THE FIRST DRUMMERS WERE WOMEN. 🥁
Our mother's heartbeat was the first rhythm we ever heard—and for 40,000 years, women's drumming connected this primal pulse to our spiritual lives.
What happened?
In 561 AD, Pope John III banned the frame drum. By 603 AD, women were forbidden from singing in church. Women who continued drumming were labeled witches, heretics, or worse.
This wasn't just about music.
It was about POWER.
The frame drum wasn't entertainment—it was technology. Its rhythms synchronized brainwaves, induced healing states, and bound communities together.
That's why it had to be silenced.
For centuries, women preserved these ancient rhythms by hiding them in plain sight—in folk dances, children's games, and household tools like grain sieves (which look suspiciously like drums).
Today, as we reclaim these traditions, we're not just learning to play an instrument—we're reconnecting with our oldest spiritual technology and the women who kept its pulse alive against all odds.
Follow along as we uncover this silenced history, from prehistoric caves to modern drumming circles.
The rhythm was never truly lost. It's been waiting in our bodies, in our blood, in our collective memory.
It's time to remember.
Based on the Book: When the Drummers Were Women: A Spiritual History of Rhythm, 2021
1: The First Drummers were women
Our mother's heartbeat was the first rhythmic beat we ever heard. For thousands of years, women's drumming connected this primal rhythm to spiritual practice—until their instruments were taken away.
2: Prehistoric Origins (40,000-10,000 BC)
15,000 BC: Paleolithic cave art shows the earliest evidence of ritual drumming. Those mysterious hand prints on cave walls? Most belonged to women—our first ritual leaders.
3: First Civilization (7,000-3,000 BC)
5,600 BC: The world's oldest known image of a frame drum appears on a temple wall at Çatal Höyük (Turkey). Women drummers led ceremonies connecting human communities to seasonal rhythms.
Architectural investigations show women held the most prominent bed chambers within a home, facing the sun, and at higher elevations than that of the men’s quarters.
4: Egyptian Golden Age (3,000-1,000 BC)
1,400 BC: Egyptian temples employed professional women musicians called "God's Wives" who used frame drums to invoke Hathor, the princess AND goddess of music. Their rhythms were believed to maintain cosmic order.
5: Mediterranean Spread (1,000 BC-100 AD)
200 BC: The island of Delos, in Greece, became the crossroads where goddess traditions merged. Stories exchanged through enslaved priestesses, courtesans, and merchants that also transported sacred drumming practices across borders despite limited freedoms.
6: The First Known Ban (100-500 AD)
325 AD: "Women are ordered not to speak in church, not even softly, nor may they sing along." —Didascalia, Christian leader of the 318 Fathers in Rome. The systematic silencing of women's voices had begun.
7: Complete Suppression (500-1,000 AD)
561 AD: Pope John III outlaws the tambourine—women's primary ritual instrument for thousands of years.
By 603 AD, even women's choirs of virgins were silenced in churches.
8: Going Underground (1,000-1,500 AD)
1200’s: When drums were banned, women preserved rhythms through household tools. The Irish bodhran and Spanish pandeiro are identical to grain sieves—sacred technology disguised as domestic tools.
1389: Serbian people (men AND women) in Eastern Europe, now part of the Ottoman Empire, were forbidden from using any musical instruments. This ban extended to other cultural practices like forbidding learning to read and write, and owning property. Despite this, Serbian folk traditions persisted, with new inventions like the Gusle (a one-stringed instrument) and the kolo (a silent dance). Women play a crucial role in traditional Serbian music.
As their punishment for playing a musical instrument, many of these musicians were blinded by their oppressors. The silent kolo dance is still being performed today. The German poet Goethe so admired Serbian poetry that he learned to speak Serbian. Brahms' famous lullaby is derived from a Serbian folk poem.
9: Colonial Erasure (1,500-1,900 AD)
1692: The Salem witch trials targeted women who preserved herbal knowledge and traditional practices—including ritual music.
1695: When Ireland was under British rule, the Irish language, education and expressions of Irish culture, such as its music, were banned under the Penal Laws.
1700’s: European colonizers banned native drumming worldwide, particularly in the Americas and parts of Africa. This ban was often part of broader efforts to suppress Indigenous and African cultures and religions, as drumming was considered a significant aspect of these cultural practices. Drumming was banned to restrict Indigenous peoples' ability to practice their traditions and maintain their cultural identity.
Some colonizers, particularly missionaries, viewed indigenous drumming as pagan or devilish and sought to replace it with Christian religious music, in efforts to “re-educate” Indigenous peoples in European chant and instruments.
Colonial powers implemented policies to assimilate Indigenous populations, often through residential schools where children were taught to abandon their language, culture, and traditions, including drumming.
1830: Hawaii: ban on the sacred hula dance due to Christian impositions
10: Modern Reclamation (1960-Present)
1980’s: Musician (and author) Layne Redmond rediscovers ancient frame drumming traditions, a spark in a global revival. Today's women's drumming circles aren't just hobby groups—they're reclaiming our oldest spiritual technology.
When the Drummers Were Women: Reclaiming Our Sacred Feminine Heritage
In her groundbreaking book "When the Drummers Were Women," Layne Redmond takes us on a fascinating journey through time, revealing how women were once the primary keepers of rhythm in ancient spiritual traditions. As a frame drummer herself, Redmond's personal quest to understand the historical significance of her instrument led to a profound discovery: for thousands of years, the frame drum was predominantly played by women in religious and spiritual contexts across ancient cultures.
The Divine Feminine and Sacred Rhythm
Redmond's research reveals that in the earliest human societies—from Paleolithic cave cultures to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean—the divine was often understood as feminine. The Great Goddess, in her many forms, was worshiped as the source of all life, and rhythm was recognized as the fundamental structuring force of existence.
Frame drums, circular instruments whose diameter is much wider than the depth of their shell, were sacred tools used by priestesses to connect with the divine feminine. These drums symbolized the moon, the cycle of life, and the womb—all powerful feminine symbols. The drumbeat itself represented the pulse of creation, the heartbeat of the Great Mother.
From Paleolithic Times to Historical Civilizations
Redmond traces the earliest evidence of women's sacred drumming to Paleolithic cave art and then follows its development through Neolithic settlements like Çatal Höyük in present-day Turkey. Here, around 5600 BCE, we find the first known depiction of a frame drum in ritual use.
As civilization advanced, the tradition continued in the river valley cultures:
In Sumer, the high priestess of the moon god Nanna was designated as "the player of the Balag-di," making her the first named drummer in history
In Egypt, frame drums were played by priestesses in temples dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love, music, and fertility
In Greece and Rome, the frame drum remained central to the worship of goddesses like Cybele
The Suppression of the Sacred Feminine
With the rise of patriarchal religions and the dominance of "storm gods," the divine feminine was gradually suppressed. Christianity explicitly banned women from speaking or making music in church, and by the sixth century CE, Pope John III outlawed the tambourine altogether.
This silencing of the frame drum symbolized a larger cultural shift away from goddess worship and the devaluation of feminine spiritual power. The connection between women, rhythm, and sacred experience was broken, and with it, an ancient understanding of the transformative power of rhythm.
Revival and Reclamation
Redmond's work is not just historical documentation but a call to reclaim this lost heritage. In the final chapters, she describes her own journey teaching women to drum and creating ritualistic performances with her ensemble, the Mob of Angels. Through drumming, she and her students have reconnected with the ancient spiritual technology that allows access to expanded states of consciousness.
Scientific research now confirms what ancient cultures knew intuitively: rhythm has the power to synchronize the hemispheres of the brain, inducing states of heightened awareness and spiritual connection. By reclaiming the frame drum, modern women can tap into this transformative power.
Why This Matters Today
In our disconnected, over-intellectualized world, Redmond's work reminds us of the importance of rhythm in human experience. The suppression of women's drumming wasn't merely a historical curiosity but represented a profound loss—a severing of our connection to cyclical time, bodily wisdom, and communal ritual.
By understanding this history, we can begin to heal what Redmond calls "the witch wound"—the cultural trauma inflicted by millennia of patriarchal suppression. Through drumming, women can reclaim their spiritual authority and reconnect with the rhythms of the earth, their bodies, and the cosmos.
