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Minoan Religion was a religion of the Bronze Age Minoan civilization. A type of polytheism in a larger group of religions of the Ancient Near East, and a prehistoric religion, an interpretation of possible cult practice and mythology is based on evidence recovered archaeologically. Postulated Minoan sacred symbols include the bull and its horns of consecration, the labrys (double-headed axe), and the serpent. ==Cultic practice== The Minoans seem to have worshiped primarily goddesses, which has been described as a "matriarchal religion". However, as the Minoan script is still a mystery we have no translated Minoan religious documents to work with. Professor Nanno Marinatos states that "The hierarchy and relationship of gods within the pantheon is difficult to decode from the images alone."〔 We can assume from the prevalence of female images in ritual contexts that the Minoans worshipped one or more Goddesses. We also know that animals played an important role in their rituals, particularly snakes and bulls. However, any attempt at this point to make definite statements about their mythology or spiritual practices is inferential at best. Some of these depictions of women are speculated to be images of worshipers and priestesses officiating at religious ceremonies as opposed to the deity herself, there seem to be several goddesses, including a Mother Goddess of fertility, a Mistress of the Animals, a protectress of cities, the household, the harvest, and the underworld. They are often represented by serpents, birds, poppies, and a somewhat vague shape of an animal upon the head. Some archaeologists suggest the goddess was linked to the "Earthshaker", a male represented by the bull and the sun, who would die each autumn and be reborn each spring. However, current perceptions are oriented towards a female solar goddess,〔(Evidence of Minoan Astronomy and Calendrical Practises )〕〔Marinatos, Nanno. ''Minoan Kingship and the Solar Goddess: A Near Eastern Koine'' (2013).〕 and in this light bull symbolism was most likely lunar in nature.〔()〕 Károly Kerényi believed that the most important goddess was Ariadne, daughter of King Minos and ''mistress of the labyrinth'' who is identified in Linear B (Mycenean Greek) tablets in Knossos. Though the notorious bull-headed Minotaur is a purely Greek depiction, seals and seal-impressions reveal bird-headed or masked deities. Retrieval of metal and clay votive figures, double axes, miniature vessels, models of artifacts, animals, and human figures has identified sites of cult, such as numerous small shrines in Minoan Crete, and mountain peaks and very numerous sacred caves over 300 have been explored were the centers for some cult, but temples, as the Greeks developed them, were unknown.〔Kerenyi 1976, p. 18; Burkert 1985, p. 24ff.〕 Within the palace complex, no central rooms devoted to a cult have been recognized other than the center court, where youths of both sexes would practice the bull-leaping ritual. There are no Minoan frescoes that depict any deities. One of the cultic figures of ancient Crete and later of the Mycenaeans is known as the Minoan Genius. This was a fantastic creature with similarities both to the lion and the hippopotamus, which implies a connection with ancient Egypt. This deity played a role as a protector of children, and also in various fertility rituals. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Minoan religion」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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