Why were the goddesses important to early civilizations?

Answer 1

http://www.socyberty.com/History/Sacred-Bounty-Sacred-Land-Early-Civilizations.158717

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoan_civilization
Scroll down to Society and Culture and read the paragraph about religion.

http://www.lituanus.org/1992_3/92_3_06.htm

You should get plenty of ideas from these articles.