Greece: Museums
Museum. A place to experience the inspirations of the muses. A place to ponder, to dream, to... muse.
Greece may have the most astounding collection of museums in the world. When she learned they allow photos (without flash), Susan was like a child in a candy shop (Susan was like Susan in a candy shop!) To be a photographer is to constantly face the choice to "be here now," (don't be distracted by picture taking), or come back later again and again by enjoying one's photo albums. Susan took LOTS of pictures. Now she wants to go back to really experience these places, especially the Archaeological Museum in Iraklion, Crete. It was in about room four of that museum that she had her epiphany, and found herself in tears. For the first time she actually realized -- felt -- that the Minoan civilization was not just a myth, but a real culture that went on for many hundreds of years, with female divinity at its center, and an explosion of creativity.
The museums we visited are all linked from the home page for this Greek travel album.
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Shirley enjoys the giant labryses of Crete, which she has wanted to experience
since first seeing them on the
Goddess Remembered video. |
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Steatite rhyton (drinking vessel)
in the shape of a bull's head.
The horns were gilded,
the eyes made of rock crystal
and the muzzle of
mother -of -pearl.
Crete, circa 1600 BC
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Female images from the Cycladic
island culture that flourished
4000 to more than 5000
years ago |
"Kissing bees" pendant
from Crete
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Head gangers, by Juanita |
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The octopus was a
frequent image in Cretan art.
(Crete is an island, and all of Greece is a peninsula.)
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Images of bird goddesses
proliferated in neolithic cultures.
This whimsical one caught
Susan's eye.
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