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Ancient Crete Goddesses
Amalthea
The Cretan goat goddess who suckled the infant Zeus when Rhea was hiding
him from Chronos. She may have also been wet-nurse to Pan. |
Ariadne
Consort of Minos, who much like Persephone spent half the year in
the Underworld |
Carme
(Charmel, Carmenta) The goddess of Mount Ida, inventor of the alphabet,
language and augery. Her name refers to kindness and charms (spells),
and she was concerned with prophecy. |
Britomartis
("good maiden") A youthful hunter, often depicted with arrows,
suckling babes or holding snakes. Sometimes seen as a chthonic figure
(associated with Hecate), she is a guardian of the dead who was sometimes
seen by sailors as a mermaid. Like Hera, she was associated with the lily
or lotus flower. Britomartis was also worshipped on Aegina and in Sparta
under her titles, Aphaea and Laphria. The Spartans adored both her and
Artemis as Ladies of the Lake.
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Dictynna
The law-giving labrys Goddess of Crete and Mount Dicte, she is neither
naked nor clad, and lines of force surround Her. Double axes, or labryses,
represent her active Feminine Energy. Worshippers, in the original palace
fresco, throw their arms up in amazement at her appearance. The labrys
is also a symbol of the female community of Lesbos who worshipped only
the Goddess in nature and in each other. The original "She who must
be obeyed," Dictynna lived on top of Mount Dicta. Her powerful name
lives on in our words "dictate" and "edict." Her sacred
plant was dittany.
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Leukippe
The White Mare. A Cretan horse goddess.
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Pasipha
She Who Shines for All. A Cretan moon goddess. |
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