The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future [B1927]

1988 PB with minor cover wear. "May be the most significant work published in all our lifetimes." - LA Weekly. The Chalice and the Blade tells a new story of our cultural origins, tracing humanity's long-forgotten history into deep prehistory. This landmark work of feminist history shows that warfare and the war of the sexes are not our only legacy, revealing that the "dominator model" of society is not our only option. Drawing from archaeology and other fields, it provides verification that a more peaceful "partnership model" is possible, offering a hopeful blueprint for our future cultural evolution that is firmly rooted in the haunting dramas of our past.

This groundbreaking study reexamines our past to reveal two underlying models of society that determine our future: Goddess-Worshipping Cultures: Explore the art, archaeology, and social structures of Neolithic and Minoan societies where the creative powers of life, symbolized by the Chalice, were revered above the lethal power of the Blade; A Partnership Past: Uncover evidence of a long-lost era when societies were more peaceful and egalitarian, organized around linking rather than ranking, with women holding positions of respect and authority; The Dominator Takeover: Investigate the cataclysmic shift in prehistory that violently turned our cultural evolution toward warfare, patriarchy, and hierarchy, creating the dominator systems that still shape our modern world; Beyond Patriarchy: Discover how this new understanding of human possibilities provides a hopeful and viable blueprint for a more balanced and peaceful future for both women and men.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Loved it!! So relevant to today! Highly recommend!!"; "Thought provoking. Based on English translations and does not identify Jesus as really described in the Greek. Still the point of the book remains; we have a choice about our future and patriarchy. The social media environment is currently breeding a masculine culture against egalitarianism. Prophetic."; "Wonderful book, fascinating discussion of how civilization became patriarchal eons ago as masculine power and greed overwhelmed and destroyed goddesses who were more nurturing and cooperative in nature. Author discusses how important it is to regard God not as angry and vengeful, but as loving and supporting. Our cultural history would be remarkably different without wars and violence. We can still create the foundation for evolution to an egalitarian world where men do not dominate with power and self-aggrandizement, cruelty and manipulation. What we believe changes what we do."; "Amazing content - infuriating and illuminating. "