The classic Arabic text available for the first time in English

* Details how the first form of organized religious consciousness emerged from reverence for the Great Mother in the ancient Near East

* Brings to life the many forms of Ishtar, examining her connections to the Moon, sacred animals and nature, healing, death, sexuality, and magic

* Analyzes myths and rituals centered on the divine feminine from several ancient cultures, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece

Available for the first time in English, this classic Arabic study explores the influence of the Great Goddess on religion and civilization. Renowned Syrian scholar Firas Sawah details how religious consciousness emerged from reverence for the Great Mother in ancient Mesopotamia in the form of Ishtar--the goddess of fertility, love, war, and cosmic renewal.

Ishtar has taken many forms through the development of human culture, and the author examines her connections to the Moon, sacred animals and nature, healing, death, sexuality, and magic. Through a comprehensive look at myth, ancient poetry, and art, Sawah shows how symbols and practices associated with the Great Mother spread across cultures. He then analyzes the mythic narratives and rituals centered on sacred marriage and the descent into the underworld.

Sawah explores how the myths of Ishtar and Tammuz, Isis and Osiris, and Astarte and Adonis demonstrate a sacred partnership in which the Great Mother was complemented by her consort. As patriarchal systems emerged over time, male gods gained prominence, yet the matriarchal roots endured, shaping the cultural traditions of the emergent patriarchy. This examination of Ishtar reveals the ongoing relevance of the divine feminine and the unity of humanity's spiritual heritage.