Sacred Feminine Spirit in Primitive Mythology & Religion
Shahin Khani
Reprinted from: Honar Nameh, University of Art, Tehran, No. 20, 2003 (A brief of the article)


In the History of primitive mythologies and religions, "Sacred Feminine Spirit" was associated with such natural forces as had a feminine or maternal function.

Most often nature or those of its features that had to do with fertility, feeding, growth and pregnancy, i.e. bore a resemblance to women's duties and maternal functions, were considered feminine.

Nature has a maternal aura about it; so does the earth, the moon, mountains, crevasses, etc., and are therefore considered feminine.

Such forces or phenomena have appeared as the "Great Mother", "Great Goddesses", "Mother Earth" and embodied in the figures of goddesses.

Often great goddesses, also called the "Great First Mother" and also usually birth-giving and generous, are otherwise associated with fear and death.