Divine Feminine in Ancient Europe

Sharon Paice MacLeod is a Harvard-trained Celticist, grant-funded researcher, historical consultant and professional musician. She has taught Celtic literature, mythology and folklore at the university level and lives in New England.

“intelligent...highly recommended”—Henge Happenings; “recommended”—The Temenos Academy Review; “If future generations are to survive on a recognizable planet, we must learn, or re-learn, to honor the Divine Feminine. Sharon Paice MacLeod leads us through the myths and rituals that can shapeshift this dream into reality.”—John Perkins, New York Times best selling author; “This extraordinary book explores the Divine Feminine in Europe in a nuanced, careful, yet deeply poetic way. From the Bronze Age to the Grail legends of the Middle Ages, this beautifully written work allows one to ponder the relationship of women to the spiritual reality of European life, past and present. A basic theme of the book is that we must not only look to Greece and Rome, to Christianity and Judaism for the roots of modern culture, we must also look to the indigenous people of Europe.”—Margot Adler, author, Drawing Down the Moon; “A fascinating examination of the history of the divine feminine in western civilization...scholarly in scope and detail, yet highly readable. For anyone with an interest in the many representations and manifestations of the sacred feminine in Europe, this book is an essential read.”—Charlene Eska, Virginia Tech; “A gorgeous contribution to the literature unearthing and decoding the history of the cultures of the divine feminine in Europe. In this evocative and engaging book, the author takes us from the Paleolithic to the contemporary times showing the blending of religious traditions across the region. A major contribution to the fields of Goddess studies, history, and western European cultures.”—Julia Jean, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Fulbright Scholar.

• Table of ContentsPreface: To Remember Is to Know 1Part I: Archaeology—Sacred Stories from the Earth1. Through the Past Darkly 92. Sanctuaries of Consciousness 183. Voices from the Forest 304. The Ancient Mothers of Europe 425. The Sickle and the Hearth 56Part II: Anthropology—Transforming Divine Wisdom6. The Power of the Inner World 757. The Vessel and the Sword 948. Priestess, Goddess and Warrior Woman 117Part III: Mythology—The Spiritual Origins of Europe9. The Cauldron of Immortality 13510. The Tribes of the Goddess 16111. The Once and Future Goddess 18212. She Who Dwells Within Us 204Chapter Notes 217Bibliography 233Index 241