Kernos 114 1 the Idaean Cave Minoan and Greek Worship

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KernosNumro 1 (1988)Varia

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J.A. Sakellarakis

The Idaean Cave. Minoan and Greek Worship................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Kernos, 1(1988), p. 207-214.

THE IDAEAN CAVE.MINOAN ANDGREEK WORSHIP

1 am particularly delighted about today's interdisciplinary conferenceof ancient Greek religion which is convenedby the recentlyestablished Centre for the Studyof Ancient Greek Religion. At the

openingof the colloquium this moming, eminent speakers emphasized how these studies have been delayed until now, their importance following the foundationof the centre and still further thenecessityof interdisciplinary research. This last point is the mostimportant since the studyof ancient Greek religion cannot and mustnot be the concern solelyof those who study religion. On thecontrary, i t is a fundamental workof historians, philologists, evenart historians and certainlyof archaeologists. 1 shall endeavourtodemonstrate the necessity and also the importanceof an interdisciplinary approach in the studyof ancient Greek religion byselecting an example, one only,of an important Greek sanctuary,namely, the Idaean Cave.

The new investigationof the Idaean Cave1 (fig. 1) which hasbeen resumedby the Archaeological Societyof Athens is knownasmuch from publicationsas from different communications,so that i t

1 To date, the following articles have been published concerning the new excavations at the IdaeanCave; lA . SAKELLARAKIS,'!aov '}\v-rpov. 19821983, in PraktArehEt (1983), p.415-500; ID., ' A v a c 1 / l : a q J ~' !alov"Av-rpov. 1984, inPraktArehEt (1984), (in press); ID.,'H va pevva (J'f0'Iao "Av-rpo (1982-1984), in'ApxalO.Or{a, 15(1985), p.14-22; ID.,

L'Antro Ideo . Cento Anni di Attivit Areh%giea, in Atti dei ConvegniLincei 74, Centi Anni di AttivitAreh%giea Ita/iana in Creta, Roma 1985,p.19-48; ID., s.v. '!ao "Av-rpo, in Aeuco flch'vpo AapovMTrpl-r-raV!K:a,p.50-54; ID., 'H ' ! - r a . l I C ~'ApXalO.OrlKT, ' A T r o ( J ' f o . ~lCai-ro 'Iao "Av-rpo, in AVIC-rO, 13(1986),p.9-20; ID.,} \ v a o ' I C a q J ~'!a{ov"A v-rpov. 1985, inPraktArehEt (1985), (in press); ID.,' A v a o ' I C a q J ~'!a{ov"Av-rpov.1986, inPraktArehEt, (1986), (in press); ID.,Sorne Geometrieand

Arehaie Finds jrom the Idaean Cave, in R. HGG - N. MARINATOS ed.,Ear/y Greek Cult Practiee(in press); ID.,Antro !deo,in Encic/opedia !ta/iana(in press); ID.,'ElCa-ro Xp6vla "Epevva (J-ro'!ao "Av-rpo,in ArehEph(1987), (in press); ID.,FeCJJjle-rpllC EqJpar{e eXTrO -ro 'Iao "Av-rpo,inArchEph (1988), (in press); G. SINES - J.A. SAKELLARAKIS,Lenses inAntiquity, in AJA, 91(1987), p.191 sq.


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Fig. 3. Seal of rock crystal

Fig. 4. Bronze bull figurine


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Fig. 5. Stone kernos

Fig. 6. Bronze double axe


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210 J.A. SAKELLARAKIS

Very manyof the finds from the new excavations are remarkablenot only as works of art, as was usually the case with the olderfinds, but also for the evidence they provide for worship. Forexample, the enormous numberof worked ivory objects which wereimported from north Syria and Palestine in the 8th cent. B.C.l l ,which are notof importance only for the historyof art and asimports, for the commerceof the period.I t is certain that manyofthem adorned furniture, and thus cannot but bring to mind theancient testimony for the existenceof the throneof Zeus in theIdaean Cave,K a ' t ' iho (J'toPVUJ.lvou 12, an essential elementofthe worship,as is reported concerning the descentof Pythagoras intothe Idaean Cave. Furthermore, certain other dedications, made fromprecious materials andof the highest qualityof execution, indicatethrough the subject matter with which they are decorated, that duringcertain periods, Cretan aristocrats ascended to the Idaean Caveasworshippers13 . Equipment discovered for the first time shows thepracticeof a singular formof worship and different vases indicatethat they contained liquid or solid offerings. Sacrifices are confirmedby the numberof bones of different animaIs which have been recovered and studied for the first time.

