MGRN+Socio-Political+Structure

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- Minoan men wore loincloths and kilts - Women wore robes that were slit to the navel and had short sleeves and flounced skirts - The patterns on clothes emphasized symmetrical geometric designs. - Minoan temples were generally L-shaped and housed priestesses, families, storerooms, and craftsmen. - The Temple of Knossos was built of cedar and covered 24,000sq yards and was 4 stories tall. It had 60+ rooms, including the center court where men would jump over bulls. - Minoan sacred symbols include the Bull, Bull's Horns of Consecration, Double Axe, Pillar, Snakes, Sun, and Tree. - Minoan art suggests that the Minoans may have worshipped a Mother Goddess who was the Goddess of Fertility, Animals, Cities, Households, Harvests, and the Underworld. - She was often represented by snakes

- The Goddess was linked to the Earthshaker, a male represented by the bull and the sun, who would die each fall and be reborn each spring - Other illustrations have led to some theories that the Minoans also believed in animal-headed demons. - Although long thought to be a peaceful people, recent evidence uncovered at a temple structure near one of the palaces shows that the Minoans engaged in human sacrifice. To date, however, only one such archaeological find has been made. - Minoans buried their dead in pottery jars. - The Minoans were primarily a mercantile people engaged in overseas trade - The most apparent characteristic of Minoan religion was that it was polytheistic and matriarchal, that is, a goddess religion; the gods were all female, not a single male god has been identified until later periods.

//**Minoan Civilization**// 24 April 2009 [] []
 * //Minoans: Religons//** 24 April 2009 [|http://wsu.edu/~dee/MINOA/RELIGION.HTM]

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