The role of a female in mythology and religion changed considerably throughout human history. The concept of a female deity varied greatly between different cultures and civilizations over the millennia of human development. To understand the evolving concept of female deity, I will trace the image of a female god from the origins of human civilizations through the ancient cultures of Egypt and Greece to the contemporary period of Judaism and Christianity. A representative goddess will be used to illustrate each. Based on the information from my review, I will demonstrate the steady decline of the role of the female deity from revered goddess to a mere blessed mortal, and prove that in the contemporary system of values and beliefs, the goddess is dead.
Paleolithic Era (30,000 ? 8,000 BC)
There is little documentation pertaining to goddess worship from the prehistoric era. The first evidence of fertility cult of "Mother Goddess" appeared in the upper Paleolithic era. Miniature female sculptures were found all over Europe from France to Siberia, from northern Italy to mid Rhine. The most famous artifact was "Venus of Willendorf," (Figure 1) a 4½ inch limestone carving. The statues of the idols, carved from bone or ivory, always depicted the nude female form, sometimes with ornaments. The sexual features were exaggerated with large breasts, hips and belly, emphasizing the fertility and motherhood aspects.
Large reliefs of nude females were found in Laussel cave in Dordogne. One relief depicts the act of childbirth, focusing on the concept of mother as creator. Geometric engravings of the female form representing early symbolism were found in Ukraine and other eastern European regions. The appearance of men in prehistoric artwork is rare.
The carvings and e ...