It was found at
a Minoan archaeological site in Crete
. At the Palace of Knossos by archaeologist Arthur Evans and dated to the Minoan civilization, c. 1700–1450 BCE. It was Evans who called the figurine a “Snake Goddess,” since then, it has been debated whether the statuette depicts a priestess or a deity.
Who created the Snake Goddess?
In 1903,
Sir Arthur Evans
, excavating at the palace of Knossos on the island of Crete, discovered fragments of faience statuettes depicting female figures holding snakes.
When was the Snake Goddess found?
Two Minoan snake goddess figurines were excavated in
1903
in the Minoan palace at Knossos in the Greek island of Crete.
What is the context of the Snake Goddess?
In Egyptian mythology, the snake was a personification of the goddess Kebechet, who personified the purification of water in the funeral cult, and the snake was
a protector of the pharaohs after death
.
Who is the artist of Minoan Snake Goddess?
The hat and the cat
This was, in some measure, to match the other nearly complete figurine found in the Temple Repositories, which clearly had snakes slithering up both of her arms. The restoration of the Snake Goddess was done by
the Danish artist Halvor Bagge
together with Evans.
What are female gods called?
A goddess
is a female deity.
Which Greek god is associated with snakes?
Healing and snakes were associated in ancient Greek myth with
Asclepius
, whose snake-familiars would crawl across the bodies of sick people asleep at night in his shrines and lick them back to health.
What material is the Snake Goddess made of?
Faience Snake Goddess figurines from Knossos
Some of the best known images of Minoan ‘goddesses' are these two standing figurines holding snakes and made of faience (
a glassy quartz ceramic material
often used in ancient Egypt).
What religion did the Minoans believe in?
The religion of the ancient Minoans of Crete largely revolved around
the Mother Goddess
who was typically associated with snakes. While she seems to be the chief goddess of the Minoans, they probably also worshiped a Bird Goddess, maybe just a different form of the Mother Goddess, as well as a Bull God.
How tall is the Snake Goddess?
Evans's “Snake Goddess”
The figurine usually identified in art history books today as the “Snake Goddess” was originally identified by Evans as one of her votaries. The figurine Evans believed to be the actual “Snake Goddess” stands
131/2 inches tall (34.2 centimetres)
in its reconstructed state.
How is the snake goddess distinctly Minoan?
This figurine may represent a priestess, but it is more likely a bare-breasted goddess. The snakes in her hands and the feline on her head imply that she has power over the animal world– appropriate for a deity. The costume,
with its open bodice and flounced skirt
, is distinctly Minoan.
What are snakes associated with?
Historically, serpents and snakes represent
fertility
or a creative life force. As snakes shed their skin through sloughing, they are symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing. The ouroboros is a symbol of eternity and continual renewal of life.
Is Medusa a goddess?
Most recognizable for her locks of snakes, Medusa was
the daughter of ancient chthonic deities of the sea
. She was born far across the ocean from Greece; Later contributing authors to Medusa's myth placed her homeland as Libya.
Who is Angitia?
Angitia was
a goddess among the Marsi
, the Paeligni and other Oscan-Umbrian peoples of central Italy. She was associated in antiquity with snake-charmers who claimed her as their ancestor. … Angitia lived in the area around the Fucine lake and specialized in curing snakebites.
What is God's wife's name?
God had a wife,
Asherah
, whom the Book of Kings suggests was worshipped alongside Yahweh in his temple in Israel, according to an Oxford scholar. In 1967, Raphael Patai was the first historian to mention that the ancient Israelites worshipped both Yahweh and Asherah.
Who is the most evil goddess?
- Eris, the goddess of discord.
- Enyo, the goddess of destruction.
- Deimos and Phobos, the gods of panic and terror.
- Apate, the goddess of deceit.
- The Erinyes, goddesses of vengeance.
- Moros, the god of doom.
