The Divine Feminine in Ancient Europe: Goddesses, Sacred Women and the Origins of Western Culture

by Sharon Paice MacLeod

This book is an exploration of the spiritual traditions of ancient Europe, focusing on the numinous presence of the divine feminine in Russia, Central Europe, France, Britain, Ireland and the northern regions. Drawing upon research in archaeology, history, sociology, anthropology and the study of religions to connect the reader with the myths and symbols of the European traditions, the book shows how the power of European goddesses and holy women evolved through the ages, adapting to climate change and social upheaval, but continually reflecting the importance of living in an harmonious relationship with the environment and the spirit world. From the cave painting of southern France to ancient Irish tombs, from shamanic rituals to Arthurian legends, the divine feminine plays an essential role in understanding where we have come from and where we are going. Comparative examples from other native cultures, and quotes from spiritual leaders around the world, set European religions in context with other indigenous cultures.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Witchcraft

244 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2013

Reviews

[Daphne Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brisk, inspiring search for the heart of western spirituality, belief and culture from the Paleolithic through the medieval eras. The author provides clear evidence of what has been lost in the suppressed worship of female divinities. The book speaks beautifully to the need to retrieve and honour the Divine Feminine; to reconnect with the worlds of nature and of spirit, and in so doing, remember what it is to be fully human. But she also makes clear that ancient belief systems were complex and involved both female and male expressions of divinity.

She does this admirably by exploring the latest archeological, anthropological, sociological and genetic research to unveil the distant past. MacLeod provides a thorough exploration of European mythologies and folklore, showing us where the remnants of ancient wisdom lie. Especially fascinating is the chapter on the pre-Christian and Celtic origins of the Arthurian legends and the powerful, divine women who inhabit them.

Numerous quotes from modern indigenous peoples give us a deeper sense of how ancient Europeans worshiped. And there is a welcome focus on cultures other than Greece and Rome. We meet the ancient European peoples who shaped much of our cultural heritage and realize they were not “barbarians.”

This book is a strong call to move past our polarized, technologically obsessed society, and shows us the spiritual tools with which to create a saner future.

[Heather Durham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fills a unique niche I have rarely discovered on this topic. It's well-researched and intelligently scholarly without being tedious or preachy. And, it retains some of the magic and mystery of the topic without succumbing to shallow superstition or adolescent fairytales. This is the real deal, a deep, beautiful foray into some of the lesser-known histories and mysteries of ancient Europe.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good until the last two chapters. The chapter on the Arthurian legend tanked the book and took it from archeology and anthropology into pure myth and away from the physical record. The last chapter was just proof texting American Indigenous texts in an attempt to show a revival of the divine feminine. Skip those two chapters and the rest of the book is decent.

[Mohamad · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Jambe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author may be in a bit of cope regarding the Indo-Europeans, due to her fandom for the celts. The heavy matriarchal claims of Gimbutas and a book like 'When God Was A Woman' (Wherein the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Israelites were all ALSO previously goddess cultures overtaken by Indo-Europeans) may verge on historical fanfiction, but the author here is perhaps too conservative in her matriarchal claims. Additionally, the portrayal of a more-peaceful syncretism between the Old Europeans and the Indo-Europeans may be a bit of a fanfiction itself. Regarding that syncretism, the depiction given in 'The Horse, the Wheel, and Language' is what I'm banking on currently.

Also, the point made about the distinction in distance and type between the paleolithic and neolithic goddess figures is well taken; however, if David Lewis-Williams is correct in his 'The Mind in the Cave' and 'Inside the Neolithic Mind', and the mesolithic(Gobekli)/neolithic constructed-passage-mounds are an evolution of the same cave-passage-painting religion of the paleolithic, then the figures may not be so separated after all.

And it's also important to keep in mind that we have a "pure" survival of the "goddess" culture into the historical era with Minoan Crete. Their temple-palaces seem to be a further evolution of the constructed-passage-tombs, and from what can be seen, their culture was indeed quite more inter-culturally peaceful, egalitarian, and female-oriented than their bronze-age peers.