The authors identify the general symbol of the "Mother Goddess" as a common sanctified image, and they demonstrate some of the cultural variations in form or function of the symbol in specific sociocultural settings. Although the subject is approached from a wide variety of perspectives, the authors concur that female deities are not mere projections of sociocultural conditions on an ideological screen; divine mother images represent something of the nurturant and sometimes destructive dimension of the cosmic order. Originally published in 1983. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.