Apart from the existence, outside the cave,of a vast altar eut inthe rock, itis certain that sacrifices took placeeyen inside. I t is notonly the animal bones mentioned above, but also the jet black, oilyearth14 in which they cameto light. In the cave itself, there were different structures, a wall built roughly in the middle15 It is mostprobable that in other structures, once more related to worshiporeven the activitiesof the faithful, bricks were used which have beenfound in certain partsof the cave in significant quantities. Ashaltarsof different periods have been noted, once more at different points

I l I.A. SAKELLARAKIS, inPraktArehEt (1983), pl.259"(, 262, 271p-y,2770.;figA, 5p-y, 7, 8a-of,11, 9-10;Ergon (1984), fig. 149; (1985), fig. 109;(1986), fig. 137. Compare R. BARNETT,A Catalogue of the Nimrud Ivories,London, 1975.

12 PORPH., Vit. Pyth., 17.13 J.A. SAKELLARAKIS,Geometrie and Arehaie Finds from the Idaean Cave, in

R. HGG -N. MARINATOSed., Early Greek Cult Praetiee (in press).14 Cf. I.A. SAKELLARAKIS,PraktArehEt (1983-1986),passim.15 J.A. SAKELLARAKIS,in PraktArehEt (1986), (in press); inErgon (198),

fig. 126-127.


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THE IDAEAN CA YB.MINOAN AND GREEK WORSHIP 211

on the edges of the cave or in cavities, in one instance associatedwith paving 16.

Finally, many finds and even observations made during excava-tion confirm evidence known from philological and epigraphicsources for Greek worship in the Idaean Cave. The discovery of abronze shield of the 6th cent. RC. in a !s t cent. B .C. leveI l7demons trated not only the long period of time dedications wereexhibited, but still more the way in which sorne of these objects werededicated. This is because the shield most probably had been hungup on a tree v 'tep cr'tOllteP'to-\)&v'tpo'O'to-\) v "1811, v )'teX< X . V a . e ~ I l a . ' t a .


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2 4

on a triton she1l 22 (fig. 3), in front of a biconcave altar with Homs ofConsecration and branches. This important scene has never beengiven the attention i t deserves for Minoan cult in the Idaean Cave,even i f the provenance of the seal as a chance find from the cave wasknown.

Minoan presence in the Idaean Cave has been confirmed by thenew excavations as early as in the Early Minoan Period with notableexamples of pottery and other objects 23 . In the Middle MinoanPeriod, apart from pottery there are certain important seals 24 . To thebeginning of the Late Minoan Period date the first certain excavatedevidence for worship in the Idaean Cave, dedications and equipmentcharacteristic of worship, a bronze bull figurine 25 (fig. 4), a stonekernos 26 (fig. 5), and a bronze double axe 27 (fig. 6). The worship .of a Minoan.deity in the Idaean Cave is certain.

As has been noted, scholars have already hypothesised that theorigin of the singular worship of Cretan Zeus, the god who wasbo m and died every year, lies in the prehistoric, Minoan deity, theyoung god who personified the yearly birth and death of the vegetation cycle, despite the lack of archaeological proof. This evidence is

