When God Was a Woman

by Merlin Stone · 1976

Merlin Stone’s groundbreaking study uncovers the forgotten era when the divine was imagined as female. Drawing on archaeological evidence and ancient texts, she reconstructs the worship of the Great Goddess—known as Astarte, Isis, Ishtar and many other names—who once ruled the Near and Middle East. In that matriarchal world women owned property, traded in markets, and inherited titles through their mothers, enjoying a status far beyond that of later patriarchal societies. Stone traces how a systematic rewrite of myth and religious doctrine transformed the revered creator‑goddess into a vilified, sensual figure, laying the groundwork for the biblical story of Adam and Eve and the long‑term suppression of women’s rites. The book offers a compelling narrative of how the shift from goddess worship to patriarchal monotheism reshaped gender roles, making it essential reading for anyone interested in the origins of modern gender dynamics and the rediscovery of women’s ancient power.