My suggestion would be to stratify religious advances into the following categories:
Uroboric religion -) Primitive Matriarchal Religion (animalistic, environmentalist) -) Sophisticated Matriarchal Religion -) Devolved Patriarchal Religion (pantheons with a male head) -) Monotheistic Patriarchal Religion
Uroboric religions are the worshippers of the uroboric principle: the dragon/snake surrounding the world and eating its tail; it worships circles and cycles. Uroboric religions mean that there is almost no use of technology or very little.
Primitive Matriarchal Religions (animalistic, environmentalist) are common for hunter/gatherers. It is the worship of f.e. rocks, trees and the environment. It is tied to the Great Mother archetype, although less pronunciated than we will see later - some uroboric elements are still in play. There is some overlap with the Sophisticated Matrarchal Religion in the idea of the fertile mother figure.
Sophisticated Matriarchal Religions promulgate the matriarchal figure as the bringer of fertility, whether in a human or animal/object form. This is typical of settled societies that had to focus only or mainly on agriculture.
Devolved Patriarchal Religion implies a stratification of society and division of labour. On the top of the society is a male head. There are many lesser gods included. These are the first societies to conquer. Conquest often serves as a way to place the head of one pantheon as a head of the pantheon of another society. Sometimes lesser gods can be implemented into the pantheon even by the victorious society.
Monotheistic Patriarchal Religion translates into complex societal relationships. Technology levels are at their highest. Yet because fundementally the same factors as before are in play and can be still found in the world, there will be different interpretations of the same religious system. Schisms and heretics are common.