Bachofen, Johann Jakob

An English Translation of Bachofen's mutterrecht (mother Right) (1861) Volume Two
2007 0-7734-5479-9
Mother Right (1861) by Johann Jakob Bachofen (1815-1887) was the seminal document of the nineteenth century concerning the role of women in ancient societies. The title and term "mother right" requires explanation because its sense is not evident in English. The meaning of "mother" as the one who bears life, then cares for her child with selfless love, devotion, and sacrifice clearly imparts Bachofen’s point of departure. In this sense, Mother Right is a celebration of motherhood as the origin of human society, religion, morality, and decency. Volume two contains sections on “Lemnos” and “Egypt”.

Price: $99.95


An English Translation of Bachofen's Mutterrecht (Mother Right) (1861) Volume One
2007 0-7734-5186-2
Mutterrecht (Mother Right) by Johann Jakob Bachofen was the seminal document of the 19th century concerning the role of women in ancient societies. Bachofen documented that motherhood is the source of human society, religion, morality, and decency in societies including Lycia, Crete, Greece, Egypt, India, Central Asia, Northern Africa, and Spain. He concluded the work by connecting ancient mother right with Christianity. Bachofen’s theory of cultural evolution incited a virtual ‘mother-mania’ among ethnologists, social philosophers, and even writers, among them Lewis Henry Morgan, Friedrich Engels, Joseph Campbell, Robert Graves, Thomas Mann, and Rainer Maria Rilke.

Price: $119.95


An English Translation of Mother Right (mutterrecht 1861): A Study of the Religious and Juridical Aspects of Gynecocracy in the Ancient World Volume Three
2006 0-7734-5883-2
Mother Right (1861) by Johann Jakob Bachofen (1815-1887) was the seminal document of the nineteenth century concerning the role of women in ancient societies. The title and term "mother right" requires explanation because its sense is not evident in English. The meaning of "mother" as the one who bears life, then cares for her child with selfless love, devotion, and sacrifice clearly imparts Bachofen’s point of departure. In this sense, Mother Right is a celebration of motherhood as the origin of human society, religion, morality, and decency.

The term “right” in English does not sufficiently convey the various meanings of the German term. Bachofen means at once maternal rights, birthrights, justice, laws, interests, authority, and privileges. He explores all these aspects of “mother right” in ancient societies, specifically Lycia, Crete, Ancient Greece, Egypt, India, Central Asia, Northern Africa, and Spain. He concludes his work by connecting ancient mother right with Christianity.

Price: $99.95


English Translation of Bachofen’s mutterrecht (mother Right) (1861) a Study of the Religious and Juridical Aspects of Gynecocracy in the Ancient World Volume Five
2003 0-7734-6604-5
Mutterrecht (Mother Right) by Johann Jakob Bachofen was the seminal document of the 19th century concerning the role of women in ancient societies. Bachofen documented that motherhood is the source of human society, religion, morality, and decency in societies including Lycia, Crete, Greece, Egypt, India, Central Asia, Northern Africa, and Spain. He concluded the work by connecting ancient mother right with Christianity. Bachofen’s theory of cultural evolution incited a virtual ‘mother-mania’ among ethnologists, social philosophers, and even writers, among them Lewis Henry Morgan, Friedrich Engels, Joseph Campbell, Robert Graves, Thomas Mann, and Rainer Maria Rilke. This five-volume translation will be produced at the rate of one volume per year. Volume 5, which contains the sections “Mantinea”; “Pythagoreanism and Subsequent Doctrines”; “The Cantabri”; and nine lithographs with descriptions, is being offered first, as it contains sections of the work never before translated into English.

Price: $99.95


English Translation of Bachofen’s mutterrecht (mother Right) (1861) a Study of the Religious and Juridical Aspects of Gynecocracy in the Ancient World Volume Four
2005 0-7734-6298-8
Mutterrecht (Mother Right) by Johann Jakob Bachofen was the seminal document of the 19th century concerning the role of women in ancient societies. Bachofen documented that motherhood is the source of human society, religion, morality, and decency in societies including Lycia, Crete, Greece, Egypt, India, Central Asia, Northern Africa, and Spain. He concluded the work by connecting ancient mother right with Christianity. Bachofen’s theory of cultural evolution incited a virtual ‘mother-mania’ among ethnologists, social philosophers, and even writers, among them Lewis Henry Morgan, Friedrich Engels, Joseph Campbell, Robert Graves, Thomas Mann, and Rainer Maria Rilke.

This five-volume translation will be produced at the rate of one volume per year.

Price: $99.95