Page "Paganism (contemporary)" Paragraph 56

Adherents of the Goddess Spirituality movement typically envision a history-or " herstory "-of the world that is different from traditional narratives about the past, emphasising the role of women rather than that of men.

According to this view, human society was formerly a matriarchy, with communities being egalitarian, pacifistic and focused on the worship of the Goddess ; such a society was subsequently overthrown by violent patriarchal hordes who worshiped male sky gods and who continued to rule through the form of Christianity.

Adherents look for elements of this mythological history in " theological, anthropological, archaeological, historical, folkloric and hagiographic writings ", particularly the writings of Lithuanian-American archaeologist Marija Gimbutas.