Women in the Ancient Middle East

This chapter explores the untold story of women’s history in the Middle East from pre-Islamic times, the Stone Age, and early recorded history until the dawn of Islam. Covering millennia of history over a vast area of West Asia and North Africa allowed for some examples that showed women’s role in building ancient societies. The picture was possible to construct using primary sources that include archaeological, classical, epigraphic, and numismatic data. The chapter covers three principal areas of women’s representation: women’s spirituality, women’s power as queens and priestesses, and, last, women in trade, which demonstrates their active role as merchants or the suppressive role of slaves and prostitutes.