Location: Crete Island Map
Psychro Cave is one of the most legendary caves on the Crete Island. The legend claims that it was in this cave god Zeus was born by goddess Rhea. She did it in secret from Zeus' father god Kronos. Kronos was prophesized that one of his kids will overthrow him so he went on a wild rampage to kill all his kids. His wife Rhea managed to flee the wrath of her husband and hid in the Psychro Cave. Here Zeus also spent first years of his life. For centuries Psychro Cave drew many Greeks from across the Mediterranean basin. Multitude of peoples came to a sanctuary hidden deep inside the ground. During archeological site scientists discovered several altars devoted to the head of the Olympian Gods. Many figurines, pottery and other pieces were abandoned as sacrifices throughout the Psychro Cave. Today tourists can get to the Psychro Cave by overcoming a fairly steep climb. Impressive stalactites and stalagmites adore the ceiling, walls and floor of the intensive underground passages. If you have enough perseverance you might get to the underground lake, where according to legend Zeus was taking his first bath.
At the end of the 19th century, locals, mainly shepherds and
hunters, discovered many archeological objects in the cave. Since
then, a cycle of excavations began inside the cave, but to a limited
extent. Most of the finds come from illegal excavations and are kept
in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion and Oxford. Unfortunately,
because the cave was open, over the centuries, many important
objects are believed to have been removed.
The cave seems to
have been used as a place of residence and burial since 2800 BC. It
is speculated that around 2000 BC. Dikteo Cave became a place of
worship, taking the scepter from the most important cave of the Bank
until then, near the village of Marmaketo. Around 700 BC, he handed
over the scepters of worship to the Idea Cave of Psiloritis. Various
stone or animal-like forms appear to have played an important role
in worship.
Neolithic shells and Early Minoan burials were
found in the vestibule, while a rectangular altar rises here. The
offerings of the pilgrims, such as oil, honey, wine, grains,
sacrificial animals, were placed on the altar and then set on fire.
The remains from the burning were not thrown away, but were
collected on the side of the altar.
In excavations, 4 layers
of offerings and items of worship were found, ashes and bones or
animal horns and objects from the Neolithic, Minoan, Minoan,
Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman years,
highlighting its long-standing cultic use. In the deeper layer were
found pieces of stone tables of offerings, in one of which there is
an inscription Linear writing A '. Among the items found are small
cups, fruit bowls, double bronze axes with their stone base, stone
lamp legs, clay chamber vessels, bronze figurines, animal dummies,
sword blades, knives, swords and votive offerings.
In the
lower chamber, near the entrance, a mosque was found, a cobblestone
and a large wall enclosing the space. Traces of ash, Late Minoan
pits and reliefs, bronze weapons, knives and pins, a metal cult
statuette, as well as geometric and archaic votive offerings were
found above the cobblestones. Numerous votive offerings were found
in the alluvium of the great hall and between stalagmites, while in
various pits were found spearheads and spearheads, knives, razors,
needles, figurines, votive dummies, 18 bronze or bronze double axes.
Pottery shells, gemstones depicting bulls and goats, necklace beads,
small crystal spheres, rings and bronze, gold and silver wreaths
were also found on the floor. Characteristic here is the absence of
iron objects (in the vestibule abound) and zodiac signs. In the
mantle chamber were found human figures, double axes, precious
jewelry, spears, spears, needles, etc.
The worship of
Aphrodite and Ariadne
The abundance of weapons and swords found
in the cave could lead to the thought that a war deity was worshiped
in it. Most of the finds in the Cave of the Cold (women's votive
offerings, hair tweezers, needles, rocket ends, shuttles, hairpins,
necklaces, etc.) are more appropriate to worship a goddess, not a
god. Some of the statuettes of women with bare and bulging breasts
are of the Aphrodite Pandemic type. Other findings and tributes are
related to the agricultural activities of the donors. It is
therefore possible that a Minoan-type goddess was worshiped in the
cave. Reliefs on a small bronze plate are reminiscent of worship of
Heavenly Venus.
In Cretan mythology, three heroines were closely associated with
the tradition of Minos: Pasiphae, Ariadne and Phaedra. Many
archaeologists believe that Ariadne is closer to the deity of the
Cold, and with her, her lover Dionysus.
Fauna
Wild pigeons and other species of birds nest in the vestibule of
the cave. Various species of bats have been observed nesting in the
chambers of the Lower Cave. The Mediterranean ottoman and cavernous
arthropods stand out.
The myths of the cave
Most scholars
identify the Cold Cave with the "Diktaion Andron" known from
Mythology, as Hesiod mentions, where Zeus was born and raised with
the help of Amalthea and the Kourites. That is why it is also called
the Bethlehem of the Ancient World. The same cave was associated
with stories such as the soothsayer Epimenides who "slept" here, the
union of Zeus with Europe and the birth of Minos, the Harpies, etc.
According to legend, there was an oracle that said that Saturn
would be killed by his son, so Saturn ate his children to protect
himself. Thus, Rhea resorted to the Diktaion Cave to give birth to
the father of all the gods, Zeus, secretly from Saturn. Rhea tricked
Saturn and, instead of the baby, let him devour a rock wrapped in
the baby's nappies. Then he left Zeus there in the cave to be raised
by the Diktaean Kourites, with the care of the goat Amalthea and the
nymph Melissa.
According to another legend, mortals were once forbidden to enter
the cave. However, bees nested in the cave, which had produced too
much honey. Contrary to the ban, four friends, Laios, Kerveros,
Koukoulos and Aiglios, entered the cave to get the honey. They wore
copper armor to avoid stings and entered. Then, in the cave, they
found the diapers from the birth of Zeus. Zeus then became angry and
struck them with lightning. But because no one could die in the
cave, Themis and the Squadrons transformed the four friends into
birds, who today are the Lai, the Cerberus, the Cuckoo and the
Glaucus.
A secondary legend wants King Minos to have been
born in the same cave as Zeus, that is, in the Diktaion Cave.
Another legend states that Minos came to Dikteo Cave every nine
years, when the orbits of the moon and the sun converge. Then he met
with his father, Zeus, and received the new laws to rule Crete. That
is why Minos was associated with absolute justice, a fact that made
him a judge in Hades when he died. This myth is a variation of the
prevailing one that wants this cave to be the Idea Cave.
Also, a variation of the well-known myth of Europe states that when
Zeus, in the form of a bull, stole Europe from Phenicia, he took it
with him to the Diktaion Cave, and not to Gortyna. There he revealed
his real face to her and they met. Their meeting resulted in the
birth of Minos, Radamanthis and Sarpedon.
Diktaio Andro, is
the magic cave that according to tradition the sage of antiquity
Epimenides fell asleep for 57 years. After waking up, he was the
same age but had acquired divine wisdom and knowledge.
According to mythology, Dikteo Cave was the cave where the Harpies
lived. The Harpies were female monsters in the form of birds and
with the head of a woman who were the messengers of Hades. They are
known for the history of Phineas' punishment.