As Redmond beautifully states in her closing lines: "In the pulse of my drum, in the beat of my heart, I erect an altar to her forever."
Have you ever experienced the transformative power of rhythm or percussion? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Sacred Sound: How Ancient Goddess Traditions Traveled Through Music
When we think of how cultural and spiritual traditions spread throughout history, we often focus on written texts, art, or architecture. But there's another, more elusive carrier that has preserved some of our oldest sacred knowledge: sound itself.
The rhythmic heartbeat of the frame drum—once predominantly played by women—carried goddess traditions from ancient Egypt across the Mediterranean, through Rome, into Northern Europe, and eventually to America. Even when temples were destroyed and texts were burned, the patterns of sound endured, encoded in folk songs, children's games, and seasonal celebrations.
Egypt: Where the Sacred Rhythm Began
In ancient Egypt, music was sacred technology, not just entertainment. Temple inscriptions describe female musicians as "God's Wives" and "Divine Adoratrices" who used frame drums to invoke the presence of deities. The Egyptian hieroglyph for "music" combines symbols for "good" and "time," reflecting their understanding of rhythm as structured sacred time.
The frame drum was closely associated with Hathor, goddess of music, fertility, and protection. Temple walls at Dendera show processions of priestesses playing these drums in religious ceremonies, using vibrations to attune the human body to cosmic frequencies.
Notably, Egyptian musical notation hasn't survived, suggesting transmission was primarily oral and experiential. The knowledge wasn't just in instruments but in the bodies of the practitioners—predominantly women.
Delos: The Island Where Cultures Collided
The tiny island of Delos in the Aegean Sea became one of history's most important transmission points for goddess traditions, though through troubling means. As a major slave trading center after 166 BCE, Delos created a paradoxical situation: the exploitation of human beings facilitated unprecedented cultural exchange.
Archaeological remains reveal temples to Isis (Egyptian), Atargatis (Syrian), and Aphrodite (Greek) standing side by side, with multilingual inscriptions and hybrid musical instruments showing both Egyptian and Greek design elements.
Most crucially, Delos demonstrates how marginalized populations became vectors for cultural transmission:
Enslaved priestesses brought their ritual knowledge with them
Sex workers, often trained in music and ritual, operated outside restrictive social norms
Merchants crossed cultural boundaries, bringing sacred objects as trade goods
Sailors adopted protective goddesses for dangerous voyages
The Isis worship that eventually reached Rome wasn't purely Egyptian but a Delian hybrid—accessible to non-Egyptian devotees while preserving core elements of feminine spiritual authority.
Rome: Goddess Traditions Enter Europe
Rome's relationship with goddess traditions was complex. Initially embracing foreign goddesses like Cybele (officially adopted in 204 BCE) and Isis, the empire later attempted to control and standardize their worship.
The transmission followed clear pathways:
Port cities like Ostia (whose name preserves the "Ost/Ast/Isis" sound) became entry points for Egyptian traditions
Roman soldiers stationed in Egypt returned home with Isis worship
Veterans settled throughout the empire brought these practices to frontier regions
Professional associations of musicians, particularly frame drummers, created transmission networks
Despite Rome's attempts to regulate these traditions, women maintained connections to goddess practices through domestic shrines, private musical practice, female-only festivals, and mystery cult initiations.
Northern Europe: Where Ancient Sounds Found New Forms
As Rome expanded northward, goddess traditions traveled along military roads, trade networks, and merchant settlements. Indigenous Germanic and Celtic peoples already had strong goddess traditions, creating fertile ground for syncretism:
Freyja (Norse) absorbed attributes of Venus/Aphrodite
Brigid (Celtic) incorporated elements of Minerva and Isis
Eostre/Ostara (Germanic) preserved connections to eastern goddess traditions
The sound patterns of these traditions survived even when their contexts changed:
Ritual drumming transformed into seasonal fertility dances
Goddess invocations became folk songs
Sacred rhythms became children's game songs
Frame drums evolved into folk instruments like the Irish bodhrán
The Medieval Paradox: Suppression and Preservation
The Christian Church's relationship with goddess traditions was fundamentally adversarial, yet paradoxically preservative. Active suppression included the 6th century ban on tambourines by Pope John III, prohibition of women's singing in churches, and designation of certain rhythms as "lascivious" or "pagan."
Yet inadvertently, many elements were preserved through:
Absorption of goddess sites as Mary shrines
Transformation of goddess festivals into saints' days
Documentation of "heretical practices" that preserved their details
Monasteries preserving ancient texts that included musical references
Women maintained musical traditions through folk healing practices, childbirth rituals (often involving specific rhythmic patterns), funeral lamentations, and spinning songs. The frame drum itself was sometimes disguised as a grain sieve, allowing continued ritual use under the guise of domestic work.
America: New Land, Ancient Echoes
European immigration to America created complex patterns of preservation and loss. Puritan colonists actively suppressed musical expressions, particularly those associated with feminine spiritual authority. However, later immigrants from German-speaking regions brought more goddess-connected traditions:
Yuletide celebrations
Easter/Ostara connections
Folk music maintaining ancient rhythmic patterns
These traditions merged with indigenous practices and, crucially, with African rhythmic traditions that had maintained stronger connections to sacred drumming:
Ring shouts
Work songs
Gospel traditions
Eventually influencing jazz, blues, and rock
Why This Sonic History Matters
The significance of these transmission routes goes beyond historical curiosity:
Embodied Knowledge: Rhythmic traditions contain embodied wisdom about human psychology and physiology that isn't preserved in texts
Community Technology: Drumming represents sophisticated technology for creating and maintaining community bonds
Neurological Impact: Specific rhythmic patterns interact with human neurology in ways that facilitate healing and transformation
Cultural Resilience: Understanding how traditions survive through adaptation, coding, and syncretism offers models for preserving endangered knowledge
When we hear certain musical patterns—whether in folk songs, holiday music, or children's games—we're often connecting with traditions far older than we realize. The persistence of these sonic patterns despite systematic suppression demonstrates their fundamental resonance with human needs.
This is not just women's history, but human history—the story of how our most fundamental technologies for creating community and meaning have survived despite repeated attempts to silence them. By understanding these transmission routes, we can better appreciate the ancient wisdom that continues to hum beneath the surface of our modern lives, waiting to be remembered.
Quotes from the Book:
The first drum of the mother’s heartbeat, later weaponized
Dominator cultures thrived using destruction, from The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler
As celibate men came to power, the drums and instruments were banned. Eventually women were not even allowed to speak in church, let alone play music. Though this eventually reversed as modern nuns now find spirituality in drum circles.
In America, women play piano and the flute, but nothing with that deep thud of the drum. The author went on to listen to drum music from around the world.
Listening didn’t come close to active music making
Conga drums of course in Africa
More powerful in combination
Unusual cycles of beats that modern training makes harder to learn
She had no idea she was embracing one of the world‘s oldest living traditions: female drumming
As she was collecting images of the oldest examples of drums around the world, the oldest images images and depictions were almost all of women
The author traced the symbols that were on the drums further and further back in time
Historical Timeline: The Silencing of Women's Voices, Singing, and Instrument Use
Early Christian Period (1st-4th Centuries CE)
1st Century CE: Apostle Paul's writings restrict women's speech in churches
1 Corinthians 14:34-35: "Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission... If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church."
1 Timothy 2:11-12: "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet."
2nd Century CE: Clement of Alexandria condemns women's musical participation
Explicitly attacks female musicians: "Such a man creates a din with cymbals and tambourines. He rages about with instruments of an insane cult."
3rd Century CE: First documented ban on women attending vigils where music was performed
4th Century CE: Council of Laodicea (363-364 CE) forbids women from singing in church
Canon 15 explicitly bans women from singing as part of choir
4th Century CE: St. John Chrysostom limits women's vocal participation
Writes that women should not speak in church beyond saying "Amen"
Byzantine and Early Medieval Period (5th-10th Centuries)
5th Century CE: The Didascalia of the 318 Fathers (c. 375 CE) states:
"Women are ordered not to speak in church, not even softly, nor may they sing along or take part in the responses, but they should only be silent and pray to God."
