MINOS AND THE HEROES OF HOMER:
ART OF THE AEGEAN
ART HISTORY SURVEY I
Image of a marble female figure from the Cycladic Islands, c. 2500 bce.
Image of a marble female figure from the Cycladic Islands, c. 2500 bce.
Two Cycladic female figures, image show in textbook.
Statue of a female figure from the Cycladic Islands, c.2500-
2300 bce., height 24 1/2".
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Although displayed upright in museums, these Cycladic figures were not intended to be standing. White marble "Cycladic" figure from Naxos, c.2500 bce.
Two "Cycladic" figures, c.2500-2000 bce, marble.  Height -- 13" and 25".
   Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens
Take a virtual tour of the Cycladic Islands by clicking here!
Male figure, harp player, from the Cycladic Islands, c. 2200 bce.
Male votive figure from Crete, c. 2000 bce.
Male figure, marble harp player, from the Cycladic Islands.
Harp player from Keros, Cycladis Islands, c.2500-2200 bce, Marble,  8  1/2" Height.
National Archaeological Museum, Athenss
Votive figure from Palaikastro, Crete, c.2000-1700 bce.
Marble harp player, c.2700 bce.   Height 11 1/2"  from the Cycladic Islands.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
THE MINOAN CIVILIZATION...ON THE ISLANDS OF CRETE AND THERA
Minoan Woman with Snakes or 'Snake Goddess,' c. 1600 bce.
Minoan "woman with snakes" or "Snake Goddess" is a terracotta ceramic faience piece.  The 17 1/2" figure was found at Knossos and is dated
c.1600 bce.  There is  little known about this an similar statues, which also hold a snake in each hand.  It may be a religious cult figure, perhaps a female earth deity worshipped  at an open air altar on the island of Crete.

The clothing on the statue is consistent with clothing seen in the wall frescos;  that is, a long ruffled or layered skirt, a tightly bound waist, and a short-sleeved bodice with breats bared.

See image on page 89 of the Gardner text.

Although about the Greek Gorgon Medusa, this paper by a student at Tufts presents an excellent discussion on the concept of "woman plus snake equals evil."
Pottery from the island of Crete and other islands which seemed to share the Minoan culture can be identified by their marine life subject matter, spirals, circles and curved lines.  Minoan potters developed a potter's wheel that allowed for thin-walled pots which became a popular trade item throughout the eastern Mediterranean area during the second millenium bce.
Jar with marine life design of an octopus, c. 1200 bce.
The karmares pitcher from Phaistos, with spiral designs.
Marine-style Octopus Jar from Crete, c. 1500 bce.
"Stirrup Jar" with marine life design, c.1200-1100 bce.  Terracotta, from Mycenea, height 10 1/2".
"The Kamares Pitcher" from Phaistos, c.1800-1700 bce, height 10 5/8".
Herakleion Archaeological Museum, Crete
"Marine-styled octopus jar"
See page 94 in the Gardner text.
Visit the Herakleion Archaeological Museum!
The legendary palace of King Minos, at Knossos on the island of Crete, was said to contain the "labyrinth," home of the "Minotaur."  Walls in the palace were covered with frescos depicting marine life, bull-jumping, curvelinear designs, and people engaged in recreational activities.
The Palace at Knossos on the Island of Crete.
The Palace at Knossos, ruins of the "North Pillar Hall," the palace's north entrance, an open-air ramp, lead to the courtyard.  
Image showing the lightwell in the Palace at Crete.
Exterior altar (?) at the Palace of Knossos.
Cedar columns and entrance of the Palace at Knossos.
Lightwell next to the grand staircase at the Palace at Knossos, Crete
The Palace at Knossos with
fragments of wall paintings, frescos,  columns painted bright red and blue.
Wooden (cedar) columns and limestone "bull's horns near south entrance to the Palace at Knossos
Minoan fresco depicting 'bull jumping' at the Palace at Knossos.
Fresco of the Dolphins and other Marine Life, from the Palace at Knossos, Crete.
Fresco depicting dolphins and other marine life.
"Bull-leaping," (Toreador Fresco) shows bull jumping, from the Palace at Knossos.
See page 86 in the Gardner text. 		Fresco of the dolphins and other marine life, from the Queen's Megaron in the interior of the palace Detail of the dolphins.
Page Updated 8/27/08
CLICK HERE to view images from the village of Akrotiri on the Island of Thera and gold objects
  from the Mycenean culture
Copyright M. Hoover and San Antonio College, July, 2001.  All rights reserved.