civilized arts) symbolizes purification, as well as the angry aspect of Athene. [hellooooo Courtney?]

Labrys: symbol used by Amazon women and their goddess (sometimes Demeter!); the cerimonial scepter at the Delphi oracle, and 'labyrinth' means double ax.

Corn Dolly: embodiment of the harvest- one of its many alternate names was the Demeter. (also shown inside liner notes)

Ceres: Greek godess of harvest and grains. The symbol combines the sickle- planting of the seeds (male) with the cross- the earth/womb (female) (also: another version of Demeter)

Sistrum: sacred rattle used to worship the Egypian Great Goddess, it's sound dispelled evil spirits.

note: with all this stuff about Demeter, you're probaly wondering exactly who she IS...well:
Demeter, in Greek mythology was goddess of corn and the harvest, and daughter of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. When her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld, Demeter's grief was so great that she neglected the land; no plants grew, and famine devastated the earth. Dismayed at this situation, Zeus, the ruler of the universe, demanded that his brother Hades return Persephone to her mother. Hades agreed, but before he released the girl, he made her eat some pomegranate seeds that would force her to return to him for four months each year. In her joy at being reunited with her daughter, Demeter caused the earth to bring forth bright spring flow ers and abundant fruit and grain for the harvest. However, her sorrow returned each fall when Persephone had to go back to the underworld. The desolation of the winter season and the death of vegetation were regarded as the yearly manifestation of Demeter's grief when her daughter was taken from her. Demeter and Persephone were worshiped in the rites of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The cult spread from Sicily to Rome, where the goddesses were worshiped as Ceres and Proserpine.