MINOAN CRETE II
D. Religion - Religious Minoan Society Crete
The chief deity was a goddess of fertility, associated with snakes. Sacred
snakes appear as guardian spirits of Cretan houses. This mother goddess
had a composite presence, incorporating all aspects of nature. Key aspects
involved (1) vegetation, (2) animals, and (3) household. Taylor notes that
the separation of these aspects on the mainland began with the Mycenaeans,
and eventually led to the emergence of three separate goddesses: Demeter,
Artemis, and Athena. For the Minoans the separation was not as clear. "We
may eventually come to think in terms of a Minoan Universal Spirit, which
manifested itself in many different transformations, each with a different
name, character, and function, and which yet somehow was regarded as a
single deity." (Castledon, p. 129.) Was thispage. Male gods appeared as son
and husband (closely associated with the bull.) For the Minoans, the male
son, associated with vegetation, endured death and resurrection. On Crete
this was later applied to Zeus, a development that was repugnant to mainland
Greeks. Over time, Cretan religion itself showed the change from female to
male cult. Festival and myth emphasize fertility and focus on initiation and marriage rituals. Animals and birds appear as cult figures; the bull is especially important, as evidenced by the ritual bull-leaping games or ceremonies and the common decorative and cult use of the horns of consecration, which are generally considered to represent bull's horns. A second common cult article is the double axe, found in various sizes and on numerous sites. Minoans developed a sacred conception of trees and plants; this was connected with axes, stones, and pillars. Minoans also developed the idea of Elysion, the Isle of the Blessed, as opposed to the mainland conception of Hades. One Cretan legacy may be a belief in the afterlife. The Cretans used various locations for cult activities, including open air sanctuaries, caves, and constructed shrines. Many open air sanctuaries were located on top of hills; these are described as peak sanctuaries (which appear around 2200.) this page. They are found primarily in rural sites, on lower and more accessible mountaintops. They are dramatically located, often bare and windswept: "Solitary, raised to the skies, exposed to the wind, silent but for the sounds of birds and wild goats, the peaks must have seemed like places that were propitious for meetings with the gods. (Castledon, p. 54.)
Numerous artifacts have been discovered at these sites. Among them are clay figurines mostly of women, standing erect, with fist placed on the forehead, perhaps in a gesture of supplication. Cave sanctuaries were important throughout the period less than 40 of the 1000 caves on the island held
religious significance. Animal sacrifices occurred both inside and outside the caves, agricultural goods were also left as offerings. Five caves are of special interest:
1) Kamares cave, located on the south slope of Mount Ida A holy place for the first palace at Phaistos, it was not used after the fall of the early palace. Kamares ware pottery was found here.
2) Idean cave, on the east slopes of mount Ida, the principle site for the worship of Zeus, it was in use through the 6th century BCE.
3) Arkalochori cave, 12 miles south of Knossos: this cave was used as a sanctuary from 2000-1450 BCE. An earthquake collapsed the roof, but offerings continued until 1100 BCE. The cave was probably associated with Zeus or Athena a warlike deity.
4) Psychro cave, 10 miles east of Arkalochori, also known as the Dictyean cave, considered to be the birthplace of Zeus, this cave has an upper grotto with an altar and a lower grotto where many bronze objects have been found. The cave came into use around 1700 BC when Kamares cave was deserted and continued to be used to the 6th century BC.
5) Amnisos cave, at the harbor of Knossos: this was a sanctuary for the goddess of childbirth. The simplest constructed shrines were a single room with a bench for offerings. Idols and altars have been found. More complex shrines involved buildings with several rooms. Palaces include areas that served as shrines. Castledon notes that cult activities increasingly centered on the palaces, which he describes as temples. The Tripartite Shrine at Knossos, with its three cellae, are interpreted by Castledon to represent the three realms of the cosmos, the underworld, the earth, and the heavens. (Castledon, p. 133.) mount Juktas, which served Knossos, combines aspects of all three types of sanctuary. Located on a peak, a temple was built at an entrance to a sacred cave. The temple is a long, narrow building with an alter and pyre. Many double axes have been discovered here. The sanctuary is protected by a 740 meter temenos wall, 3 meters wide and 4 high built about 2100. According to Cretan folklore, mount Juktas is the burial place of Zeus. Given the mainland belief in the immortality of Zeus, this story gained for the Cretans the reputation as liars.thispage. There is evidence of a single human sacrifice on Crete, such sacrifices seem to be extremely unusual. At a temple site in north central Crete, 4 miles south of Knossos, a human sacrifice seems to have been used in an attempt to ward of an earthquake. This appears to have taken place around 1700, the time of the destruction of the old palaces.
E. Arts, Crafts, Writing
Minoan artifacts demonstrate both their practical and artistic skills. Numerous materials were used. Stone vases were produced as well as pottery versions. Minoans also did much work with metal, faience, and ivory. Large wooden sculptures may have been produced, as were many engraving seals from EM II, about 2500. Minoans excelled in miniature works of art. Minoans produced a wide variety of pottery. Various areas of Crete often developed their own distinctive styles, as summarized by Castledon.
PIRGOS WARE: burnish on red, grey or light brown surface, used on goblets named after site northeast of Knossos, from 2700
AGIOS ONOUFRIOS WARE: simple linear designs black, brown or red on yellow background found on site near Phaistos, 2500
ANIMAL SHAPES: vases shaped like birds or animals 2500
VASILIKI WARE: mottled texture produced with reddish-brown wash applied unevenly, end of pattern burnish, shapes include spouted teapots and jugs eastern Crete, 2500 About 2000, at roughly the start of the old palace period, the use of fast wheels and kilns led to refinements in pottery refined shapes, thinner walls, more consistent firing. Decorated pottery exhibited a black lustrous surface with spiral patterns white, purple, orange, red.
