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Tables of Contents for The Language of the Goddess
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Foreword
xiii
Joseph Campbell
Introduction
xv
Categories of Symbols
xxii
I Life-Giving
Chevron and V as Bird Goddess Symbols
3
16
On Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic bird figures and Bird-Woman hybrids
3
2
As earliest decorative motifs on Neolithic pottery
5
1
Chevrons, V's, beaks, and birds
6
5
The chevron on schematic figurines, seals, and cult vessels
11
4
Chevrons and V's composing the arms and legs of the Goddess
15
4
Zig-Zag and M Sign
19
6
Zig-Zag, the image of water
19
1
Single and multiple M's on vases
19
2
M attached to a chevron or V
21
1
Under the face of a deity
21
4
Meander and Waterbirds
25
6
Its origin in the Upper Paleolithic and association with the waterbird
25
1
On ducks and Bird Goddess sculptures
25
1
On seals, spindle whorls, plaques, and ritual objects
25
2
As a decorative design motif on ceramics
27
4
Breasts of the Bird Goddess
31
12
Upper Paleolithic figurines with breasts and breast-shaped pendants
31
2
Neolithic figurines with breasts marked with Bird Goddess symbols
33
3
The Goddess as a vase with breasts, nippled vase, and jug
36
4
The Bird Goddess's breasts on stone stelae and megalithic graves
40
1
Breast-shaped amulets
41
2
Streams
43
8
On Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic objects and figurines
43
1
As symbolic designs on vases
44
3
Parallel-line squares on cult vessels and figurines
47
1
Holed vessels
48
3
Eyes of the Goddess
51
12
As a source of divine liquids
51
1
Vinca lids and masks
52
2
The ``Eye Goddess'' of western Europe
54
4
As snake coils, ram horns, and eyes of the sun
58
3
As cupmarks and wells
61
2
Open Mouth/Beak of the Goddess
63
4
On figurines and shrine models
63
1
The Goddess as a container with open mouth/spout
64
3
Giver of Crafts: Associations with Spinning, Weaving, Metallurgy, and Musical Instruments
67
8
Spinning and weaving
67
2
Metallurgy and flint mining
69
2
Music
71
4
The Ram, Animal of the Bird Goddess
75
6
Ram horns as stair motif on Neolithic vases and seals
75
2
The Goddess's symbols on ram figurines
77
1
Fused with Bird Goddess features in one image
78
1
In later times and in European folklore
79
2
Net Motif
81
8
In the Upper Paleolithic
81
1
Net-patterned squares in Neolithic caves
82
1
On amulets, seals, lids, and vase bases
83
1
The framed net: lozenges, circles, eggs, uteri, and vulvas on ceramics
83
1
Net and checkerboard
84
1
On spouted and anthropomorphic vases, figurines, and zoomorphic containers
84
5
Tri-Line and Power of Three
89
10
On Upper Paleolithic images
89
1
On seals, figurines, and vases
89
3
Associations with the symbolism of ``beginning'' and ``becoming''
92
2
Emanating from the mouth of the Goddess
94
5
Vulva and Birth
99
14
Earliest portrayals
99
1
In association with aquatic symbols, seeds, and sprouts
100
2
Exposed vulva and birth-giving posture
102
5
Birth shrines
107
2
Mistress of Animals and the Queen of Mountains
109
1
The Life-giving Goddess in historical times
109
4
Cretan Artemis, Eileithyia, Roman Diana, Venetic Rehtia
109
1
Irish and Scottish Brigit
110
1
Baltic Laima
111
1
Recapitulation
111
2
Deer and Bear as Primeval Mothers
113
8
The deer, sacred animal of the Birth-giving Goddess
113
3
The Bear Mother
116
2
Bear-shaped vases
118
3
Snake
121
20
The snake and snake coil in the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic
122
3
The snake coil in association with aquatic symbols
125
2
The anthropomorphic snake of the Neolithic
127
1
The snake Goddesses of the Bronze and Iron ages
