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Snake Goddess indicates figurines of a woman holding a snake in each hand found during excavation of Minoan archaeological sites in Crete dating from approximately 1600 BCE. These figurines were found only in house sanctuaries, where the figurine appears as "the goddess of the household", and they are probably related with the Paleolithic tradition regarding women and domesticity.〔Walter Burkert (1985). ''Greek Religion''. Harvard University Press. pp.23,30 ISBN 0-674-36281-0〕 ==Figurines== The first 'Snake Goddess' figurines to be discovered were found by the British archaeologist Arthur Evans in 1903, in the temple repositories〔Bonney, Emily M.. "Disarming the Snake Goddess: a Reconsideration of the Faience Figurines from the Temple Repositories at Knossos." Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology. 24.2 (2011): 171-190.〕 of Knossos. The figurines are made of faience, a technique for glazing earthenware and other ceramic vessels by using a quartz paste. This material symbolized in old Egypt the renewal of life, therefore it was used in the funeral cult and in the sanctuaries. After firing this produces bright colors and a lustrous sheen. These two figurines are today exhibited at the Herakleion Archeological Museum in Crete. It is possible that they illustrate the fashion of dress of Minoan women: a tight bodice which left the breasts bare, a long flounced skirt, and an apron made of material with embroidered or woven decoration. The larger of these figures has snakes crawling over her arms up to her tiara. The smaller figure holds two snakes in her raised hands, which seems to be the imitation of a panther.〔F.Schachermeyer.''Die Minoische Kultur des alten Kreta''.(1964).W.Kohlhammer Verlag Stuttgart. p.143〕 These were usually symbols of an earth goddess. In particular, one of the snake goddesses was found in few pieces apart, and was later filled with a solution of paraffin to preserve it from further damage.〔A Statuette of the Minoan Snake Goddess: Gift of Mrs. W. Scott Fitz L. D. C. Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin , Vol. 12, No. 73 (Dec., 1914), pp. 51-55 Published by: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4423650〕 The goddess is depicted just as in other statues (crown on head, hands grasping snakes and so on…) The expression on her face is described as lifelike, and is also wearing the typical Minoan dress. Also another figure found in Berlin, made of bronze, looks more like a snake charmer with the snakes on top of her head. Many Minoan statues and statuettes seem to express a sort of pride.〔 Clay sculptures with raised hands and curling snakes were found in the "house of the double axes" in Knossos, in Asine, in Gournia, and in Myrtos. Objects with snakes curling up the sides of clay-tubes were also found in Cyprus and Palestine. 〔 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「Snake Goddess」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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