A renewed interest in goddesses comes from the feminist interpretation of established religions. The goddess theory is in part an attempt to find alternatives to a male god. There are many different paths in which one could take in order to fully understand the goddess theory. One such path is to seek goddesses in prehistoric times and in ancient societies, particularly in the Near East and to look for evidence of goddess worship in archaeological remains. This is the "Great Goddess" school of thought followers of this belief think that in prehistoric and ancient times, human beings worshipped a "Great Goddess" of fertility and reproduction. They use as their initial evidence the big-bellied, big-brea

sted figurines found at a number of prehistoric sites. Another direction is to examine goddess figures in existing religions, and to do a reinterpretation of sacred texts and traditions that gives greater strength to them. Finally the last direction that can be taken in the goddess theory is that of the "goddess revival." The Goddess Revival states that established religions are to patriarchal and women must turn away from them to active goddess worship. Believers in the goddess revival also declare that only by devotion to a female deity that women can be full and equal participants in religion and thus an equal member of society.

The idea of an original Mother Goddess in prehistory is surrounded by an intense controversy, but one in which neither side speaks to the other. Some critics in the matter agree indefinitely that there was in fact a great Mother Goddess which dominated most early religions, while other scholars on this fact say that this is just a invention of the feminist movement to gain more attention. Which ever side of this matter is correct is still uncertain but through the faucets of archeological findings and research of scholars one can come to a conclusion for them self on this controversial and hotly debated topic.

There is a problem with all of the goddess arguments. If a society or a religion has powerful goddess figures, should one take that to mean th

Some common words found in the essay are:
Marija Gimbutas, Goddess Revival, , Neolithic Europe, Near East, Mother Goddess, goddess revival, goddess form, ancient civilizations, goddess theory, goddess figures, mother goddess, fertility reproduction, established religions, goddess worship, worshipped goddess,
Approximate Word count = 944
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)