Judith Hand : Voice of the Goddess

Discovering Extraordinary, Dazzling Minoan Crete

Imagine you're a time traveler who lands in the heart of a city in an earth culture someplace, sometime. You're not sure when or where, but the sun challenges your eyes with its sharp brightness and the air on your skin is warm. You imagine you smell a hint of the sea. Before you stands a vast, sprawling building that, in some places, rises six stories high. And from it emerges a woman dressed in the most extraordinary manner. Her flamboyantly colored ankle-length gown is cut away in front so that her breasts are exposed above a waist so slender you know she must wearing a corset, and most likely has done so from an early age.

From the novel Voice of the Goddess

You try not to stare at her breasts - all the time wondering at the possible significance of such a gown - while she explains that she is the high priestess of these people, and that the vast building is their greatest temple. She welcomes you warmly and assigns a lovely young woman to be your hostess and escort during your visit.

After a few days, it's evident that this world is pre-iron-age; metal objects are only of copper and bronze. And travel is mostly by foot or cart. But it's a high culture, graced with writing and fine architecture. Their large cities have paved roads, three-story townhomes and, to your astonishment, flush toilets. Their art is elegant, a celebration of religious themes and nature. Their jewelry is of such delights as delicately worked gold, ivory, and faience. And you find no locks on their doors.

This is 1620 BC in the Mediterranean ocean, a millenium and a half before Christ. This is the island world of Crete.

So you think of the myth of King Minos who, it has been said, ruled on Crete in ancient times. And of the Greek hero, Theseus, who came here with other youths as captives from the mainland. By slaying the dreadful minotaur - a half-bull, half-man monster who lived in the bowels of the labyrinth that is likely the very temple where you saw the priestess - Theseus freed his companions, and with the help of the princess, Ariadne, escaped himself. But as you explore now, there are no signs of a king. And the time is hundreds of years before the rise of the Greek city-states.

"Snake goddess," 11.5" tall, found carefully buried at Knossos)

Imagine finally that although their world can boast of seven major cities, and many smaller ones, there is not now and apparently never has been warfare between these cities. And you discover that their highest deity is female, the goddess Potnia.

The above experience is very like what happened to me when I discovered the world of ancient Crete. I thought, Women of influence, a peaceful existence, and a chief deity who is female! I must learn more about these people, and if they prove to be as remarkable as first contact suggests, I must to write their story!

(coming next: Celebration of life, not war - a culture's art reflects its soul)