Final answer:
The 'Great Goddess Theory' is not strongly supported by historical evidence. Skepticism surrounds the artifacts purportedly supporting the theory, such as the Snake Goddess from Knossos. Symbols of feminine divine found across cultures do not confirm a universal Great Goddess, but rather showcase a diverse range of beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding the 'Great Goddess Theory', it is not strongly supported by historical evidence. This philosophical theory has been a subject of debate and often lacks the backing of cultural anthropologists. For example, the myth of the Snake Goddess discovered by Evans in Knossos, which was once thought to support the existence of a mother goddess in the pre-Classical Greek world, is now regarded with skepticism concerning its authenticity and meaning.
Additionally, the use of symbols such as the Venus figurines and depictions of goddesses, like Hathor in connection with royal women, indicates a religious importance of the feminine divine in ancient cultures. However, these examples do not provide definitive proof for a universal Great Goddess and the interpretations often reflect more about the excavators and their expectations than the beliefs of the ancient people themselves.
Fertility and death were indeed central themes in ancient religious systems, and divine female figures played a significant role across various cultures. But this does not imply the existence of a singular, universal Great Goddess worshiped uniformly across all ancient cultures, as the theory suggests. More nuanced research often highlights the diversity and complexity of ancient belief systems rather than a monolithic worship of a singular goddess figure.