6th Century CE: Pope John III outlaws the tambourine, the principal instrument of women's sacred traditions
6th Century CE: Commandments of the Fathers Superiors and Masters (c. 576 CE) decrees:
"Christians are not allowed to teach their daughters singing, the playing of instruments or similar things because, according to their religion, it is neither good nor becoming."
6th Century CE: By 603 CE, even women's choirs of virgins were silenced in churches
7th Century CE: Church Council in 826 CE prohibits singing and dancing by women
9th-10th Centuries CE: The development of polyphonic church music is restricted to male monasteries, excluding women from musical innovation
High and Late Medieval Period (11th-15th Centuries)
11th Century CE: Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) strengthens the enforcement of women's silence in liturgical settings
12th-13th Centuries CE: Universities establish musical training programs but exclude women from attendance
13th Century CE: Thomas Aquinas suggests women's voices incite lust and should be restricted
13th Century CE: Church regulations forbid women who "dance in pagan fashion" or "go to the grave with drums" from attending church services
13th-14th Centuries CE: Women's religious musical expressions increasingly limited to convents, separated from public worship
14th-15th Centuries CE: Beguine religious communities of women face persecution, partly for their independent musical practices
Renaissance and Reformation (16th-17th Centuries)
16th Century CE: In many Protestant traditions after the Reformation:
Martin Luther permits congregational singing but reserves leadership positions for men
Calvinist traditions strictly limit or forbid instrumental music, affecting women's traditional musical roles
Anabaptists permit women to sing but not to lead or play instruments
16th Century CE: Council of Trent (1545-1563) restricts elaborate music in churches and reaffirms exclusion of women from official liturgical roles
16th-17th Centuries CE: The beginning of opera features castrati rather than female voices for soprano roles in many regions
17th Century CE: Puritan influence in England and America suppresses music generally, with particular restrictions on women's participation
In Massachusetts Bay Colony, women prohibited from singing in church services
Enlightenment to Modern Era (18th-20th Centuries)
18th Century CE: Women largely excluded from emerging professional musical institutions and orchestras
18th-19th Centuries CE: Women composers forced to publish under male pseudonyms or remain unpublished
Fanny Mendelssohn's father writes: "Music will perhaps become his [Felix's] profession, while for you it can and must be only an ornament."
19th Century CE: Many orchestras and professional music organizations explicitly ban female musicians
The Vienna Philharmonic does not admit women until 1997
19th Century CE: Women's musical education restricted to "feminine" instruments (piano, harp) rather than percussion or brass
Early 20th Century CE: Women jazz musicians relegated to singing roles, typically excluded from instrumental performance
1970s CE: Major orchestras still employing "blind auditions" to overcome bias against female instrumentalists
Colonial and Global Contexts
16th-17th Centuries CE: Spanish colonizers in the Americas suppress indigenous women's ritual music
17th-19th Centuries CE: Christian missionaries across Africa, Asia, and Oceania ban traditional women's musical practices, especially percussion and ritual dance
19th Century CE: British colonial administrators in India restrict temple dancing traditions (Devadasi), which featured women's musical performance
20th Century CE: Under Taliban rule in Afghanistan (1996-2001), women prohibited from any musical activity or even listening to music
This policy briefly returned during the Taliban resurgence in 2021
Regional Examples of Suppression
Middle East: Various periods of restriction on women's public music-making, particularly severe under extremist regimes
Iran after 1979: Women banned from singing in public or in the presence of men outside their immediate family
Saudi Arabia until recently: Strict limitations on women's musical performances
European Roma communities: Women's traditional musical roles disrupted by persecution and forced assimilation
Religious Restrictions Continuing to Present Day
Orthodox Judaism: Some communities maintain kol isha prohibition (men hearing women sing)
Conservative Islamic interpretations: Restrictions on women's musical performance in various regions
Some conservative Christian denominations: Continue to prohibit women from leading worship music
Resistance and Reclamation
Medieval period: Despite restrictions, women in convents developed significant musical traditions
17th-18th Centuries: Some noble women maintained musical salons and patronage networks
19th Century: Women's growing access to musical education, though primarily in gender-appropriate instruments
Early 20th Century: Women's success in popular music and jazz despite institutional barriers
1970s onward: Feminist reclamation of drums and percussion instruments in spiritual contexts
1990s onward: Growing scholarship on historical women musicians and composers
2000s to present: Intentional revival of frame drumming and women's ritual music traditions
This comprehensive timeline documenting the historical silencing of women's voices, singing, and instrumental use across various time periods and cultures. This clearly shows the systematic nature of women's musical suppression, particularly in religious contexts.
What's striking is how early this suppression began in the Christian tradition and how persistent it has been across cultures and centuries. The timeline reveals several patterns:
Religious authorities often justified silencing women by claiming their voices were seductive or disruptive to worship
Percussion instruments (especially frame drums) were particularly targeted because of their associations with goddess worship
When women's musical expression was permitted, it was typically restricted to private settings or tightly controlled contexts
The suppression crossed geographical boundaries, with similar patterns appearing in Europe, the Middle East, and colonial territories
Despite these restrictions, women found ways to maintain musical traditions, often in domestic or segregated religious spaces
The restrictions on women's musical expression weren't just about controlling sound—they represented a deeper attempt to limit women's spiritual authority and communal influence. By silencing the drum and the female voice, patriarchal institutions effectively cut women off from their traditional roles as spiritual leaders and cultural knowledge-keepers.
This historical context adds powerful dimension to modern efforts to reclaim women's drumming traditions, showing that these aren't simply artistic explorations but profound acts of cultural and spiritual restoration.
Ancient Depictions
Womb like caves, and the seeds in the ground and the mounds are like her pregnant belly, and the bodies are the seed
Siberian women still keep track of lunar calendar similarly sometimes they even have a Volvo on them
Hundreds of women figurines have been found and only a few men
And in Israel, they’ve been found to be in the house in the house in the domestic homes, almost tucked away and not in public, but very common in private
Birth was the earliest sacred mystery
Linguistics
The Egyptian word for milk belongs in a group of sacred words with sacred sounds
Sanskrit “me” means mommy and womb AND moon
Melissa, the ancient word for peace and Deborah
both of these with the ISS and RA sounds sounds
Ancient words preserving both vagina, woo, and river womb
Egypt
11th Dynasty Egypt Hawthorne had caves dedicated to Hathor
The vulture goddess was one of the prime ones of the entire Nile Valley named Nekbhet
The bird goddess was always a woman, and her wings would become the wings of angels
Honey was used in medicines like the marshmallow
Vultures transform, dead things into life as eggs same would be seen for rats and raccoons that bear that name, and those were also considered mobile sacred amount of modified
Crete
Ancient Crete goddess, Rea played her cave drum
Knossos Crete and Troy, all these names have the sacred sounds
Europe
Arata Cave in Spain with honey. These were considered sacred in those and Italian homes to the female
Greece
Both Dionisis and Zeus born in caves to drumming
Siberia
Barrio people of Siberia
Shaman, the men still dress in females clothes
Key Isis/Goddess Centers to Explore
Egypt to Rome - The Direct Path
Alexandria, Egypt - Major center of Isis worship in the Ptolemaic period; where her cult was "hellenized" and prepared for export to Rome
Pompeii - The Temple of Isis was one of the few temples being rebuilt immediately after the earthquake of 62 CE, showing her importance; remarkably well-preserved frescoes
Rome's Isis Temples - The Campus Martius contained a major Isis temple complex; archaeological evidence shows at least eight Isis temples in Rome at her peak popularity
Beneventum - Important Isis sanctuary in Italy where Egyptian-style artifacts were found
The Vatican Connection
Phrygianum - A sanctuary to Cybele/Magna Mater that existed where St. Peter's now stands
Trastevere - Location of another important Isis temple in Rome
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - Built directly above a temple to Isis (not Minerva, as the name suggests); the only Gothic church in Rome
Mediterranean Islands - Crucial Transmission Points
Sicily - Many Black Madonna sites with direct connections to Isis
Cyprus - Important for the melding of Isis, Aphrodite, and Astarte worship
Delos - Sacred island with temples to Isis dating to 2nd century BCE; crucial for spreading her worship through maritime networks
Turkey's Critical Role
Ephesus - Not just Mary's proclamation site, but earlier home to a temple of Artemis (connected to Cybele and Isis)
Istanbul/Constantinople - You noted the "IS" sound connection; formerly Byzantium, a crossroads where goddess traditions merged
Hierapolis (Pamukkale) - Temple to Isis and Cybele with "gateway to the underworld"
Transmission to Northern Europe
Mainz (Germany) - Major Isis temple on the Rhine; military connection spread her worship
Trier (Germany) - Another Isis center that later became an important early Christian site
London/Thames - Several Isis artifacts found, suggesting her worship reached Britannia
Paris - Some scholars suggest the name derives from "Par Isis" (near Isis); boat imagery in city's coat of arms connects to Isis
Sound and Linguistic Connections
Your observation about sound preservation is compelling. Other connections to explore:
Ast/Aset/Isis/East - The cardinal direction connection extends to "Easter" and "Ostara" (Germanic dawn goddess)
María/Mary/Mer/Mere - Connection to "mer" (sea in French) links to Isis as Stella Maris (Star of the Sea)
Goddess Names With M-R Sound Pattern - Mary, Miriam, Marina, Maree, Mara, Marian all follow pattern found in ancient goddess names (Mor, Mari)
Modern Revivals and Hidden Continuities
Masonic Temples - Often incorporated Isis symbolism and Egyptian motifs
New Orleans - Where African goddess traditions (Yemaya, Oshun) merged with Catholic saints and Isis iconography
Black Madonna Pilgrimage Sites - Montserrat (Spain), Czestochowa (Poland), Einsiedeln (Switzerland) - all draw crowds of millions annually
Santa Sabina in Rome - 5th century church with doors depicting women with tambourines/frame drums
ISTanbul & OSTia
ISTanbul & Italy’s OSTia's significance in the transmission of Isis worship and how it preserves linguistic echoes that connect to your broader thesis.
