4/25/13 Minoan Honey : The Bull, The Mushroom And The Mistress Of The Dance

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:: Minoan Honey : The Bull, The Mushroom And The Mistress Of The Dance ::

photo essay #1 photo essay #3

:: photo essay #2 - male roles in minoan culture ::

The archaeology of Bronze Age Crete does not at any point liberate any evidence that the Minoans were ruled by kings, despite thestories of later male-centred Greeks. In fact, males tend to take on more junior roles: where we have a female deity, there is a maleacolyte or worshipper in a salutary pose; where there are female leaders of public rituals, men tend to be depicted as farm workers orsportsmen. Though these men may have been highly regarded, and particularly as bull-leapers may have participated in public ritualsand sacred events, they do not appear to have been treated as sacred personages, and this is a key distinction.

Bull Leaper 1Fresco at Knossos, 1500BC

Bull Leaper 2Knossos, 1600BC

PorterFresco at Knossos - 1500BC

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BoxerFresco at Knossos, 1500BC

Acolyte 1Petsofas, 1600BC

Note bronze weapon which is thought to be ritual rather than for warfare

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Acolyte 2Tylissos, 1500BC

Note tense posture of salute with arched back which matches posture on Ring of Minos

Athlete/Kouros/Sky DeityPalaikastro, 1600BC

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Farm WorkersAgia Triada, 1550BC

Harvesters and ReapersAgia Triada 1550BC

WrestlerAgia Triada, 1550BC

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Sailors 1Akrotiri, Thera, 1600BC

Sailors 2Akrotiri, Thera, 1600BC

Initiate or Axe BearerAgia Triada, 15500BC

Kite FlyerFresco at Knossos, 1500BC

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photo essay #1 photo essay #3

'Minoan Honey: The Bull, The Mushroom & The Mistress of the Dance'Bruce Rimell, January 2009

Copyright (c) 2002-2013 Bruce Rimell : All images, artwork, and words on this siteare copyrighted to Bruce Rimell and may not be reproduced in any form unless stated otherwise.