She is the goddess and this is her mythology.

I have my Top 10 Mythologies but how do they rank against each other in equal rites? That is, ranked by their goddesses – or more precisely the prominence or significance of goddesses or female figures in their pantheon as compared to those of gods or male figures.

Perhaps on a sliding scale from goddesses gone wild to divine sausage party…

And yes – not surprisingly, their equal rites rankings have some big changes from their general top ten mythology rankings, not least in a big drop in the top spot.

 

 

S-TIER (GODDESS TIER)

 

(1) HINDU – SHAKTI

 

In equal rites rankings, Hindu mythology is its own goddess tier within goddess tier, because one of its major denominations goes beyond mere goddess equality to goddess supremacy – and that is Shaktism.

Most people might think of the male trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva when it comes to Hinduism, but Shaktism is all about Shakti – the eternal feminine as the supreme cosmic power or principle.

Or even everything that is – “Shaktism is a major Hindu denomination in which the metaphysical reality or the deity is considered metaphorically to be a woman…the divine feminine energy, Shakti, is revered as the supreme power and is symbolized as the Mahadevi (Great Goddess), who manifests in numerous forms, with each form having distinct functions and unique attributes.”

Even beyond Shaktism, there’s the abundance of goddesses and divine female figures in Hindu mythology, not least the consorts of the gods.

 

(2) CLASSICAL – APHRODITE VENUS

 

Classical mythology has a prolific number of goddesses and divine (or semi-divine) female figures, with the twelve Olympians evenly divided between gods and goddesses – at least until Dionysus substituted for Hestia.

Classical mythology seems to stop short of a supreme divine female figure, yet there are hints or at least revisionist interpretations of the original or ultimate predominance of its goddesses or divine female figures, with perhaps the most famous of the latter being that of Robert Graves.

Whatever the truth of such hints or interpretations, classical mythology has to rank in goddess-tier if only for both the prolific number of its female figures and their enduring iconic nature, foremost among them Aphrodite or Venus.

And I’m in it for the nymphs, with classical mythology’s recurring tendency to populate virtually every geographic and natural feature with a hot nymph. Now that’s equal rites!

Also…Amazons!

 

(3) EGYPTIAN – ISIS

 

Egyptian mythology not only has a prolific number of goddesses (and semi-divine pharaonic figures) but also some of the most iconic depictions of them in any mythology, thanks to the recurring fascination with ancient Egyptian art and stylistic imagery.

However, one goddess stands supreme above the rest and that is Isis – so much so that she came closest of any divine female figure to becoming a universal or even monotheistic Goddess during the Roman Empire.

 

(4) MIDDLE EASTERN (BABYLO-SUMERIAN) – ISHTAR

 

Middle Eastern mythology earns its ranking from one goddess but what a goddess – Babylonian Ishtar or Sumerian Inanna.

Queen of Heaven, goddess of love and war – who influenced or inspired recurring similar goddesses or female figures throughout the ancient Middle East and beyond to the Roman Empire.

 

A-TIER (TOP TIER)

 

(5) NORSE – FREYA

 

While Norse mythology leans heavily into its warrior male ethos for its theos, it does have its strong female figures that are among the best known of mythology – Freya foremost of course but also goddesses such as Idun and Sif.

Also…Valkyries!

 

(6) CELTIC (ARTHURIAN) – LADY OF THE LAKE & MORGAN LE FAY

 

Celtic mythology may rival even Hindu mythology for the equal rites of its goddesses, perhaps even a supreme goddess – particularly in more matriarchal interpretations of it such as the Slaine comic by Pat Mills.

Arthurian legend seems less so for the equal rites of its maidens as against its knights – or its king. That said, it has some of the most distinctive female figures in Western culture – of which I’ve picked out the two closest to divine or semi-divine female figures, the Lady of the Lake and Morgan la Fay.

There’s arguably something of a cottage industry in revisions of Arthurian legend focusing on its female figures

 

B-TIER (HIGH TIER)

 

(7) NATIVE AMERICAN (LAKOTA)

 

Lakota mythology may not have many divine female figures, but it makes up for that (and earns high-tier ranking) with a messianic female figure – White Buffalo Calf Woman.

 

(8) AFRO-AMERICAN (VOODOO)

 

Voodoo and Afro-American mythologies certainly have their divine female figures which seem to be in reasonable balance with its male ones, not least the voodoo “love goddess” (or love loa), Erzulie Freda Dahomey, but perhaps the most prominent female figure in voodoo, divine or otherwise, is the historical voodoo queen of New Orleans, Marie Laveau.

 

(9) MESO-AMERICAN (AZTEC)

 

While the male deities tended to steal the sacrificial limelight, Aztec mythology does have its goddesses – like its love goddess Xochiquetzal – although they lack the same name recognition as their male counterparts.

 

 

X-TIER (WILD TIER)

 

(10) BIBLICAL

 

“Where the apple redden,

Never pry –

Lest we lose our Edens,

Eve and I.”

 

There’s really no other equal rites ranking for Biblical mythology except in wild tier ranking.

On the one hand, you’d think it’s the incarnation of the divine sausage party I quipped about, with its masculine monotheism even with the Trinity, unless you throw in Mary as well. Even with the Biblical heroes or prophets, you’re not doing too much better – with its literal patriarchs.

And yet…

There’s Mary but there’s also a prolific number of female figures that are among the most famous or iconic female figures in mythology. Admittedly, they’re not divine female figures.

Or are they? There are hints or at least revisionist interpretations of divine female figures – even goddesses or the divine feminine nature of God – to be found in the Bible and its female characters.