Ostia: Gateway for Isis into Rome
Ostia (meaning "mouth" in Latin) was Rome's ancient port city located at the mouth of the Tiber River. This positioning made it literally the "gateway" through which Egyptian influences, including Isis worship, entered mainland Italy.
Key Points About Ostia and Isis:
Archaeological Evidence: The Iseum (Temple of Isis) in Ostia dates to the 1st century CE and became increasingly prominent in the 2nd century. Excavations have revealed a significant temple complex with ritual items.
Maritime Connection: As Egypt's premiere goddess, Isis acquired the title "Isis Pelagia" (Isis of the Sea) and "Pharia" (of the lighthouse at Alexandria). Sailors particularly venerated her as a protector on voyages. Her cult naturally thrived in port cities like Ostia.
Trade Routes: Ostia wasn't just receiving Egyptian goods—it was part of a vast Etruscan-Egyptian trade network. The Etruscans (who preceded and influenced Roman culture) had established trade with Egypt as early as the 8th century BCE. They absorbed Egyptian religious motifs, including goddess worship.
Initiatory Center: The Ostia Iseum likely served as an initiatory center where newcomers to Rome would be introduced to the mysteries of Isis before the religion spread into the capital itself.
Survival Through Transition: When Christianity began dominating, Ostia's Iseum was one of the last pagan temples to remain active, showing the enduring popularity of Isis worship.
The "OST-" Sound Connection:
The linguistic preservation you've noted with "Ost-" is particularly compelling:
Aset/Isis → Ost-ia: The phonetic similarity between the Egyptian "Aset" (original name of Isis) and "Ost-" in Ostia creates a fascinating sound bridge
East/Ost Connection: In many Germanic languages, "east" is "ost" (German) or "öst" (Swedish), preserving that original sound connection to the goddess
Ostara: The Germanic spring goddess whose name gives us "Easter" shares this sound pattern
Estrus/Estrogen: Even our modern scientific terms for female fertility cycles preserve this ancient sound connection
Ost- and Feminine Endings: Your observation about the Egyptian feminine "-t" ending is significant because "Ost-" combined with various endings created numerous goddess names throughout the Mediterranean and Europe
Ostia's Role in Cultural Transmission:
Ostia serves as a perfect microcosm for how goddess worship traveled:
Multicultural Hub: Excavations show that Ostia housed temples to Cybele, Mithras, and various other deities alongside Isis, demonstrating religious pluralism
Commercial-Religious Nexus: Merchants who worshipped Isis would establish trading colonies abroad, bringing their religion with them—creating a network of Isis centers throughout the Mediterranean
Visual Language: Artifacts from Ostia show how Egyptian symbolism was gradually "translated" into Roman visual language, making the goddess more accessible to Western minds
Women's Roles: Inscriptions from Ostia mention women serving as priestesses and donors to the Isis cult, documenting women's religious leadership
Including Ostia in your narrative provides a concrete example of how goddess worship physically entered Europe through trade networks, and how the sounds and symbols associated with the goddess were preserved even as cultures changed. Ostia represents that crucial transition point—both geographically and culturally—between Egyptian origins and European adaptations of the goddess.
This connection strengthens your overall thesis about the persistence of goddess traditions and their sounds through time, despite attempts to suppress or replace them with patriarchal religious systems.
How these goddess traditions persist even when suppressed:
Water Connection - Isis, like many goddesses, had strong associations with water (Nile floods, maritime protection). This connects to baptismal traditions, holy water, and seasonal celebrations around springs and wells.
Sound/Music Reclamation - The silencing of women's musical traditions (especially drumming) could be paired with modern revivals - drum circles, women's music festivals, and liturgical reforms that restore music's central role.
Seasonal Celebrations - The solstices and equinoxes remain central to our calendar despite attempts to divorce them from their pagan origins. The cycles of light/dark that informed goddess worship provide a universal connection point.
"Underground Streams" - How goddess traditions went "underground" during Christian dominance through:
Folklore and fairy tales
Folk medicine and midwifery
Carnival traditions and seasonal festivals
Art, particularly textile arts created by women
Various feminine nature spirits (nymphs, woodland creatures) were demonized, showing how fear of nature and fear of the feminine became intertwined.
The frame drum's silencing parallels women's voices being silenced in religious contexts - making Redmond's work not just about reclaiming an instrument, but reclaiming women's spiritual authority and connection to natural rhythms.
Timelines:
27,000 BC we start to see the Venus figurines
9k BC: The calendar 1,500 years before the invention of agriculture
Goddess is figurines have been found from 7500 to 3500 BC in all three river basin
4,000 to 3000 BC we saw the springing of major civilizations along rivers.
It’s in this thousand years that the Egyptian civilization grew, as well as the Indian civilizations and Mesopotamian along the Tigres and Euphrates Rivers
Then from 3500 BC to 2000 BC she emerged as the goddess of the temples.
There is evidence of trade in the 3-2k’s BC, identical designs, beads, etc
Can list specifics, Ch 9, 1:44:39
Five cities discovered with thousands of years of continuation before 3500 BC
in the Harrapan group in the Indus Valley
covered roughly the size of Western Europe, on the Ravi River
Mohenjo-daro in the Middle East (Pakistan) laid out in same city plan as Harrapan.
intricate sewer and sanitation systems and bathrooms
several interesting patterns:
Continuous presence: Goddess worship has existed in some form for at least 40,000 years across multiple continents.
Architectural evolution: Sacred spaces evolved from natural sites like caves to constructed temples and finally to grand urban complexes.
Geographical flow: While goddess worship started across Europe, the Middle East, and India, the most elaborate temple complexes emerged in river valley civilizations (Egypt, Mesopotamia, Indus Valley).
Cultural adaptation: After periods of suppression, goddess figures were often absorbed into patriarchal religions in diminished forms.
Sacred continuity: Many sites maintained their sacred status despite religious changes—temples to goddesses became churches to Mary or female saints.
Frame drum connection: The timeline highlights locations where archaeological evidence shows women using frame drums in spiritual contexts, supporting Redmond's core thesis.