128
4
The Snake Goddess worshipped in house-shrines
132
2
The descendants of the prehistoric Snake Goddess and other snake deities in history and folklore
134
1
The persistence of snake worship to the 20th century
134
1
Male counterpart of the Snake Goddess
135
1
Hermes, snake, phallus, and Asklepios, the Savior-Healer
136
1
The snake as a household divinity
136
5
II The Renewing and Eternal Earth
Earth Mother
141
20
The Pregnant Goddess in the Upper Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Copper Age
141
4
Lozenge and triangle-with-dots as symbols of fertility
145
1
The sow, double of the Goddess
146
1
Sacred bread
147
2
Hill and stone (omphalos) as metaphor of the Pregnant Earth Mother
149
2
The tomb is womb
151
7
Holed stones
158
1
The eternal Earth Mother
159
2
Power of Two
161
14
Doubles
161
2
Double egg-shaped buttocks
163
3
The double-fruit or double-grain glyph
166
1
Two lines across a vulva, seed, egg, and the face, body, or buttocks of the Goddess
167
4
The double-headed Goddess and Mother-Daughter images
171
1
The summer/winter duality
172
3
Male Gods and Daimones
175
12
Master of Animals: animal-masked and robed men
175
3
Participants in rituals
178
1
Fertility daimones
178
3
The Year God:a strong and dying vegetation god
181
1
Passion of the flax and the dying god
182
5
III Death and Regeneration
Symbols of Death
187
26
Vulture
187
3
Owl
190
5
Cuckoo, hawk, and dove
195
1
Boar
195
2
Howling dog
197
1
Stiff White Lady
198
1
Stiff nudes of the hamangia, Karanovo, and Cucuteni cultures
199
1
Stiff nudes of Sicily, Sardinia, the Cyclades, Crete, and Turkey
200
4
Stiff nudes of Spain and Portugal
204
1
Stiff nudes in Danubian Bronze Age graves
204
1
Burial of the Goddess's mask (gorgoneion)
205
4
The White Lady as Death Messenger in European folk traditions
209
1
The Killer-Regeneratrix or Witch, an image continuing to the 20th century
209
2
Killer-Regeneratrix as Old Hag, dry bones, and winter
211
2
Egg
213
8
The cosmogonic egg
214
1
Egg and uterus
215
3
Egg and symbols of ``becoming''
218
1
The tomb as egg
218
3
Columns of Life
221
16
Within the egg
221
1
Within the cave and crypt
221
2
Within the tomb/womb
223
5
As snake and phallus in painting and sculpture
228
5
Dogs and goats flanking the column of life
233
4
Regenerative Vulva: Triangle, Hourglass, and Bird's Claws
237
10
Triangle
237
2
Hourglass
239
5
Bird's claws
244
3
Ship of Renewal
247
4
Frog, Hedgehog, and Fish
251
14
Frog and toad
251
5
Hedgehog
256
2
Fish
258
7
Bull, Bee, and Butterfly
265
14
The bull and symbols of ``becoming''
267
2
Bucrania in subterranean tombs
269
1
The bull and the waters of life
270
1
``Bull flowers''
270
1
Bull-begotten bees and butterflies
270
3
The Minoan butterfly
273
2
The butterfly in folklore
275
4
IV Energy and Unfolding
Spiral, Lunar Cycle, Snake Coil, Hook and Axe
279
14
Spiral
279
6
Lunar cycle
285
1
Snake coil
286
2
Hook and axe
288
5
Opposed Spirals, Whirls, Comb, Brush, and Animal Whirls
293
12
Opposed spirals, caterpillars, and snake heads
293
2
Whirls and four-corner designs
295
3
Brush and comb
298
4
Animal whirls and processions
302
3
Hands and Feet of the Goddess
305
6
Standing Stones and Circles
311
11
Conclusions
The Place and Function of the Goddess
316
2
Continuity and Transformation of the Goddess in the Indo-European and Christian Eras
318
3
The World View of the Culture of the Goddess
321
1
Glossary of Symbols
322
4
Types of Goddesses and Gods
326
2
Summary of Functions and Images of the Neolithic Great Goddess
328
2
Chronologies
330
7
Maps
337
17
Bibliography and References
354
16
Sources of Illustrations
370
4
Index
374