CLU44505+CLU44506 Goddesses of the Ancient Mediterranean

This module explores the nature of female divinity in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East from earliest times through to the Greek and Roman world. Topics will include debates around the idea of the ‘mother goddess’; divine roles and portfolios; and case studies such as Catal Huyuk and the transformations of Isis. The approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on archaeological remains, art, texts, and making extensive use of anthropological models of religion and ritual theory.