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The snake goddess's Minoan name may be related with A-sa-sa-ra, a possible interpretation of inscriptions found in Linear A texts. [25] Although Linear A is not yet deciphered, Palmer [ clarification needed ] relates tentatively the inscription a-sa-sa-ra-me which seems to have accompanied goddesses, with the Hittite išhaššara , which means ...
"Snake Goddess" or a priestess performing a ritual. Minoan religion was the religion of the Bronze Age Minoan civilization of Crete.In the absence of readable texts from most of the period, modern scholars have reconstructed it almost totally on the basis of archaeological evidence such as Minoan paintings, statuettes, vessels for rituals and seals and rings.
The figure of a goddess of nature, of birth and death was dominant during the Bronze Age, in both Minoan and Mycenean cults. In the Mycenean cult she was known by the title Potnia. [ 9 ] The earliest references to the title are inscriptions in Linear B ( Mycenean Greek ) syllabic script found at Pylos and at Knossos , Crete , dated 1450-1300 BC.
The early palaces were destroyed during Middle Minoan II, sometime before c. 1700, almost certainly by earthquakes to which Crete is prone. By c. 1650 , they had been rebuilt on a grander scale and the period of the second palaces ( c. 1650 – c. 1450 ) marks the height of Minoan prosperity.
At some point, the Mycenaean civilization came in contact with the Minoans and identified their own god Zeus with the Cretan god. [5] [6] This religious syncretism led to Zeus obtaining some of Velchanos' traits, with his mythology also being affected; henceforth, Zeus was stated to have been born in Crete and was often represented as a ...
Prinias (ancient Rizinia) is an archaeological site in Crete that has revealed a seventh-century BCE temple with striking similarities to ancient Egyptian architecture, including an Egyptianised seated goddess. It is 35 kilometres (22 mi) southwest of Iraklion, about halfway between Gortyn and Knossos. Above the site is a peak sanctuary, a sub ...
Late Minoan II (c. 1470-1420 BC) is sparsely represented in the archaeological record, but appears to have been a period of decline. [27] Late Minoan III (c. 1420-1075 BC) shows profound social and political changes. Among the palaces, only Knossos remained in use, though it too was destroyed by LM IIIB2.
Sacred caves and peak sanctuaries are characteristic holy places of ancient Minoan Crete. Most scholars agree that sacred caves were used by the Minoans for religious rites, and some for burial. While all peak sanctuaries have clay human figurines, only Idaeon, Trapeza and Psychro have them among the sacred caves.