CLU44559 Goddesses in Context: Exploring the Divine Feminine in the Ancient World

Goddess. One simple word, yet one guaranteed both to spark the imagination and to arouse passion and disagreement. Over the last century, scholarly acceptance of a universal prehistoric Great or Mother Goddess has largely been replaced by more varied and locally situated interpretations which resist and challenge universalising tendencies to treat Goddesses as interchangeable or as 'creatures of their biology'. Taking case studies primarily from the Greek world, this module draws on art, archaeological remains and textual evidence and makes use of interdisciplinary approaches to gender and ritual, in order to explore the rich and complex roles of ancient Goddesses from prehistory to classical times. We will also explore some of the modern re-imaginings of ancient female deities, including modern Goddess spirituality and visual and creative arts.