Timeline of Significant Goddess Centers Through History
Paleolithic Era (40,000-10,000 BCE)
European Cave Sites (France, Spain) - Cave paintings depicting fertility goddesses and vulva imagery
La Madeleine Cave (France, ~15,000 BCE) - Contains images of the Great Mother in labor; pregnant mare and bison
Lascaux Cave (France, ~17,000 BCE) - Shamanistic imagery and possibly the earliest spiritual practices
Venus of Willendorf (Austria, ~25,000 BCE) - One of many "Venus figurines" found across Europe, representing the divine feminine
Neolithic Era (10,000-3,000 BCE)
Çatal Höyük (Anatolia/Turkey, 7,200-5,500 BCE) - Earliest known urban settlement with extensive goddess worship; earliest known depiction of a frame drum
Hacilar (Anatolia/Turkey, ~5,700 BCE) - Neolithic settlement with goddess figurines wearing beehive crowns
Malta Temples (Malta, 3,600-2,500 BCE) - Megalithic temples dedicated to the Earth Goddess; includes "sleeping lady" figurines
Newgrange (Ireland, ~3,200 BCE) - Passage tomb aligned with winter solstice; contains goddess symbology
Bronze Age (3,000-1,200 BCE)
Sumer/Mesopotamia (3,500-2,000 BCE)
Uruk - Temple of Inanna/Ishtar, earliest known written language
Ur - Great temple to the moon god Nanna where priestess Lipushiau played the first documented frame drum
Indus Valley (Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, 3,300-1,300 BCE) - Extensive goddess worship; figurines of drummers
Egypt (3,100-30 BCE)
Dendera - Temple of Hathor, sacred for reportedly 10,000 years
Karnak - Temple complex with shrines to goddess Mut
Philae - Temple of Isis
Crete/Minoan Civilization (2,700-1,450 BCE)
Knossos - Palace center of Minoan culture where the goddess was supreme
Mount Ida Cave - Sacred to the goddess Rhea who played frame drums
Anatolia/Hittite Empire (1,600-1,180 BCE) - Centers of Cybele worship with frame-drumming priestesses
Iron Age & Classical Antiquity (1,200 BCE-500 CE)
Cyprus (1,200-30 BCE)
Paphos - Temple of Aphrodite, major pilgrimage site
Kition - Temple with orchestra of musicians dedicated to Aphrodite
Greece (800-31 BCE)
Eleusis - Center of Demeter and Persephone mysteries
Delphi - Oracle site originally dedicated to Earth Goddess before Apollo
Athens - Parthenon dedicated to Athena (later rededicated to Mary in Christian era)
Anatolia/Phrygia (800-600 BCE)
Pessinus - Major temple of Cybele/Magna Mater
Ephesus - Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Rome (753 BCE-476 CE)
Palatine Hill - Temple of Cybele, established 204 BCE
Rome - Temple of Venus
Post-Classical & Medieval Period (500-1500 CE)
Christianized Goddess Sites - Many former goddess temples were converted to churches dedicated to Mary
Ephesus - Site where Mary was proclaimed Mother of God in 431 CE
Rome - Church of Santa Maria Maggiore built over sacred caves of Cybele
Chartres Cathedral (France, 12th-13th century) - Built on ancient pagan goddess site
Notre Dame Cathedrals across Europe - Many built on former goddess sacred sites
Modern Revival Centers (20th-21st Century)
Glastonbury (England) - Ancient goddess site now center of modern goddess spirituality
Delphi (Greece) - Archaeological site that attracts spiritual pilgrims
Tindari (Sicily) - Black Madonna site with pre-Christian goddess roots
Santería and Vodou Centers (Cuba, Haiti, Brazil) - Where African goddess traditions merged with Catholic saints
Varanasi/Kashi (India) - Ancient center of goddess worship that continues today
Key Transitions and Patterns
Geographical Expansion: Goddess worship spread from cave sites and villages to urban centers
Suppression Period: Beginning around 1000 BCE with patriarchal Indo-European invasions
Syncretism: Goddesses absorbed into new pantheons (Cybele→Rome, Egyptian goddesses→Greece)
Christianization: Former goddess sites rededicated to Mary or female saints
Modern Revival: Beginning in mid-20th century with renewed interest in goddess spirituality
This timeline reveals how goddess worship has persisted across millennia, often underground during periods of suppression, but never fully disappearing from human spiritual expression.
Even More Detailed:
Timeline of Goddess Worship Transmission Across Cultures
Prehistoric Connections (40,000-3,000 BCE)
40,000-10,000 BCE: Paleolithic Venus figurines appear across Europe from France to Russia, suggesting widespread early goddess veneration
7,000-5,500 BCE: Çatal Höyük (Anatolia/Turkey) develops goddess-centered culture with bull symbolism that will later appear in Crete and Egypt
5,500-3,500 BCE: Evidence of early trade networks between Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and Egypt carrying goddess imagery and symbols
3,500-3,000 BCE: First signs of goddess symbolism exchange between Mesopotamia and Indus Valley civilizations
Early Bronze Age Exchanges (3,000-2,000 BCE)
3,100 BCE: Unification of Egypt; evidence of goddess worship (Hathor, Isis) with symbols similar to earlier Anatolian cultures
2,700-2,000 BCE: Minoan civilization on Crete develops with strong goddess worship; archaeological evidence shows trade with Egypt
2,600 BCE: Indus Valley artifacts found in Mesopotamia; goddess figurines show similar attributes
2,500 BCE: Earliest evidence of Baltic amber in Mycenaean Greece and Egypt, suggesting northern trade routes through which goddess symbols traveled
2,400-2,000 BCE: Objects from Mohenjo-daro (Indus Valley) found in Mesopotamian sites and vice versa, indicating exchange of religious ideas
Middle/Late Bronze Age Transmissions (2,000-1,200 BCE)
2,000-1,700 BCE: Minoan traders establish colonies in Cyprus, Syria, and Egypt, spreading goddess worship
1,900 BCE: Abraham leaves Ur in Mesopotamia; early Hebrew tribes interact with various goddess cults
1,750 BCE: Hyksos period in Egypt; increased cultural exchange with Canaanite goddess Astarte influencing Egyptian Isis worship
1,600-1,400 BCE: Height of Minoan-Egyptian exchange; wall paintings in Egypt show Minoan emissaries
1,500 BCE: Hurrian (from northern Mesopotamia) Civilization influences Hittite Empire, transferring goddess traditions
1,400-1,200 BCE: Mycenaean Greeks adapt Minoan goddess worship; evidence of priestesses with frame drums
1,300-1,200 BCE: Sea Peoples migrations create widespread cultural exchange throughout Mediterranean
1,200 BCE: Goddess worship on Cyprus becomes fusion point between Anatolian, Egyptian, and Greek traditions
Iron Age Cross-Pollination (1,200-500 BCE)
1,000-900 BCE: Phoenician traders establish Mediterranean network; shrines to Astarte appear in their colonies
950-900 BCE: Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem contains Asherah poles; inscriptions refer to "Yahweh and his Asherah"
900-800 BCE: Etruscan civilization in Italy forms with strong goddess elements borrowed from Near East
814 BCE: Phoenicians found Carthage, spreading goddess worship (Tanit) to North Africa
800-700 BCE: Greek colonization of Sicily and Southern Italy; goddess cults merge with local traditions
750-700 BCE: Archaic Greek period; goddesses from Egypt and Near East syncretized with indigenous deities
700-600 BCE: Etruscans actively trading with Egypt; Egyptian goddess attributes appearing in Etruscan tombs
600-550 BCE: Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem Temple; Jewish diaspora begins, carrying syncretized religious ideas
586-539 BCE: Babylonian Exile exposes Judaism to Zoroastrian dualism, potentially affecting later goddess suppression
550-500 BCE: Persian Empire unites territories from Egypt to India, facilitating religious exchange
Classical Transmissions (500 BCE-100 CE)
500-400 BCE: Athens' naval empire facilitates spread of goddess cults throughout Aegean
400-300 BCE: Alexander the Great's conquests create Hellenistic fusion culture from Greece to India
332 BCE: Alexandria founded in Egypt, becoming intellectual center where Egyptian and Greek traditions merge
300-200 BCE: Ptolemaic Egypt reformulates Isis worship for Greek audience; beginning of Isis's international appeal
