Goddesses in World Mythology

Covering 30,000 years of goddess worship, this fascinating book is the first and most comprehensive biographical dictionary devoted exclusively to mythological deities.

Spanning 30,000 years of goddess worship, Goddesses in World Mythology provides access to nearly 11,500 entries from many cultures: Greek, Celtic, Indian, African, Chinese, Slavic, Mesoamerican, Japanese, and more. Organized alphabetically within geographical regions such as Egypt, the Far East, Oceania, North America, and the Himalayan region, entries identify each goddess by her most common anthropological, mythological, or religious name, then identifies the culture recognizing that goddess, summarizing her powers or attributes, often providing a brief story characterizing her personality and motivations.

The most comprehensive and comprehensible work of its kind, Goddesses in World Mythology features two indexes that divide the goddesses by name and attribute, over 2,000 cross references that guide the reader to other entries, and an extensive bibliography. This unique and easy to use guide shows that goddesses were not just wives, sisters, mothers, or fertility figures, but supreme deities themselves.

• Includes two indexes, arranged by name and attribute, and an extensive bibliography for further research
• Extensive cross references show the surprisingly intricate relationship of certain goddesses across cultures, regions, and time
• Nearly 11,500 entries with coverage of goddesses from countries and legend across the globe

Martha Ann Imel has an advanced degree in religious studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

Dorothy Myers Imel is a professional writer and editor.