Who Were the Amazons?

Part 6: Amazons on Minoan Crete

by

Theresa C. Dintino

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Lyn Webster Wilde, author of, On the Trail of the Women Warriors and Vicki Noble, author of, The Double Goddess, believe the priestesses of Minoan Crete may be one form of ancient Amazon women.

In the archeological finds from Minoan Crete, images of Goddesses and priestesses abound. Most prominent are the statues of women in trance dressed in ritual attire, holding forth snakes in either hand as others spiral and encircle their waists, ascend their backs, and climb a tall, tiered hat.

Snake Priestesses and votive offerings found with them

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 with wings emanating outward from the open air, central court.  These great buildings referred to as ‘palaces’ contained: workshops for various art forms, Goddess temples, ritual baths and long corridors full of giant urns for storage. The upper floors were reserved for administrative facilities. There were large central halls arrived at through great processional walkways and extravagant staircases.

The ‘palace’ in Knossos, the largest city on Crete in the Bronze age, 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 for well over 1000 years.

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

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

Cretan Labrys

In the artwork, such as ring seals and frescoes, we find indication of tree worship on Crete. Some depict a priestess approaching a tree, or the Tree Goddess, some have a Goddess or priestess holding forth the Tree of Life symbol, others have women and men dancing around a tree or stylized images of trees.

The pillar crypts in the palaces are a continuation of this tree-worshipping theme. These were rooms with a single column in the middle surrounded by several libation holes.

Crete, which is almost completely deforested now, had an active trade in timber in ancient times and was covered with cypress trees. Deforestation in Europe and Crete make it hard for us to identify sacred trees and to understand the depth of this tree worshipping tradition. But, it was obviously a large part of ancient people’s beliefs.

Vicki Noble notes the deep associations between priestesses uncovered on the Russian steppes and the burials of two priestesses at Phourni, Crete. Discovered at Phourni in 1965, was a woman dating from 14th c BCE. Her elaborate burial reminds us of the Siberian Ice Maiden and the Issyk Warrior-Priestess. She wore a robe trimmed with gold beads. Buried with her were extravagant grave goods including 140 pieces of jewelry, much of it gold. The jewelry included five signet rings and two seals with images of Minoans worshipping trees engraved on them.

In a side building where she was buried is the corpse of a horse and a bull skull. These animals were most probably sacrificed for her.

The second priestess found at Phourni wore a gold crown, and held a copper mirror in her left hands.

In the images of women on Crete, they are often wearing tall hats, another similarity to the women of Eurasia.

Sketch of the back of one of the Snake Priestess statues.

The Phourni women predate the Siberian Ice Maiden and the Issyk Warrior-Priestess by over a thousand years. Is this evidence for a continued tradition of the Amazon Tree Priestesses? Is there a continuous connection between these women? The mirrors found in the burials with these priestesses are one place to start.

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