205 BCE: Official introduction of Cybele worship to Rome from Phrygia (Turkey)
200-100 BCE: Roman expansion in Mediterranean; adoption and adaptation of foreign goddess cults
100 BCE: Isis temples established in Pompeii and Campania region of Italy
80-50 BCE: Roman trading posts established as far as India; evidence of religious syncretism
50 BCE-50 CE: Height of Isis worship in Rome; temples established throughout Italy
Imperial Rome and Beyond (100-500 CE)
100-200 CE: Isis worship spreads along Roman trade routes to Gaul, Germania, Britain
150 CE: Major Isis temple built in London
200 CE: Evidence of Isis worship along Germanic limes (frontier)
300-313 CE: Peak of Isis worship in Roman Empire before Christian suppression
391 CE: Theodosius I bans pagan worship; many goddess temples destroyed or converted
431 CE: Council of Ephesus declares Mary "Theotokos" (Mother of God); absorption of goddess attributes into Marian worship begins
494 CE: Pope Gelasius I attempts to suppress Lupercalia festival, showing persistence of goddess-related celebrations
Medieval Transformations and Preservations (500-1500 CE)
500-600 CE: Irish Celtic Christianity preserves goddess elements in St. Brigid worship
600-700 CE: Islamic expansion preserves aspects of Near Eastern goddess worship in folklore
700-800 CE: Germanic goddesses (Freyja, Holda) influence folk Catholicism in Northern Europe
800-900 CE: Viking trade routes connect Mediterranean with Baltic and Russia; goddess symbols travel northward
1000-1100 CE: Romanesque cathedral building often on ancient goddess sites
1100-1200 CE: Cult of the Black Madonna emerges in Europe, particularly on ancient goddess sites
1200-1300 CE: Gothic cathedral movement; Notre Dame ("Our Lady") cathedrals built on goddess sacred sites
1300-1400 CE: Women's mystical movements (Beguines) preserve goddess-like spiritual autonomy
1400-1500 CE: Beginning of witch hunts targeting women with healing/herbal knowledge
Early Modern Period to Modern Revival (1500-Present)
1500-1600 CE: Protestant Reformation attempts to suppress Marian devotion and goddess-like elements
1600-1650 CE: Puritan colonization of North America rejects Catholic goddess-like elements
1700-1800 CE: Enlightenment scholars begin studying ancient goddess traditions academically
1800-1900 CE: Archaeological discoveries of goddess artifacts in Mediterranean; academic interest grows
1875 CE: Theosophical Society founded, reviving interest in goddess spirituality
1900-1950 CE: Jung's archetypes concept creates framework for understanding goddess images
1950-1975 CE: Scholarly works on ancient goddess traditions inspire feminist spirituality
1975-Present: Modern goddess spirituality movement revives ancient practices including drumming
Key Cross-Cultural Transmissions
Egypt-Crete Connection
Active from 2000-1400 BCE
Shared symbols: Horned altars, sacred pillars, double-axes
Evidence: Egyptian artifacts in Minoan palaces; Minoan motifs in Egyptian tombs
Egypt-Judaic Influences
Most active 1750-586 BCE
Early Hebrews historically worshipped Asherah alongside Yahweh
Archaeological evidence: "Yahweh and his Asherah" inscriptions at Kuntillet Ajrud (800-750 BCE)
Moses raised in Egyptian court, likely familiar with Isis traditions
Egypt-Etruscan/Roman Pipeline
Active 800 BCE-400 CE
Ostia port as entry point for Egyptian religion
Etruscan tombs show Egyptian goddess symbols dating to 700-600 BCE
Rome officially adopts Isis worship during Republican period
India-Egypt Connections
Trade connections established by 2500 BCE
Alexander's conquests (326 BCE) create direct cultural exchange
Active cultural exchange during Roman-Indian trade (100 BCE-200 CE)
Shared symbols: Lotus, sacred cow, mother-son imagery
Anatolian-Greek-Roman Transmission
Cybele (Anatolia) → Rhea (Greece) → Magna Mater (Rome)
Official adoption by Rome in 205 BCE during Second Punic War
Frame drum accompanies her worship throughout this transition
Mediterranean-Northern Europe Routes
Phoenician → Celtic transmission (600-100 BCE)
Roman military camps as transmission points into Germania (50-400 CE)
Viking trade routes connect Mediterranean goddess traditions to Scandinavia (800-1100 CE)
Germanic goddess elements preserved in folklore and fairy tales
Scotland-Egypt Connections
Limited direct evidence, but:
Roman soldiers from Egypt stationed at Hadrian's Wall
Celtic Bride/Brigid shares attributes with Isis
Pictish symbols show possible Egyptian influences
Turkey as Cultural Crossroads
Consistent role as transmission point between East and West
Çatal Höyük (7000 BCE) → Cybele worship (1000 BCE) → Artemis of Ephesus (550 BCE) → Mary as Theotokos (431 CE)
Evidence: Continuous sacred sites repurposed through multiple religious traditions
Etruscan-Egypt Connections
The Etruscans actively traded with Egypt (700-600 BC), bringing goddess traditions into proto- (pre & during formation of) - Roman Italy. Archaeological evidence shows Egyptian goddess motifs in Etruscan tombs. Ostia indeed served as a key entry point for Egyptian religious ideas, functioning as the physical gateway through which Isis worship entered mainland Italy.
Early Judaic Flexibility vs. Later Rigidity
The timeline shows how early Hebrew religious practices were remarkably fluid:
Around 950-900 BC, Solomon's Temple contained Asherah poles
Archaeological discoveries at Kuntillet Ajrud (700’s BC) reveal inscriptions referring to "Yahweh and his Asherah"
The Babylonian Exile (586-539 BC) marks a turning point, exposing Judaism to Zoroastrian dualism which may have contributed to later goddess suppression
This transition from goddess-inclusive worship to strict monotheism provides fascinating context for how feminine aspects of divinity were systematically removed.
Several key contact periods:
Early trade connections established by 2500 BCE
Alexander's conquests creating direct cultural exchange
Active Roman-Indian trade period (100 BCE-200 CE)
Shared symbols between Indian and Egyptian goddess traditions include the lotus, sacred cow, and mother-son imagery.
Scotland and Northern Routes
While direct Egypt-Scotland connections have limited archaeological evidence, the timeline notes:
Roman soldiers from Egypt stationed at Hadrian's Wall bringing Isis worship
Celtic Bride/Brigid sharing attributes with Isis
Pictish symbols showing possible Egyptian influences
Viking trade routes later connecting Mediterranean goddess traditions to northern regions
Turkey's Pivotal Role
The timeline highlights Turkey's consistent function as a transmission point between East and West, from Çatal Höyük (7,000 BC) through Cybele worship (1,000 BC) to Artemis of Ephesus (550 BC) and finally Mary as Theotokos proclaimed at Ephesus in 431 AD.
This comprehensive view demonstrates how goddess traditions were remarkably fluid and adaptable, flowing across cultural boundaries while preserving core elements—exactly the kind of continuity your narrative about Isis seeks to explore.
Delos, Greek Island of Outcasts and Slaves
a crucial aspect of how goddess traditions spread throughout the Mediterranean world. Delos indeed played a pivotal role, and its connection to the slave trade reveals an important but often overlooked dimension of cultural transmission.
Delos: Cultural Exchange Through Dark Means
Delos, a tiny island in the Cyclades, became one of the most important religious and commercial centers in the ancient Mediterranean, particularly during the Hellenistic period (323-31 BCE). Several factors made Delos especially significant:
The Delos Slave Market
Delos was notorious for its slave trade. After 166 BC, when Rome made Delos a free port, it became the largest slave market in the Mediterranean, reportedly processing as many as 10,000 slaves per day at its peak. The Roman destruction of Corinth in 146 BC further cemented Delos' position as the commercial heart of the Aegean.
