The Suppression of Woman's Rites

In the beginning God was a Woman

Here, archeologically documented, is the story of the religion of the Goddess.
Known-by many┬╖ names-Astarte, Isis, Ishtar, among others-she
reigned supreme in the Near and Middle East. Beyond being worshiped for
fertility, she .. was revered as the wise creator and the one source of universal
order. Under her, women's roles differed markedly from those in patriarchal
Judeo-Christian cultures. Women bought and sold property, traded in the
marketplace, and the inheritance of title and property was passed from
mother to daughter.

How did the change come about? By documenting the wholesale rewriting
of myth and religious dogmas, Merlin Stone details a most ancient conspiracy:
the patriarchal re-imaging of the Goddess as a wanton, depraved
figure. This is the portrait that laid the foundation for one of culture's greatest
shams-'the legend of Adam and fallen Eve.

"The dramatic climax of her book is intriguing and important: that the
myth of Adam and Eve was designed as part of the continuous Levite battle
to suppress a female religion!' -Martha Lifson, Los Angles Times

"Here i4' Jio~ful book that could well become required reading for .the
women's move~ent ... a thoroughly fascinating study .. ' -Books West


Merlin Stone has taught art and art h istory at the university level arta from
1958 to 1967 vro,:ked .as a sculptor, exhibiting widely and executing numerous
sculpture commissions. She became interested in archeology and ancient
religion through her art and researched this book for more than ten
years . She currently divides her time between the United States and
England.