DISCUSSION OF HOW IT PERTAINS TO ANCIENT AND PRESENT DAY MYTHOLOGIES

Political, economic, social and religious foundation focuses on agricultural year.

Societies had a cyclical view of life. Natural progression is as follows: birth, maturity, death and rebirth.

The development of lives and life was among plants and animals.

Great goddessMother goddessMother Earth

Birth and childhoodFertile period-maturity and reproduction

Sterile period-decline and death

Spring-period of (re)birthSummer-period of fertility and harvest

Winter-period of decay, barrenness and death

New and waxing moon-(re)birth

Full moon-period of maturityWaning moon-death and dormancy

Source of all human lifeSource of all foodSocieties produce children and food

Queen embodied the spirit of the Great Goddess.

All women were highly valued.Women held important positions.Women were heads of families.The youngest daughter inherited everything.

Men were used primarily for procreation.

SACRED KING◦one year◦contests◦Sacrificed at a religious ceremony at harvest time

Men began to gain more power.Sacred kings ruled for eight years.Surrogate kings were sacrificed for fertility.

2400 BCE=male dominated aggressors went after matriarchal societies and brought (1) social order, (2) political order, (3) heredity ruling and (4) animals as sacrifice