OPUS Archives

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Zivile Elena Vilija Gimbutas (February 14, 1947 – August 31, 2025). Zivile Gimbutas, age 78, of Ojai, California, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 31, 2025. Zivile's memorial page neptunesociety.com/obituaries/she…

Our September Update from OPUS Archives is now live. This month, we share progress across the archives, including new collection inventories, ongoing digital exhibit work, and an exciting preview of what’s to come. opusarchives.substack.com/p/a-september-…

We’re delighted to share the news of new appointments at OPUS Archives. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Jamie Mayo and Randal Lea to our Board of Directors, and Stephanie Grimes as our new Archives Assistant. opusarchives.substack.com/p/for-immediat…

The legacy of Marija Gimbutas continues to inspire. OPUS Archives welcomed Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė for a historic visit in her honor in 2024, accompanied here by a moving reflection from Živilė Gimbutas. opusarchives.substack.com/p/a-presidenti…

Greetings! Our mid-July update is live: explore what’s unfolding in the archives, from new team members and digital exhibits to the growing Gimbutas and Goddesses series and our continued commitment to living scholarship. 📖 Read now: opusarchives.substack.com/p/july-greetin…

In the spirit of the early days of search on the World Wide Web, this curated pathfinder brings together meaningful links from scholarly, institutional, and popular sources that illuminate the life, work, and enduring legacy of Dr. Marija Gimbutas. opusarchives.substack.com/p/ten-blue-lin…

Psychologist, scholar, and author of The Heroine’s Journey, Dr. Murdock reflects on Gimbutas’ lasting influence on feminist spirituality, archeomythology, and the sacred feminine as a cultural force. Read here: opusarchives.substack.com/p/the-goddess-…

Mariagrazia Pelaia’s The Astrological Language of the Goddess, the final in her evocative series-within-a-series for Gimbutas and Goddesses exploring celestial threads woven into ancient goddess cultures, and what they might still be telling us today. opusarchives.substack.com/p/the-astrolog…

Arriving Tuesday to our Gimbutas and Goddesses series, Dr. Maureen Murdock reflects on the legacy of Marija Gimbutas, her vision of the sacred feminine, her pioneering excavations, and the courage it took to name what she saw. Read on Tuesday → opusarchives.substack.com/p/the-goddess-…

The next issue in our Gimbutas and Goddesses series coming July 1: The Goddess and Marija Gimbutas By Dr. Maureen Murdock A reflection on the return of the sacred feminine and Gimbutas’ pivotal role in that reclamation. opusarchives.substack.com/p/the-goddess-…

Beyond the Binary: The Enduring Power of the Goddess in a Divided World, by Aida Kali Kyzy Japarkul Aida explores the Goddess as a force of wholeness beyond binary logic—in myth, spirit, and psyche. Part of our Gimbutas and Goddesses series, read here: opusarchives.substack.com/p/beyond-the-b…

"Between Worlds: Honeybees as Divine Mediators in Neolithic and Classical Mythology" by Tamara Wolfson 🐝 Tamara traces the mythic and sacred role of the bee, guardian of life, guide of souls, and messenger of the Goddess 🐝 Read here: opusarchives.substack.com/p/between-worl…

New from OPUS Archives, an update and invitation to engage: Read here: opusarchives.substack.com/p/an-update-fr…

Now live: Rediscovering Old Europe Goddess In Italy In this luminous second piece of her trilogy, Mariagrazia Pelaia traces the living legacy of Gimbutas through language, astrology, translation, and the streets of Rome. opusarchives.substack.com/p/rediscoverin…

Coming up June 3: “Ancient Europe sleeps in us, and can awaken at any moment.” Mariagrazia Pelaia traces how Gimbutas’s legacy transformed her journey through astrology, translation, and sacred cultural memory. open.substack.com/pub/opusarchiv…

Now live: “The European Roots of the Woman-Poet …” by Mariagrazia Pelaia The first in our series-within-a-series for the Gimbutas and Goddesses collection at OPUS Archives, our new publication on Substack opusarchives.substack.com/p/the-european…

Join us for our Gimbutas and Goddesses series beginning May 28 Marija Gimbutas’s legacy through poetry, essays, myth, art, and memory will unfold over 15 weeks with an inaugural issue presenting “Roots of the Woman-Poet” by Mariagrazia Pelaia opusarchives.substack.com

Now live: Dr. Christine Downing reflects on the origins of the dissertation fellowship that bears her name. Read “The Story Behind The Christine Downing Dissertation Fellowship” on OPUS Archives at Substack: open.substack.com/pub/opusarchiv…

OPUS Archives is proud to announce the 2025–2026 Christine Downing Dissertation Fellowship recipients: Jaclyn Ke Yin Kalkhurst & Jodi Casperite Read our press release to dive into their research and Dr. Downing’s enduring legacy: opusarchives.substack.com/p/for-immediat…