Oh Carol! How could I not respond. A great subject to research - I've come up with a book by Elizabeth Wayland Barber - "Women's Work, The First 20,000 Years". On ferreting a bit further, I discover it is sub-titled "Women, Cloth and Society" drawing on the Middle East and Greek Mythology for its inspiration. Its been around a while though I hadn't come across it before.
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/07[...]-a-goddess.html?pagewanted=all
But what about our own ancient Britons - nothing ever written down. I would imagine their role was gathering seeds, fruit,nuts etc., making the utensils to cook with, all whilst giving birth to and caring for babies (old age seems to have been quite rare). I also imagine this was accepted as equally important as the male protector/hunter role. Perhaps the role of women wasn't demoted until the onset of patriarchal Christianity when the concepts of virgin/whore/witch were invented. There is more information in Iron Age times with the invasion of the Romans - and Boudicca. Who yes, was a Lioness.
 Reply | with quote | Posted by tjj
5th March 2017ce
17:48 |
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Neolithic women (carol27)