When you hear the word ‘Glastonbury’ you might think back to the memorable gigs of The Rolling Stones (2013), Beyoncé (2011) or Johnny Cash (1994), but there’s another lesser known side to the Somerset town too. Did you know, for example, that Glastonbury is thought to have been an ancient celtic centre of goddess worship? Dr Marion Bowman, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, investigates.
“A party that started in the 1970s with a handful of people in a field, and grew into a famous festival” - Dr Marion Bowman, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, discusses the history of Glastonbury festival, and what really goes on beyond the pyramid stage.
Dr Marion Bowman, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, gives an overview of the goddess worship that takes place in Glastonbury town, including a conference, a goddess temple, a gift shop and even a procession where revellers gather to make a public statement of their devotion to the goddess.
Image taken by Dr Marion Bowman in Glastonbury during the 70s.
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Celebrating festivals from the past and present
Watch now to access more details of Celebrating festivals from the past and presentThe Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) has curated a virtual festival to showcase and celebrate some of the lesser-known festivals of the past and present. Explore festivals dating back to Ancient Greece and Rome, discover the rise of literary festivals and ‘protestivals’, plus take a look at two very different sides to Glastonbury.
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