As a layperson interested in mythology and archealogy, I did find this work to be very interesting, though over-scholarly for my taste. What was I expecting? A third-grade reader? Silly me. I choose to read it since it offers an alternate perspective to male-centric views. On that note, I wasn't disappointed.
It took awhile to build the backdrop for her evidence and interpretation, but I found it was helpful to do so. Any arguement that the "art" was less than perfect or was actually pathetic ignores the nature of prehistoric art - and Ms Gimbutas does address and explain why she choose the specific illustrations; mainly, to illustrate her points and to provide a visual for her narrative. Never did she claim it to be a book on art, and it should not be read as one nor critique as if it were one. Still, the illustrations were very helpful for this non-scholar.
Her assertation that original religion was goddess based I am not qualified to critque, but still, her evidence, speculations, and interpretations do give one pause for thought, especially when one realizes and accepts that history has been perceived and presented from a male point of view. I tend to think, if not Goddess based, then perhaps prehistoric societies and religions were a lot more equalitarian than was origianlly supposed.
Perhaps we have a lot to learn from our ancestors.
The two negative reviews that I read did the typical name-calling attack as a defense without offering constructive counter-arguements.
I trust the review by the scholar to be spot-on for those with academic interest or with a scholarly bend.
As for me, I will look for the middle school reader on this subject while still giving this work praise.
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