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King Minos is a mythical character, written as the son of the Greek god Zeus & Europa, a Phoenician woman of high rank. The reason we call the culture 'Minoan' is because that is what the gentleman archeaologist Sir Arthur Evans named it while excavating Knossos. Yet there is little evidence that such a king existed in history.

In reality, scant proof exists that kingship was the norm in ancient Crete. Sir Arthur Evans was so keen to find proof of King Minos (or any king for that matter) on the ancient painted frescoes of Knossos (where white-skinned women are depicted in more positions of power than their red-skinned men), that he actually defaced a fresco by painting over a high ranking female (or male acrobat) & turning her/him into his 'Prince of the Lilies.'

The actual archeaological evidence on Crete suggests that the "palace" of Knossos was really a religious center. The frescoes, altars, statuary, even the coins found are more often with images of priestesses (or goddesses) enacting rituals. There are labrys (double axe) images everywhere which was the symbol of Crete's mother goddess (not god, & certainly not king). The only fresco image possibly depicting a navy battalion being sent off is overseen by two white-skinned women at the very top of the 'Minoan' city. No 'kings' visible anywhere.

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13y ago

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