now explicit and unquestionable, and furthermore indicates the

22 CM S, l i 3, nO 7. To the already rich bibliography there should be addedG. KARO, in AfRW, 7(1904), p. 138; R. DUSSAUD, Les CivilisationsPrhellniques, Paris , 1914, fig.252; R. VALLOIS, in REA, 32(1930),p. lOI, fig. 1; J. BOARDMAN, The Cretan Collection in Oxford, Oxford,1961, p.78, n.2; K. MAJEWSKI, Kreta, Hellada, Cyklady, Warsaw, 1963,p. 189, fig. 118; P. FAURE, Fonctions des Cavernes Crtoises, Paris, 1964,p. l05, 106 n.6, 116 n.2, 125 n. 1; E. B RANDT, Gruss und Gebet,Waldsassen, 1965, 1 sq.; L. PRESS, Architecture in Pre-Greek Iconography,Vro cl av, 19 67 , p.240, nO 16; L. PRESS, in Au i e Memorie dei 1 Congresso In ternaz ionaie di Micenoiogia , Rome, 1967, p. 161; J.A.SAKELLARAKIS in U. JANTZEN, Neue Forschungen in Gr iech ischenHeiligtmern, Tbingen, 1976, p.306; C. BA URA IN - P. DARCQUE, inBCH, 107(1983), p.54-55, fig. 35; H. VERBRUGGEN, Le Zeus Crtois,Par is , 1981, p.74, n.23.

23 J.A. SAKELLARAKIS, in PraktArchEt (1983), pl. 2760., r ; ID., in PraktArchEt (1985), (1987), (in press); in Ergon (1985), fig. 106; (1987), fig.132. .ID., in PraktArchEt (1983), p.472, fig. 8r; (1985), (in press); Ergon (1985),fig. 100-101.

25 ID., in PraktArchEt (1983), pl. 2750..26 ID., in PraktArchEt (1984), (in press).27 ID., in PraktArchEt (1985), (in press); in Ergon (1985), fig. 102-103.


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THE IDABAN CAVE. MINOAN AND GREEK WORSHIP 213

extent and dynarnism of Minoan worship which preceded. And withthe Idaean Cave and Minoan worship must be linked the remarkableLate Minoan building at Zominthos 28 , erected at height of 1200 m,on Psiloritis, precisely on a main route to the cave.

From the manifold finds of the new investigation of the IdaeanCave, it can be concluded that the sequence from Minoan to Greekworship was unbroken. Evidence for Mycenaean, that is to say themore ancient Greek, worship is sttong. The Idaean Cave went on tobe a most important shrine, whieh received a great number ofpilgrims. The offerings of these times are characteristically great innumber, such as clay statuettes, often large 29 . They are joined forthe first time by iconographie representations, such as large paintedterracotta Homs of Consecration with holes, most probably forattaching banches and shafts of Double Axes (fig. 7). In this period,one must concentrate investigation more intensively on verifyingcontinuity of worship of which the Idaean Cave constitutes a leadingexample.

However, as has been noted above with regard to more generalreligious study and certainly thestudy of continuity of worship from

the prehistoric period to historie times, multidisciplinary research isabsolutely essential. The study of diachronie worship presupposesthe abandonment of entrenched, individual efforts even if thisapproach is the most persistent. Students of religion, philologists,historians and archaeologists must gain an impression of the positionand special natural circumstances of a cave at such an altitude on amountain of Crete, of the reasons for choosing it for worship, byexarnining it personaUy. It is safe to say, however, that they are notqualified to study these aspects properly. These, however, are inseparable elements of worship, together with orientation, the position of the constellations in different periods for those who were in

the cave at night and certainly the movementof

light during the day,once more elements very much related to worship, for whieh thereare certain sources. The study of aU these and of yet other subjects,is a work for natural scientists. Therefore, there are many subjectsconnected with the Idaean Cave wroch are on the point of being

28 ID., in PraktArchEt (1983), p.443-444, 488-499, pl. 279-82; ibid. (1986),(in press); in Ergon (1986), p. 139-141, fig. 121-122.

29 I.e. ID., in PraktArchEt (1983), fig. 278a.


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examjned closely using inter-disciplinary research. And in thisinstance, it is fortunate that much evidence is preserved in positionundamaged by the passage of time. Fortunate, too, are the names ofthe neighbouring mountain tops, one of which is called Tympanatoras, which alludes to an act of worship, namely the beating of thedrums by the Kouretes at the birth of Cretan Zeus.

lA . SAKELLARAKISRodon 1, Drossia,

GR - 14565 ATHENS

Kernos 114 1 the Idaean Cave Minoan and Greek Worship

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