The Mother goddess who embodies all the processes of nature has proved to be one of the most influential images of the 20th century. This book traces the course of Goddess worship in different cultures at different periods and provides a rich and fascinating context for understanding the many vital aspects of the divine female principle.

• Includes superb pictures from around the world, mostly in full color, showing art, artifacts, and architecture, as well as photos of festivals and ceremonies..
  
  
• Draws upon the latest theories and discoveries to present a thoroughly up-to-date analysis of the Goddess.
  
  
• Explores such key topics as creation, fertility and motherhood, myths and archetypes, the sexual function of the Goddess, feminism and its icons, and contemporary movements.
  
  
• Examines both modern theories and traditional myths concerning woman-centered societies.
  
  
• Concludes with a glossary of specialist terms, a history of how men have impersonated women in order to attain divine power, and an exploration of the link between Goddess worship and animism.