Minoan snake goddess figurines

Two Minoan snake goddess figurines were found in 1903 in the Minoan palace at Knossos on the Greek island of Crete. These small statues were dug up during an excavation led by the English archaeologist Arthur Evans. His work helped people learn much more about the Bronze Age Minoan civilization, although some of his ideas about what the objects meant have been questioned later.

The two figurines are quite old, dating to around 1600 BCE, near the end of a time called the neo-palatial period of the Minoan civilization. Evans called the larger one a "Snake Goddess" and the smaller one a "Snake Priestess," but experts still debate whether he was right. Some think both might be priestesses, or perhaps they show the same goddess or different ones.

These little statues show a woman dressed in fancy clothes with her chest uncovered, holding what look like snakes. This unusual style made them very famous, and they have inspired many copies. However, most archaeologists today think there is little evidence for a "snake goddess" in Minoan religion, and some believe the objects in the figurines' hands might not even be snakes. Today, the figurines can be seen at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

Knossos figurines

Two special snake goddess figurines were found in a stone box at Knossos by Arthur Evans and his team. These tiny statues are made from a shiny, colorful material called faience, which came from old Egypt and was used in important places like temples.

The bigger figurine is about 34 centimeters tall. It shows a woman with snakes on her arms and a tall crown on her head, where another snake sticks up. We don’t know exactly how many snakes are on her because some parts are missing. She wears a dress with a thick belt that has a special knot on it.

The smaller one is about 29 centimeters tall. It shows a woman holding snakes in her hands, and there is a cat or panther on her crown. Some parts of this figurine were missing when it was found, and Evans added them later. Scholars today think the crown and cat probably belong together.

Other Minoan figures

Another figurine kept in Berlin is made of bronze. It shows a woman who might have three snakes on her head or just styled hair. She looks like a priestess or someone worshipping, because she leans forward a little and makes a special sign with her hands. One of her breasts shows, which means it was meant to be bare. This figurine is probably from a later time than the famous ones found at Knossos.

Even later, there are some small clay gifts made for the gods. They often show a goddess with snakes coming from her headpiece. One good example is the Poppy goddess, which you can see at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

Fakes

When the important figures from Knossos were shared, some clever fakes began appearing. One fake figure, kept at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, has an ivory body and gold snakes wrapped around its arms. The museum bought this in 1914, but it is now thought to be fake.

Another fake is kept at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. This small steatite figure shows a woman with a snake design on her headpiece and holes in her hands, as if to hold snakes. It was bought by Henry Walters from a seller in Paris in 1929 and given to the museum in 1931.

Interpretations

The figurines were found in the Minoan palace at Knossos on the island of Crete. Many ideas exist about what they mean. Some think they show a goddess who is connected to animals and snakes. Snakes often stand for new life because they shed their skin.

Others think the figurines might be linked to ancient Syrian religion or to early traditions about women. One idea is that the woman in the figurines might be a sign of fertility, but some think she might show sadness instead. One theory is that she is holding a long cord, not a snake, which would match other images from Syria.

The true meaning of these figurines is still a mystery, and experts continue to study them to learn more.

Sacral knot

Both goddesses have a special knot with a looped cord between their breasts. This is similar to what archaeologist Arthur Evans called the sacral knot. This knot has a loop of fabric on top and sometimes has fringed ends hanging down. Many such knots were found in Minoan and Mycenaean sites, made from ivory or faience, painted on walls, or engraved on seals. They were sometimes shown with the double-edged axe or labrys, which was a very important Minoan religious symbol. People think the sacral knot stood for something holy when shown on people or special objects. When this knot is shown with the double-axe, it can be compared to ancient Egyptian symbols like the ankh, meaning eternal life, or the tyet, meaning welfare or life, which was a symbol of the goddess Isis.

Art

In 1979, artist Judy Chicago created a famous artwork called The Dinner Party. In this piece, she included a special place setting for what she called a "Snake Goddess."