Matriarchal Societies of the Past and the Rise of Patriarchy

Cover
Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction: The Development of Modern Matriarchal Studies and Its Relevance for the History of Cultures
	A Clarification of the Concept
	The Definition and Its Logic
	Modern Matriarchal Studies and Its Relevance for History of Cultures
1 The New Ideology of “Eternal War.” Critical Reflections on Early History
	Preliminary Remarks on the Concept of History
	The Discourse of “Eternal War” among Theoreticians
	The Discourse of “Eternal War” among Archaeologists
	The Discourse about “Peaceful Societies”
2 Palaeolithic in West Asia, the Mediterranean, and Europe: The Development of Mother-Centered Societies
	Origins from Africa and the Adventures of Peopling the World
	Palaeolithic Economy: More than just Hunting
	Palaeolithic Social Order: More than just the Horde
	Palaeolithic Culture and Religion: More than just “Hunting Magic”
		Middle Palaeolithic: Religious Thoughts of the Neanderthal People
		Upper Palaeolithic: Cave Art and Portable Art
			The Theme of “Women”
			The Theme of “Animals”
			Abstract Signs and the Calendar
3 Neolithic in West Asia: The Invention of Agriculture and the Origin of Matriarchal Societies
	Mesolithic: The Great Thaw
	Neolithic Economy in West Asia: Revolutionary Inventions
		Pre-Neolithic Epoch: The First Settlements
		Lower Pre-Pottery Neolithic: The First Temples and Grain Fields
		Upper Pre-Pottery Neolithic: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Mysterious Walls
		Late Neolithic Epoch: Pottery, Copper, and New Crafts
	Neolithic Social Order in West Asia: New Complexity
		Complex Societies: Elites or Equality?
		The Evolution of Matrilineality
	Neolithic Culture and Religion in West Asia: Early Religious Wealth
		Symbolism of Life and Death
		The Polarity of Female and Male
		Female and Male Ancestors
		Goddesses: Yes or No?
4 Neolithic in the Mediterranean and Europe: The Development of Matriarchal Societies
	Encounters between Mesolithic and Neolithic Peoples
	Neolithic Economy in Europe: Unity of Economy and Culture
		Southeast Europe: The First European High Culture
		Central Europe: Longhouses and Giant Circles
		South Europe: Temples and “fairy houses”
		Atlantic and Continental West Europe: Megaliths in All Forms
		North Europe: Longhouses for the Dead
	Neolithic Social Order in Europe: Patrilocal Nuclear Families or Matriarchal Clans?
		The Hunt for “elites and hierarchy,” “trade and property”
		In Search of the “nuclear family” and “father line”
		Evidence for the Mother Line
		Egalitarian Burial Culture
	Neolithic Culture and Religion in Europe: Primordial Mothers and Goddesses
		The Symbolism of Tombs, Temples and Megaliths
		The Sacred Landscape
		Domestic Ancestress Worship
		The Issue of Goddesses
			Primordial Mothers, Earth, Moon and Sun
			Figurines and the Triple Goddess
5 Bronze Age in the Eurasian Steppe: The Origins of Early Patriarchal Societies and Female Resistance
	5.1 Societies of the Eurasian Steppe: The Rise of Nomadism and Early Domination
		Neolithic Cultures in the Steppe
		New Economy: Herds and Horses
		Always on the Move: Wagons and Tents
		Social Order: Domination over Women
		Worldview and Religion: Ideology of Purity and “God the Father”
	5.2 The Situation in Asia Minor and the Amazon QuestionCritical Preliminary Remarks
		Critical Preliminary Remarks
		The History of the Amazons
			First Emigration: From Lemnos to the Thermodon River
			Second Emigration: From the Thermodon to the Caucasus and to the Scythians
6 Bronze Age and Iron Age in West Asia: The Rise of State and Empire
	Bronze Age Economy and Politics in West Asia: Organization of the Precious Water
		New Spaces: The First Settlement of the Mesopotamian Plains
		Crowding into “paradise”: The Formation of City States
		The Power of Weapons: Regional States and the First Empire
		Centralization Pushed to the Extreme: The Path to “World Empire”
	Bronze Age Social Order and Religion in West Asia: From Thea-Cracy to the Abolition of the Goddess
		Late Matriarchal Thea-Cracy
		Breaking with Matriarchal Religion
		Class Society and the Diminishing Status of Women
		The Fate of the Goddesses
		In the Land of Canaan: Trading Cities, “democracy” and the One-God Religion
7 Bronze Age and Iron Age in South Europe: Late Matriarchal Societies and Increasing Patriarchalization
	The Waves of Patriarchalization from the Steppes
		Limited Destruction, Far-Reaching Consequences and Constantly Improved Weapons
		The Indo-Europeanization of Europe and the Glaring Facts of DNA Analyses
	Late Matriarchal Societies and Patriarchalization in South Europe
		The Minoan Culture of Crete: Sailors and Priestesses
		Social Order in Crete: Consensus Politics and Matriarchal Clans
		Mycenae and Sparta: War as the Measure of Everything
		Athens and Ionia: Maritime Trade, Money, and the Ambivalent Situation of Women
		The Etruscans: Joy of Life in This World and the Otherworld
		Rhaetians, Sardinians, Basques: Forgotten Peoples to This Day
8 Bronze Age and Iron Age in Europe North of the Alps: Matriarchal Elements in Patriarchal Surroundings
	Precarious Domination in the Bronze Age
	The Celtic Peoples and the Question of Matriarchy
		The Iron Age Empires of the Celts
		Matriarchal Picts and Patriarchal Celts: The Problematic Position of Women
		Celtic Gods and Goddesses: A Split Religion
	The Germanic Peoples and the Question of Matriarchy
		The Migration Routes of the Germanic Peoples
		On the Social Order of the Germanic Peoples: Brave Women But without Rights
		Matriarchal “Nerthus culture” and Germanic Gods
	A Concluding Critique of Concepts
Bibliography
Index