Snake Goddess from the palace at Knossos, Crete, Greece. 1600 BCE, Minoan.  faience p

Snake Goddess from the palace at Knossos, Crete, Greece. 1600 BCE, Minoan. 

• faience pottery; fired at low temperature. quartz with glaze. measured 1’ 1 ½" high.
• prominent breasts, emphasized by pinched waist. white body, red face. wide eyes. 
• perhaps not a goddess, but rather a priestess/religious attendant
• why were women associated with religion? by nature, thought of as motherly. literally not the same person every day. natural cycles made women earthly, connected with the earth.natural morality. guardians of the temple meant they were guardians of morality. association with animals
• snakes beneficial to greek civilization. ancient greece was prone to earth quakes. snakes were considered a key indicator that earth quakes were coming. considered revered for their ability to detect disaster. represent rebirth: shedding of skin metaphorical for a new life. stand their ground when threatened; also considered guardian
• rabbit on her head
• seen as goddess because of her dominance over these animals. must have a lot of confidence to hold snakes like she is
• errant pose signifies openness and humility.