Minoan Religion Minoan Crete Map Cave of Eileithyia • MM cult centers • Baetyl • Animal Bones • Animal Figurines • Bronze artifacts Peak Shrines • Link to MM protopalatial elites through artifacts • Linear A, Kamares Ware • Ash layer, no bones • Many figurines Tripartite Shrine Domestic Shrines • Town, Palace, House • Bench Sanctuary • Lustral Baisin • Pillar Crypt Snake Goddess/Priestess Goddess of the Mountain Goddess of the Beasts Goddesses Minoan Pantheon The Male Consort Male Divinity? • Male figures rarer • Usually smaller stature • Lesser Male Divinity? • Rural Matriarchy? • Urban Patriarchy? Ayia Triadha Sarcophagus: LMIIIA (14thC) Painted Plaster over Stone Celestial vs Chthonic Gods • “Chthon” = earth Sacrifice Human Sacrifice • Anemospilia • Near Archanes & Heraklion • Bound male on altar • 2 others killed in room by earthquake • 1 killed in anteroom with krater (of blood?) Child Sacrifice & Cannibalism? • Children’s bones with butchering marks in North House, Knossos • Caravaggio Child Sacrifice in Myth? Theseus & the Minotaur • Athenians send human tribute to bull crazy Minoans • Palace at Knossos like Labyrinth to simpler Mycenaean Greeks The Labyrinthine Palace • Note dismembered bodies Hero Story • Miraculous Conception/Birth • Hiding of/Threat to Child • • • • • • Aegeus/Poseidon Troezen, with Aethra Medea? No more sacrifice! Ummmm Ummm Trip to Athens Killing Minotaur Club, thread, Society’s Desire for Change Withdrawal & Initiation Resistance of Hero Role Search for Lost Father Quest Magical Tools/Weapons sword • Impossible Adversaries Numerous • Journey to Underworld Rape of Persephone • Return (in Disguise) to Save Beloved Ummmm Early Exploits • Father’s Tokens • Heroic Journey • Periphetes’ Club • Crommyonian Sow • Sinis & tree • Sciron’s turtle • Procrustes’ bed • Daughters? • Herculean hero Aegeus, Medea, & Theseus • Medea the Colchian witch • Murderer of brother & children by Jason • Marathonian Bull Marathonian/Cretan Bull • Brought to Greece as one of 12 labors of Herakles… • Bull of Poseidon • Pasiphae & Bull • Minotaur’s father! • Good Credentials for facing Minotaur Revenge of Minos • Androgeos at Panathenaic games • Victorious Cretan murdered by envious Athenian athletes or by Aegeus • Athenian compensation: • 7 boys & 7 girls every 9 years Cretan “Games” Theseus’ trip to Crete • Theseus as 1 of 7 boys • White Sails for Success • Black/Red Sails for Failure (death of Theseus) Theseus’ edge: Inside Woman Victory! • Theseus slays Minotaur • Theseus & Ariadne sail off into the sunset… Homeymoon on Naxos Dionysus to the Rescue • Dionysus finds Ariadne • They drink happily ever after… Theseus sails home to celebrate victory…& freedom • Aegeus watches for beloved son • Ooops - black sails • Aegeus leaps to death • Oh well, Theseus becomes king of Athens Theseus & Herakles: Fratboy Heroes • Herakles’ 12 labors • Girdle of Hippolyte • Theseus & Pirithous carry off Antiope/Hippolyte Amazon Invasion of Attica • Amazons defeated, Antiope slain fighting beside Theseus • Amazonomachy artform comparable to contemporary Miller Lite commercial “tastes great; less filling” Theseus, Phaedra & Hippolytus • Child of Antiope • Stepmother Phaedra • False accusation of rape • Bull from Poseidon causes death of Hipploytus in chariot crash • Phaedra hangs herself More bad behavior • Theseus abducts 12 year old Helen • Theseus & Pirithous go to underworld to abduct Persephone • Trapped in Chair of Oblivion • Rescued by Herakles Death of Theseus • Helen rescued by her brothers, the Dioscuri: Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux) • Theseus in exile • Murdered/fell of a cliff