Creatures like Lilith, the seductive first wife of Adam. and mermaids, who lured sailors to their death, are familiar figures in the genre of temptresses who entice men to their doom. But if we go back 4,OOO years, these monsters were part of women's rituals surrounding childbirth and pregnancy. So how did their mythology evolve into one focused on the seduction of men?
Woman's Lore takes us on absorbing journey ancient Mesopotamia to the present day, encountering serpentine succubi, a child-eating wolf-monster, the Queen of Sheba and a host of vampires. It shows how these demons were appropriated by male-centred societies, before they were eventually recast as symbols of womens liberation, offering new insights into attitudes towards womanhood, sexuality and women's rights.
Size: 130 x 197mm
Pages: 304
Publisher: Head of Zeus