This human trafficking had a profound cultural impact:
Slaves from Egypt, Syria, Anatolia, and further east brought their religious traditions with them
Merchants from different cultures congregated to trade, exchanging not just goods but ideas
The island became a multilingual, multicultural hub where religious syncretism flourished
Isis on Delos
The island contains one of the earliest and most important sanctuaries of Isis outside Egypt. Archaeological evidence shows:
A Temple of Isis dating to around 175 BC
A complex religious precinct combining Egyptian, Greek, and Syrian elements
Inscriptions in multiple languages indicating a diverse community of worshippers
Ritual objects showing how Egyptian practices were adapted to Greek sensibilities
Connection to Athens and the Delian League
The relationship between Delos and Athens was indeed financially exploitative:
In 478 BC, Athens established the Delian League with its treasury housed on Delos
In 454 BC, Pericles moved the Delian League treasury to Athens, effectively appropriating these funds
This money directly financed Athens' "Golden Age" - the Parthenon and other monuments were built with what was essentially stolen wealth
The cultural flourishing of 5th century Athens, including its philosophical and theatrical achievements, was substantially funded by this appropriation
Cultural Transmission Through Slavery
This adds a complex moral dimension to cultural transmission in the ancient world:
Enslaved priests and priestesses from Egypt likely performed rituals and shared religious knowledge
Wealthy merchants who participated in the slave trade also funded religious buildings and rituals
The suffering of enslaved peoples paradoxically created conditions for cultural preservation as they maintained their traditions in diaspora
The Isis religion that eventually reached Rome and spread throughout the Empire was significantly shaped by this Delian "melting pot" - where Egyptian tradition was made more accessible to Greek and Roman sensibilities.
For the story about Isis's transformation and impact, Delos represents a crucial transmission point where:
Egyptian Isis began to merge with Greek Demeter and Aphrodite
The mysteries of Isis were repackaged for non-Egyptian audiences
The goddess's mythology expanded to include maritime protection (important for an island trading center)
The internationalization of her cult began, setting the stage for her later popularity in Rome
This history provides a poignant counterpoint to the spiritual message of goddess traditions - showing how even sacred knowledge was transmitted through systems of exploitation, while simultaneously offering spiritual solace to the exploited.
Outline for "Silenced: How Women Lost Their Voices, Their Drums, and Their Power"
Starting in Present, Working Backward (Archeological Approach)
Introduction: The Echo of Silence
Opening scene: A modern woman drummer facing skepticism at a music store or in a religious setting
Introduce the concept of the "witch wound" - the internalized fear and shame many women feel when taking up space sonically
Pose the central question: Why does a woman with a drum or a raised voice still make society uncomfortable?
Chapter 1: The Modern Landscape of Silence
Contemporary examples of women's musical repression across cultures
Taliban's ban on women's music in Afghanistan
Restrictions on female singers in Iran
Western classical music's gender gap in percussion and brass sections
Statistics on women in music production (less than 5% of music producers are women)
Personal testimonies from women musicians across genres
Chapter 2: Excavating the 20th Century
How women's progress in musical freedom faced consistent backlash
Jazz era: Women relegated to "canary" (singing) roles only
Rock era: Women instrumentalists treated as novelties
Orchestras using blind auditions to overcome bias
Religious resurgences of the 1980s-90s reinstating traditional gender roles in worship
Chapter 3: The Victorian Repression
19th century constraints on women's musical expression
"Appropriate" instruments (piano, harp) vs. "inappropriate" ones (drums, brass)
Clara Schumann's statement: "A woman must not desire to compose"
Medical theories claiming women's bodies couldn't handle certain instruments
How colonial attitudes exported European restrictions globally
Chapter 4: Colonial Erasures
How European colonizers suppressed indigenous women's musical traditions
British outlawing Devadasi traditions in India
Missionaries banning "pagan" drumming in Africa
Spanish restrictions on indigenous women's ceremonial music in the Americas
The double silencing of women of color
Chapter 5: The Reformation and Counter-Reformation
How Protestant and Catholic reforms further restricted women's musical roles
Martin Luther's mixed legacy: congregational singing but male leadership
Calvinist suspicion of all instrumental music
Council of Trent's musical restrictions
Puritan elimination of music in early American colonies
Chapter 6: Medieval Suppressions
The formalization of women's musical silence
Aquinas on women's voices causing lust
Specific church prohibitions against women's singing and drumming
The irony of Mary being exalted while women were silenced
Chapter 7: The Early Church's Transformation
The pivotal shift from goddess traditions to patriarchal Christianity
Pope John III's outlawing of the tambourine
Explicit prohibitions: "Christians are not allowed to teach their daughters singing"
Paul's contradictory legacy: early Christian women leaders vs. later restrictions
Chapter 8: The Roman Conquest of the Goddess
How Rome initially embraced goddess worship then suppressed it
The frame drum's journey from sacred object to prohibited device
Emperor Theodosius outlawing pagan worship
The transformation of Isis temples into churches
Chapter 9: The Golden Age of Women's Musical Authority
Ancient goddess-centered cultures where women's musical expression was central
Egypt: Temples of Hathor with women frame drummers
Sumer: High priestesses as ritual musicians
Greece: Women's religious musical roles before classical restrictions
Anatolia: Cybele and her frame drum-playing priestesses
Conclusion: Reclaiming the Rhythm
Modern women reclaiming their musical heritage
The growth of women's drumming circles and ritual music
Scientific insights into rhythm's psychological and community benefits
Cross-cultural examples of musical resistance and revival
Call to action: The importance of supporting women's voices and rhythms
Special Focus Elements to Include:
Judaism's Evolution: A sidebar or section exploring how early Judaism included goddess elements (Asherah) before becoming strictly patriarchal, with parallels to restrictions in Islam and Christianity
Islam's Complex History: How early Islam gave women certain rights that were later restricted, with sections on:
Aisha's political and religious leadership in early Islam
The gradual restrictions on women's public roles including musical expression
Regional variations in restrictions
Profile Boxes: Throughout the book, include profiles of significant women who defied musical restrictions:
Hildegard of Bingen
Kassia (Byzantine composer)
Umm Kulthum (Egyptian singer who broke barriers)
Layne Redmond herself
Sacred Sites: Descriptions of locations where evidence of women's drumming exists:
The Temple of Hathor at Dendera
Çatal Höyük
Archaeological remains at Delos
Pompeii's Temple of Isis
I've created an in-depth exploration of how goddess traditions and their musical expressions traveled from Egypt through the Mediterranean to Northern Europe and eventually America. This piece examines the key transmission routes and cultural intersections that preserved these ancient practices despite systematic attempts to suppress them.
Key Insights About Delos and Cultural Transmission
The section on Delos particularly illuminates why this small island was so crucial to the spread of goddess traditions:
Delos created a unique environment where cultural exchange flourished precisely because it operated outside mainstream social structures. As you noted, the island's position as a major slave trading center after 166 BCE created a paradoxical situation: the exploitation of human beings facilitated unprecedented cultural mixing.
The most significant aspect was how marginalized populations became vectors for cultural transmission:
Enslaved priestesses brought their ritual knowledge with them
Sex workers, often trained in music and ritual, operated outside restrictive social norms
Merchants crossed cultural boundaries, bringing sacred objects as trade goods
Sailors adopted protective goddesses for dangerous voyages
This explains why goddess traditions often traveled through "unofficial" channels—they found fertile ground among those who didn't fully fit into mainstream society. The Isis cult that eventually reached Rome wasn't purely Egyptian but a Delian hybrid, made accessible to non-Egyptian devotees while preserving core elements of feminine spiritual authority.
Sound and Music as Carriers of Tradition
Throughout the document, I've highlighted how sound patterns survived even when their contexts changed:
The "Ost/Ast/Isis" sound preserved in place names like Ostia
Sacred rhythms transformed into children's game songs
Goddess invocations becoming folk melodies
Ritual drumming patterns embedded in seasonal dance traditions
This sonic persistence explains how ancient knowledge could survive even when texts were destroyed and temples were repurposed. The body itself became the repository of tradition through rhythm, melody, and movement.
Sacred Sound: The Transmission Routes of Goddess Traditions
The Egyptian Heartbeat
In ancient Egypt, music was not entertainment but a sacred technology. Temple inscriptions describe female musicians as "God's Wives" and "Divine Adoratrices" who used frame drums to invoke the presence of deities. The Egyptian hieroglyph for "music" combines symbols for "good" and "time," reflecting their understanding of rhythm as structured sacred time.
