KNOSSOS
MINOAN SNAKE GODDESS
A statue of a Minoan snake goddess with serpents writhing in her outstretched hands and ancient renderings of Greece’s famous bull-headed monster, the minotaur, are among the fascinating treasures unearthed from Crete. And if any island brings Greek mythology to life during a port of call on Greece’s magnificent shores, it’s this one. According to mythology, this 160-mile-long island south of the Greek mainland is where Zeus was born—along with twins, Apollo and Artemis. But how far back Greek mythology dates and where it began is harder to say. Rather than being backed by a written book like the Bible, Greek mythology was passed on via oral traditions instead of written ones. And while archaeologists find it hard to pinpoint exactly where Greek mythology’s origins lie, it likely dates back as far back as 3000 BCE to Crete, where myths are believed to have first originated from stories told by the island’s Minoan civilization. Mythology still sparks the imagination and incites wonder in these parts. Read on for a few places on Crete with deep mythological significance that you can explore during your next port of call. continue...
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