HOMO ERECTUS NO-MO'

I have been nurturing one of my pet “theories” about WHEN there was a transition from the worship of mostly FEMALE deities to MALE deities in prehistoric times!

Many of the earliest deities were female fertility symbols (like the “Venus of Willendorf”— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_of_Willendorf), 

But MY theory is that the notion of a MALE creator deity did not really come into dominance until humans settled down and began agricultural pursuits instead of hunting and gathering, which was a definitely nomadic activity.  Once humans settled on fixed parcels of land, it became necessary to DEFEND that possession by military means, since other humans were only too glad to push people off fertile soil to use it for themselves.

The pursuit of agricultural activities allowed specialization, since those tending the soil could produce protein far in excess of their own personal needs, while others could go do something else, like making swords and spears to furnish a STANDING army made necessary by the need to defend that chosen patch of soil!  Once that specialization had occurred, and once the standing armies were established, I speculate it became difficult to whip the troops up for battle in the name of some "weak" female deity, thus the emergence of virile MALE deities (like Mars, Jove, Yahweh, etc.) presumably to inspire the troops to go out there and “kick ass and take names”!  It did not take long for the “guys” to dominate the “gals” among the deities (just as in real life) so the “guys” eventually became the “creators” (illogically) and, of course, the “bosses”!  

So, I have thus concluded that the rise of MALE deities coincides with the prehistoric development of agriculture!  I have ABSOLUTELY no outside authority for this “theory” except what I have learned over the years, studying anthropology and “cave men” in college and dabbling in paleo-anthropology and archaeology ever since.  My college did not have separate majors for any of those topics, unfortunately.

Enjoy the following:

SPEAKING OF “cave men”:

The following was a caption contest conducted by Dave Coverly for his “Speed Bump” panel some years ago, and I submitted my entry: 

“No more for me, thanks!  It makes me ‘pith’ too much!”  

I did not even get “honorable mention”!  

It just so happens that the Latin name for the ape genus is Pithecanthropus.

And, having entered my "Golden Years," I have concluded that there is now a NEW species of (aging) human:

Homo erectus no-mo’ !