Minoan Religion
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Transcript of Minoan Religion
Peak Shrines• Link to MM
protopalatial elites through artifacts
• Linear A, Kamares Ware
• Ash layer, no bones• Many figurines
Male Divinity?
• Male figures rarer• Usually smaller
stature• Lesser Male
Divinity?• Rural Matriarchy?• Urban Patriarchy?
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
Theseus & the Minotaur• Athenians send
human tribute to bull crazy Minoans
• Palace at Knossos like Labyrinth to simpler Mycenaean Greeks
Hero Story• Miraculous Conception/Birth Aegeus/Poseidon• Hiding of/Threat to Child Troezen, with Aethra
Medea?• Society’s Desire for Change No more sacrifice!• Withdrawal & Initiation Ummmm• Resistance of Hero Role Ummm• Search for Lost Father Trip to Athens• Quest Killing Minotaur• Magical Tools/Weapons Club, thread, 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
Theseus’ trip to Crete
• Theseus as 1 of 7 boys
• White Sails for Success
• Black/Red Sails for Failure (death of Theseus)
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 & Pirithouscarry 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