The frame drum, particularly the round tambourine-style drum, was closely associated with Hathor, the goddess of music, fertility, and protection. Temple reliefs at Dendera show processions of priestesses playing these drums in religious ceremonies. The vibrations of these instruments were believed to attune the human body to cosmic frequencies.
Significantly, Egyptian musical notation hasn't survived, suggesting transmission was primarily oral and experiential. The knowledge wasn't just in the instruments but in the bodies of the practitioners—predominantly women.
Delos: The Crucial Crossroads
Delos, a tiny island in the Cyclades, became one of history's most important transmission points for goddess traditions. As a major slave trading center after 166 BCE, Delos created a paradoxical situation: the exploitation of human beings facilitated unprecedented cultural exchange.
The island's archaeological remains reveal:
Multiple Goddess Temples Side by Side: Shrines to Isis (Egyptian), Atargatis (Syrian), Aphrodite (Greek), and other goddess figures stood in close proximity
Multilingual Inscriptions: Worship instructions in multiple languages showing adaptation of rituals for diverse practitioners
Hybrid Musical Instruments: Drums showing both Egyptian and Greek design elements
Most crucially, Delos demonstrates how marginalized populations became vectors for cultural transmission:
Enslaved Priestesses: Captured ritual specialists bringing their traditions with them
Sex Workers: Often trained in music and ritual, operating outside restrictive social norms
Merchants: Crossing cultural boundaries and bringing sacred objects as trade goods
Sailors: Adopting protective goddesses and their practices for dangerous voyages
The Isis cult that eventually reached Rome was not purely Egyptian but a Delian hybrid, accessible to non-Egyptian devotees while preserving core elements of feminine spiritual authority.
The Roman Transformation
Rome's relationship with goddess traditions was complex. Initially embracing foreign goddesses like Cybele (officially adopted in 204 BCE) and Isis, the empire later attempted to control and standardize their worship.
The transmission followed clear pathways:
Trade Routes: Port cities like Ostia (whose name preserves the "Ost/Ast/Isis" sound) became entry points for Egyptian traditions
Military Connections: Roman soldiers stationed in Egypt returned with Isis worship; veterans settled throughout the empire brought these practices to frontier regions
Imperial Patronage: Certain emperors supported goddess cults (Caligula built the first public Isis temple in Rome), while others persecuted them
Guild Networks: Professional associations of musicians, particularly frame drummers, created transmission networks throughout Roman territories
Roman adaptation changed the traditions in significant ways:
Standardization of ritual timing
Integration with state religious calendars
Masculine priestly authority overlaying originally female-led practices
Transformation of frame drum rhythms into military marching patterns
Despite these changes, Roman women maintained connections to goddess traditions through:
Domestic shrines
Private musical practice
Female-only festivals
Mystery cult initiations
Germanic and Celtic Assimilation
As Rome expanded northward, goddess traditions traveled along:
Military Roads: Roman camps often included Isis shrines; archaeological remains show frame drums at frontier sites
Trade Networks: Amber routes connecting the Baltic to the Mediterranean facilitated northward transmission of religious ideas
Slave Movement: Captured individuals from goddess-worshipping regions brought their traditions northward
Merchant Settlements: Eastern traders established communities in provincial centers, bringing their religious practices
Indigenous Germanic and Celtic peoples already had strong goddess traditions, creating fertile ground for syncretism:
Freyja (Norse) absorbed attributes of Venus/Aphrodite
Brigid (Celtic) incorporated elements of Minerva and Isis
Eostre/Ostara (Germanic) preserved connections to eastern goddess traditions
The sound patterns of these traditions survived even when their contexts changed:
Ritual drumming transformed into seasonal fertility dances
Goddess invocations became folk songs
Sacred rhythms became children's game songs
Frame drums evolved into folk instruments like the Irish bodhrán
Medieval Preservation and Suppression
The Christian Church's relationship with goddess traditions was fundamentally adversarial, yet paradoxically preservative:
Active Suppression:
The 6th century ban on tambourines by Pope John III
Prohibition of women's singing in churches
Designation of certain rhythms as "lascivious" or "pagan"
Inadvertent Preservation:
Absorption of goddess sites as Mary shrines
Transformation of goddess festivals into saints' days
Documentation of "heretical practices" that preserved their details
Monasteries preserving ancient texts that included musical references
Women maintained musical traditions through:
Folk healing practices
Childbirth rituals (often involving specific rhythmic patterns)
Funeral lamentations
Spinning songs (the rhythmic work of spinning thread traditionally accompanied by singing)
Seasonal agricultural celebrations
The medieval period saw the transformation of goddess drumming into coded forms:
Frame drums disguised as grain sieves
Rhythmic patterns embedded in work songs
Sacred drumming movements incorporated into folk dances
Ritual beats adapted to church bell ringing
Renaissance and Colonial Transmission
The Renaissance reconnection with classical learning created new interest in ancient goddess traditions, though primarily as artistic rather than spiritual inspiration.
European colonization created complex new transmission patterns:
Suppression: Missionaries banned indigenous drumming traditions in colonized regions
Syncretism: In regions like the Caribbean and Brazil, African goddess traditions merged with Catholic saints, preserving ancient rhythmic practices
Appropriation: European composers incorporated "exotic" rhythms while divorcing them from their spiritual contexts
Documentation: Colonial ethnographers recorded goddess-associated musical traditions, inadvertently preserving them
Significantly, regions with strong African influence maintained stronger connections to goddess drumming traditions:
Vodoun in Haiti
Santería in Cuba
Candomblé in Brazil
These traditions preserved not just rhythms but understanding of drumming as spiritual technology
American Transformations
European immigration to America created complex patterns of preservation and loss:
Puritan Rejection: Early American colonists actively suppressed musical expressions, particularly those associated with feminine spiritual authority
Germanic Preservation: Later immigrants from German-speaking regions brought more goddess-connected traditions:
Yuletide celebrations
Easter/Ostara connections
Folk music maintaining ancient rhythmic patterns
Victorian Domestication: Women's music became privatized and domesticated:
Parlor music replacing communal drumming
"Appropriate" instruments (piano, harp) replacing drums
Rhythmic expression channeled into structured dances
African American traditions preserved stronger connections to rhythmic spirituality:
Ring shouts
Work songs
Gospel traditions
Ultimately influencing the development of jazz, blues, and rock
Modern Rediscovery
The 20th century saw deliberate attempts to recover lost traditions:
Archaeological Revelations:
Excavations at Çatal Höyük revealing goddess-centered culture
Discoveries of ancient musical instruments
Reinterpretation of temple art showing women drummers
Feminist Scholarship:
Marija Gimbutas' work on prehistoric goddess cultures
Reclaiming historical female musicians
Reexamination of suppressed spiritual traditions
Cross-Cultural Studies:
Recognition of frame drum traditions that survived in Middle Eastern and North African cultures
Ethnomusicological documentation of women's ritual music globally
Understanding of rhythmic entrainment as universal human experience
Musical Revival Movements:
Layne Redmond's research and teaching on frame drumming
Women's drumming circles
Integration of ancient rhythmic practices into modern spiritual contexts
Why This Transmission Matters
The significance of these transmission routes goes beyond historical curiosity:
Embodied Knowledge: Rhythmic traditions contain embodied wisdom about human psychology and physiology that isn't preserved in texts
Community Technology: Drumming represents sophisticated technology for creating and maintaining community bonds
Neurological Impact: Specific rhythmic patterns interact with human neurology in ways that facilitate healing and transformation
Counter-Narrative: The persistence of these traditions despite systematic suppression demonstrates their fundamental resonance with human needs
Cultural Resilience: Understanding how traditions survive through adaptation, coding, and syncretism offers models for preserving endangered knowledge
The story of how goddess traditions traveled from Egypt through the Mediterranean world to northern Europe and eventually America reveals not just historical transmission but the power of rhythm to carry meaning across linguistic, cultural, and temporal boundaries. This is not just women's history, but human history—the story of how our most fundamental technologies for creating community and meaning have survived despite repeated attempts to silence them.
#WomensDrumming #SacredRhythm #ForgottenHistory #FrameDrum #AncientWisdom #DivineFeminine #RhythmicHealing
