The Goddess on Crete

Our awareness of the Minoan civilization , on the island of Crete, began in the early 20th century, after Sir Arthur Evans discovered the palace of Knossos. Although extensive archeological work has been in progress since then, there still remain many unanswered questions about the Minoans.

To begin with, no evidence has yet been found for any human habitation on the island, prior to about 6000 BCE. This seems to imply that the Minoans were not indigenous to Crete. If in fact they did come from somewhere else, where might it have been ?

One possible explanation is that they arrived on rafts. In that case, the prevailing currents in the Aegean Sea indicate a point of origin somewhere on the western coast of Turkey. The currents run at a rate of about 1 knot, and the distance is about 200 miles, so they might have made such a journey in as little as 8 days. In addition, there are several Cycladic islands which could have provided convenient rest-areas, reducing the trip to a series of shorter movements.

Major currents of the Aegean Sea

In any case, beginning around 6000 BCE we find typical Neolithic settlements on Crete. Agricultural crops such as wheat, barley and lentils are in evidence, as is the domestication of sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle. It may be noted that these type of settlements closely resemble those found in Turkey, during the same time period (see Catal Hoyuk, etc).

Another interesting aspect of Minoan history is that, from 6000 BCE until as late as 2800 BCE, they had little or no contact with the outside world. They remained in a Neolithic condition throughout that entire period... and of course, were unaffected by the Kurgan invasion. This may explain the complete lack of any male deities in their society.

Beginning around 2800 BCE we find the first evidence, in the form of pottery and some copper objects, of trade with the Cycladic islands, western Turkey, and the Phoenicians of Lebanon. By about 2600 BCE, techniques of weaving and of making bronze began to arrive. With each passing century, contact with these more advanced societies benefitted the Minoans... however, it was not until 2100 BCE that a massive revolution of technology occured, which truly marks the birth of what we now call the "Minoan civilization".

In order to properly understand this great technical revolution, we must take a moment to consider the general situation in the Aegean at the time. The Turks and the Phoenicians clearly had developed very advanced cultures, and were the predominant seafaring powers in the area. The Phoenicians themselves had most probably migrated to Lebanon from Turkey, sometime around 4500 BCE. Although they were surrounded by the Canaanites on three sides, they always remained a distinctly seperate group, closely connected with Turkey... and their societies bore many similarities, such as their advanced seafaring abilities, architecture, artistry, etc.

The Turks, Phoenicians, and Minoans shared a peaceful Goddess-centered philosophy, and by 2100 BCE they had formed well-established cultural ties and friendships. At that time, the invasion of Turkey by the Hittites began, as well as an invasion of Phoenicia by the Amorites. Archeological excavations reveal that habitation of Phoenicia virtually ceased at exactly that time. Their great and thriving cities, such as Tyre, Sidon and Byblos were abandoned. Where did the Phoenicians go ?

Could it have been a mere coincidence that exactly at that time, the great changes came to Crete ? Large palaces were built, such as the one at Knossos, which strongly resembles those found in Phoenicia and the Near-East. These palaces featured hot and cold running water, flush-toilets, ventilation and lighting shafts, etc. In addition, public apartments were constructed for the common people, as well as many types of specialty and craft shops.

Furthurmore, two unique systems of writing also appeared at this time. One, known as Linear A , bears an amazing similarity to another script of that general time period, found by Heinrich Schliemann in the ruins of Troy. The other system is known as Cretan hieroglyphs , and also appears to have originated in Turkey. Unfortunately, neither language has yet been deciphered... but we must ask ourselves, if a system of writing was created by the indigenous Minoans, why would they create two seperate systems, at the same time ?

Furthur clues come to us when we learn that the use of mountain-tops and caves for religious rites, as well as distinctly Near and Middle-Eastern burial customs, all first appear on Crete at this time. This evidence suggests that both the Turks and Phoenicians, fleeing a massive wave of invasion, migrated to Crete around 2100 BCE... bringing with them a highly advanced technology which would become the basis for the golden age of the Minoan civilization.

