About Minoan Crete

The archeological finds uncovered by Arthur Evans on the island of Crete at the beginning of the 20th Century are breathtaking and awe-inspiring, most especially those from what has come to be called the “Minoan” era, after the legendary King Minos of Greek Mythology. Evidence for a king, however, has yet to be found. Instead, statuettes and images of Goddesses and priestesses abound, most prominent are the well photographed finds of women in trance dressed in ritual attire, holding forth a snake in either hand as others spiral around and encircle their waists, ascend their backs, climb a tall, tiered hat.

“Minoan” Crete had its origins as early as 6000 B.C.E., and evolved as a continuous society reaching its height of achievement in the Bronze Age (1700-1550 B.C.E.). The island boasts several huge, sprawling buildings whose wings emanate outward from the open air, central court. These great buildings referred to as ‘palaces’ by most scholars and as the ‘Center’ in the novel, contained workshops for various art forms, temples to the many manifestations of the Goddess, ‘cult’ rooms containing ritual baths or ‘pillar crypts’-small square rooms with a single column surrounded by several libation holes. There were long magazines full of giant urns for storage, administrative facilities as well as large halls arrived at through great processional corridors and extravagant staircases.

The ‘Center’ in Knossos, the largest city on the island in the Bronze age and in which the novel is set, covered over three acres, was at least three stories high and possessed central plumbing including running water and flush toilets!!!! One can still see the in place terra cotta pipes. This alone is stunning for its sophistication-a technology that was not seen again in the ancient world for well over 1000 years.

Great fallen frescoes were recovered, layers and layers of pottery with engraved or painted images of the natural world, including sea life, octopus, lilies, crocuses, sculptures of terra cotta and faience, fine detailed bronze and gold ornamentation. The work that remains, so intricate and full of moving grace, communicates immediately to the beholder the nature of the worldview out of which it arose.

The remains reveal a very sophisticated society possessing a striking lack of fortification and arsenal, deep respect for nature and an all pervasive spirituality centered around a female deity.

Worship was not confined to temples. Votive offerings were found in caves, in private homes, on hilltops and mountain peaks, in grotto waters, at the marinas-serpents, butterflies, female figurines, hundreds of finely crafted copper and gold double axes-the sacred labrys.

Crete in the Bronze Age was an island surrounded by a world of change. In fact, the Minoan society was one of the last holdouts for the worship of an all encompassing universal life source envisioned in the form of the Goddess; one that had previously thrived throughout most of Europe and the Mediterranean.

Eventually Minoan Crete was destroyed as well. There is much debate and scholarship over what happened and who did it. To me, it seems more important to focus on what was lost. For it is this feeling-a deep sense of loss-that arises suddenly, surprisingly, when one encounters these marvelous images, these powerful females over and over again.

What is it about these images uncovered that causes such deep stirrings within? Why does the idea of Minoan Crete intrigue? It is these, this recognition, these memories evoked, these ancient rumblings within, almost unnamable in their magnitude. It is these we must strive to recover. It is these we must hope to reclaim.