Laurie Long

'The Secret History of Goddess Sites' is a photography project that documents sites in Europe where the female deities were worshipped. The goddesses are from a variety of eras and regions including prehistoric goddesses, Isis, Cybele, Ancient Greek and Roman goddesses, and a myriad of local deities.

The sites fall into a number of categories - they range from forgotten ruins to archeological reconstructions. A few are tourist attractions.

Some temples have been reconsecrated to make deities: others have been replaced by churches.

Additionally many sites have been demolished and exist only in archaeological or historical records.

This project illustrates the neglect and destruction of shrines to female deities, and attempts to remove the cloak of anonymity surrounding the sites and the goddesses. The lack of present day information regarding these sacred spaces parallels the selective editing of women's history. The photographs visually reference and parody postcards and include descriptive text about the fate of the site. The images recontextualize each site and address gender issues within the areas of religion, history, tourism, and archaeology.