Historical Evidence of Goddess Traditions
The best book that I have read so far on historical traditions of the Goddess(es) is Carol Christ’s book Rebirth of the Goddess. She uses a critical method of inquiry that is multidisciplinary in that it includes evidence from mythology, archeology and anthropology. Many who deny the historical evidence of Goddess traditions and thereby try to maintain the status quo of androcentric-patriarchal readings of history do so by dismissing the evidence that challenges their interpretation of history.
Specifically, Carol Christ presents evidence for the historical traditions of the Great Mother (for lack of the survival of specific names), Tiamat, Gaia, Pheobe, Themis, Metis, Hera, Pandora, Aphrodite, the Furies, the Fates, and Athena.
For example, based on the evidence archeologist James Mellaart concluded that the supreme deity of Catal Huyuk was the Great Goddess.
Many of the Greek and Near Eastern myths depict the slaying or subordination of Neolithic and Paleolithic Goddesses by the Gods of patriarchal Indo-European tribes. For example-
The Babylonian creation myth tells the story of the primordial Creatress of Sumerian religion, Tiamat, the Goddes of the Salty Sea, being vilified and murdered by Mardok.
Remnants of the story of the destruction of Tiamat were written into the Hebrew scriptures (Gensis 1:2, Job 26:12-13, Psalms 27:1 ,74:13-14 and 89:9-10, and Isaiah 27:1)
Aeschylus reports that the first to be worshiped at Delphi (etymologically related to the word for womb) was the Earth Goddess, Gaia followed by Phoebe (the Moon) and Themis (Social Order). Archeological evidence confirms that Apollo’s shrine at Delphi replaced an earlier one to Gaia, according to the Homeric Hymn “To Pythian Apollo”, after the Goddess was vilified and murdered.
Zeus killed the Goddess Metis (Wisdom) by swallowing her.
In Homer, Hera (the Lady), once the autonomous Goddess of the Argive Plain and of Samos, becomes the miserable wife of oppressive Zeus.
In Hesiod, Pandora, the Goddess whose name means “Giver of All”, is vilified as a woman who opens a jar (not a box) and releases evil into the world.
Aphrodite is born of the severed genitals of Ouranos thus subordinating the Goddess to the God and depicting her, the Giver of Life, as a projection or stimulator of male desire.
Several myths tell stories of Zeus raping and subordinating Goddesses, nymphs and mortal women.
The Old European Goddess is even reflected in Athena, a much patriarchalized Goddess, She was the ancient Goddess of the Rock that was later named the Acropolis. She is connected with several ancient Goddess symbols such as the tree, owl and snake.
Beyond Carol Christ's book, Tacitus reports some of the traditions of the Germanic Goddess Nerthus, whose name means Earth. There is abundant archeological evidence of traditions related to the Germanic Matrom Goddesses.
Closer to my own heart is the Goddess Freyja, the Lady, of many names. She is independent, powerful, promiscuous, a mother, and the teacher of seidr (witchcraft).There is significant mythological and archeological evidence of her tradition prior to and after the invasion of those true to the Aesir. I have hunches about traditions concerning the Norns, Jotuns,Disir and other Northern European Goddesses who very likely had traditions independent of male deities.
In my opinion, those who say that there is no historical evidence for Goddess traditions simply are not aware of or chose to dismiss the substantial supportive evidence presented by many reputable scholars and academics. If they are aware of the evidence and simply dismiss it, I cannot help but wonder why?