KAMARES WARE: thin walled vessels imitating metal vessels polychrome decorations, height of Minoan pottery making produced only briefly, ca 1900, in the first palace period.
Early marine reliefs appear about 1600 during the new palace period though the Marine Style pottery truly emerges only late,
MARINE STYLE: stylized natural designs of marine animals, e.g., octopi, depicted to fill the surface space of the jar 1500 FLORAL STYLE: similar to marine style, with reeds and plants portrayed 1500. With the final destruction of most new palaces and the rebuilding and supremacy of Knossos probably under mainland control, new pottery styles emerged.
PALACE STYLE: more formal and symmetrical: "restrained, disciplined formality that seems foreign to the Minoan spirit Castledon, p. 106. 1450 Decorations became more schematic through the 14th century; decorations grew minimal through the 13th century, the periods of Mycenaean influence. With the decline of Mycenaean civilization, further changes are evident:
GRANARY STYLE: meager decorations in horizontal bands 1100
CLOSE STYLE: designs constrained by multiple borders 1100 Stone vases reached their height after 1700. Various materials were used, including alabaster, gypsum, marble, and porphyry. There was also a large metal-working industry, producing copper and bronze vessels. Sealstones were devised for security; the varied designs provided a personal identifying stamp. Elaborate scenes were depicted; there is evidence of the use of magnifying glasses for carving. A variety of materials were used, including ivory and bone. After 1600, the stones were replaced for the wealthy by metal signet rings. Minoan frescos were produced in various sizes and forms. Some are true frescos, i.e., painted on wet plaster; others were painted on dry plaster. Colors included red, black, blue, and yellow. copied. Natural scenes were emphasized, as were processional scenes and depictions of daily and ceremonial activities. The frescos have a naturalistic style. Castledon notes, however, that this is somewhat misleading. In many cases, what is depicted is not a scene from nature. Plants are not always accurately portrayed, some are unidentifiable, and mythic animals are also evident. "In this sense, much of the art work is as abstract, generalized and impersonal as that of the ancient Egyptians. What gives it the illusion of immediacy and modernity is the sense of movement and vitality, and the spontaneity of the individual craft workers. (Castledon, pp. 108-109.)
The earliest example of writing is dated to EM I Knossos. It is a pictographic or hieroglyphic script. There are resemblances to earliest Egyptian script as well as some similarities to Hittite and Cypriot scripts. But on the whole, the Cretan script may have been home-grown. Linear A, the early linear script, appeared during the early New Palace period MM 3. The hieroglyphic script continued alongside the new linear script, which probably was developed at the end of the Old Palace period. Linear A perhaps developed as a stylized and simplified version of the hieroglyphic signs. It was used over a wide area on Crete, though examples of Linear A outside Crete are rare. age. Though there were some local variations, there were great resemblances. Linear B was a later script, used at Knossos in its last period 1450-1375, just before its final destruction. It is also found on the mainland. This was not a development of Linear A but a separate language. Many signs are different, and fractions are handled differently, based on a system from Mesopotamia as opposed to one from Egypt. The evolution of Linear B at Knossos may be evidence of the mainland Greece influence there, after the major palace destructions of around 1450. Linear B may have been developed by Minoans for the mainland Mycenaean language. Linear B, however, is clearly a form of Greek, and may have originated on the mainland.
F. Life in Minoan Crete
Minoans were of slight build, on average about 5' 6" tall. They had dark hair and eyes and sallow complexions. The basic male dress was a loin cloth perhaps with a codpiece. Women's skirts were often flounced, perhaps an influence from Mesopotamia. Wool was the staple for cloth. An important industry was making purple dye from crushing murex shells for woolens. People walked barefoot in houses and for ceremonies. Boots and sandals were worn otherwise.
Gold and silver jewelry was evident, with gold perhaps the more plentiful. The Cretan diet was varied, including wheat, barley, perhaps millet; cattle, sheep, goats, and domestic pigs; wild meat such as deer and boar; grapes, pears, figs and quinces fish and octopus. Fishing methods included hook and line, nets, baskets, and spears. Fig, olive trees and date palms were considered sacred. Dogs were used in hunting. Indigenous, wild cats were evident on Crete domestic cats as well as monkeys may have come from Egypt. Houses were
generally one story, but sometimes two. Windows were more frequent on top.
Oiled parchment probably served in place of glass. Houses included light wells, small open wells to provide light and air. reworded . Lavatories were set against the outside walls. Large houses, like palaces, had a dining hall above the kitchen and food stores.
Wheeled vehicles were used on Crete from about 2000, though charioteers were an important part of the Minoan military only very late, after 1450. Minoan chariots were similar to Mycenaean versions, with lightweight bodies and drawn by two horses. It's possible that it was Mycenaeans who introduced chariotry to Crete. Crete was generally self-sufficient. It imported some copper and needed to import tin. Otherwise, luxuries materials were imported, gold, silver, emery, fine stones, and ivory. Many such items may have been imported as raw material for use by local craftsmen. There was extensive trade across the Aegean and to Egypt. This was controlled by the palaces, but private merchants were heavily involved. The importance of trading led to an increase in the numbers and influence of the merchant class. Probably by the new palace period, a rudimentary form of money was used, copper ingots for weighing against other commodities. Tablets reveal the Minoans as lovers of minutely recorded detail; their labyrinthine architecture reveals a love of complexity and puzzles. It may be that the Minoans enjoyed the social and diplomatic aspects of long-drawn-out negotiations over the price of a cargo with Egyptian, Cypriot, or Trojan merchants. That love of haggling is still there in the Mediterranean economy, and maybe it began with the Minoan trader (Castledon, p. 122.)
