The story of how colonialism, 19th century thinking and reactions to modernism shaped the narrative that the earliest human societies were matriarchal and worshipped a Great Mother Goddess.
Was there a female deity, yes there was , but just because there was a Goddess or even a great earth mother goddess, doesn't mean that there wasn't a male deity such as the great sky father God, and just because there was/is a mother goddess doesn't automatically mean that ancient societies were matriarchal .
Indeed. Ancient deities were many and numerous and multifaceted, more often connected to a locality, a sacred place than being singular (e.g one great mother, or one great father sky). The complication comes when we look at these deities without the lens of ritual and instead with the lens of history...... then they get conflated with societal factors and get viewed as evidence for e.g. the higher status of women in a society where goddess worship is prevalent. The reality is no doubt much more nuanced and complex.
Thank you for sharing your incredible research and pov. It's amazing how, when we look at history, really what it all boils down to is... whatever the account... it was simply a bunch of peoples perspectives of the time, influenced, programmed, or not... its essentially observational and yet it can define an era... in some ways then it becomes a projection of the collective perhaps... so much to ponder! Love your work!
Thanks Deborah, and yes! I couldn't agree more, you put the issue so beautifully here. Everything that becomes a taken-for-granted fact nearly always has its roots in the perceptions of a few individuals. And after all, perception is giving attention to something, and what someone decides to give attention to tends to determine the outcome or "answer" they get. That is what underpins all scientific inquiry, just scientists don't often like to admit that :)
Was there a female deity, yes there was , but just because there was a Goddess or even a great earth mother goddess, doesn't mean that there wasn't a male deity such as the great sky father God, and just because there was/is a mother goddess doesn't automatically mean that ancient societies were matriarchal .
Indeed. Ancient deities were many and numerous and multifaceted, more often connected to a locality, a sacred place than being singular (e.g one great mother, or one great father sky). The complication comes when we look at these deities without the lens of ritual and instead with the lens of history...... then they get conflated with societal factors and get viewed as evidence for e.g. the higher status of women in a society where goddess worship is prevalent. The reality is no doubt much more nuanced and complex.
Thank you for sharing your incredible research and pov. It's amazing how, when we look at history, really what it all boils down to is... whatever the account... it was simply a bunch of peoples perspectives of the time, influenced, programmed, or not... its essentially observational and yet it can define an era... in some ways then it becomes a projection of the collective perhaps... so much to ponder! Love your work!
Thanks Deborah, and yes! I couldn't agree more, you put the issue so beautifully here. Everything that becomes a taken-for-granted fact nearly always has its roots in the perceptions of a few individuals. And after all, perception is giving attention to something, and what someone decides to give attention to tends to determine the outcome or "answer" they get. That is what underpins all scientific inquiry, just scientists don't often like to admit that :)