Between 2100 BCE and 1500 BCE, the Minoans became the dominant seafaring nation in the eastern Mediterranean. Their pottery and bronze products were of the highest quality, and through trade, they accumulated vast fortunes. Moreover, during this entire 600 year period, there is no record of them having any involvement in a war.

The golden age of the Minoans ended abruptly, around 1500 BCE, when a volcanic island known as Thera , located 70 miles north of Crete, exploded. The Thera eruption was one of the worst in recorded history. The island was completely destroyed, and a massive tsunami struck the north coast of Crete, which would have destroyed any ships in port at the time. Volcanic ash then fell on Crete, causing the loss of most of their agricultural crops.

The eruption of Thera, in conjunction with several large earthquakes, severely dammaged the Minoan civilization. In addition, the Mycenaean Greeks, attracted by the great wealth of the Minoans, took advantage of these natural disasters, and launched a series of attacks. Around that time, archeologists tell us that the Minoans seem to have completely disappeared, leaving behind their beautiful palaces and once-thriving cities.

Meanwhile, at Tyre and Sidon in Phoenicia, excavations reveal that around 1450 BCE both cities became permanantly repopulated, and quickly grew into vibrant centers of trade once more. Another clue comes to us from their system of writing, known as the Phoenician abjad. As Sir Arthur Evans was quick to note, many of the symbols in the abjad are almost identical to those used in the Cretan hieroglyphs.

Could the Minoans, when faced with a volcanic eruption, earthquakes, and an attack by the Mycenaean Greeks, have made the decision to migrate... and might they have chosen to return to those very places with which their ancestors had close historic ties ? It seems probable that some of the Minoans relocated to the western states of Turkey, while a large number of them apparently returned to Phoenicia, which they quickly built into a world-class trading power.

If this theory is correct, it may very well explain why, during the Trojan war in 1200 BCE, when the western states of Turkey and their allies attacked every coastal city in the eastern Mediterranean, there was one significant exception... they never attacked Phoenicia, even though the Phoenician cities were quite wealthy, and lacked any heavy defenses.

Looking back on the Minoan golden age, we see a people whose prosperity was based not on conquest and pillage, but on manufacturing and trade... and who managed to avoid war almost entirely. Although their language still remains a mystery, the many beautiful frescoes in their palaces speak to us of a happy people enjoying a good life. There is not one depiction of warfare, nor a harsh-looking monarch to be found. Indeed, their cities included few fortifications, and no significant cache of weapons or other military equipment has ever been discovered.

Without exception, the Minoan frescoes portray the beauty of the natural world. People and animals are shown in idyllic, pastoral settings. Bright, cheerful colors predominate. There are not many depictions of deities, however a number of scenes do show women who appear to be Priestesses, such as the one below.

The "Blue Ladies" frescoe
From the Palace of Knossos, 1600 BCE

One image which is especially interesting was found on a cylinder seal in the palace of Knossos. It depicts a woman standing on a mountain-top, flanked by two lions. Clearly, that is the image which we have come to associate with the Great Mother Goddess Cybele. This strongly suggests yet another link with Turkey, and indicates that the religion of the Minoans may have evolved from a common source.

Another interesting symbolic object frequently found on Crete is the labrys , or double-edged ax. When depicted in murals, these axes are always held by women, in what appears to be a ceremonial manner. They may have been a mark of royalty, or more likely had a religious significance... for example, as a representation of a Priestess's authority to perform sacrifices, in order to provide food for a community. It may be noted that the labrys was also used as a religious symbol in the Near East, and among the Amazons in particular.

It's clear that the Minoans possesed a peaceful society based on trade, had an advanced level of technology and art, and a religion dominated by female deities and clergy. Their civilization is extremely significant, because it demonstrates that violence and patriarchy are not necessarily a natural result of population increases, or jealousy over material wealth... rather, they are linked to the fundamentally different sort of cultural values that arrived with the Kurgans.