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Studies have shown that art has a distinct ways of representing the beliefs and culture of a society in the way they depict several works. Perhaps one of the most common constructs in the human society is the construct of gender. It is depicted in various ways including in the way female goddesses were depicted. Sexual objectification and subordination are aspects that were often associated with femininity. However, one of the most spectacular things about this construct as is associated with art is the trait of grace and beauty that is often associated with female characters in paintings, drawings, or even sculptures. The Minoan Snake Goddess, perhaps one of the most notable figures from the neo-palatial age is a feminine figurine that depicts a woman holding a snake in both hands. Discovered in the Minoan by Arthur Evans, the “Snake Goddess” is one of the two figurines found in the archeological site and is perceived to exemplify many of the perceptions of the ancient Minoans. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this piece of art is not just the antiquity that it embodies, but the fact that it may be a representation of a culture that has not been intrinsically explored. In addition to that, the figurine is a representation of the intricate position of art in ancient civilization as well as the meticulousness that the sculptor exemplifies in the representation of not just a deity but femininity in the Minoan culture. The reader will gain an in-depth understanding of the ancient sculpture and relate its physical features and appeal to the context of the period.
Subject
Evans initially called his discovery ”The Votary.” However, he would later call it the ”Snake Goddess” with the other figurine known as the ”Snake Princess.” It is notable that the current state of the figurine in the museum is not as it was found during discovery. When discovered, the figurine was missing its head. Most of its hat was also missing as well as its right arm and the lower part of the snake held in the right hand. Besides, the figure was also missing a large segment of its skirt as it is today. The partial reconstruction of the figurine began upon the discovery of part of its hat and was eventually finalized with the addition of the left forearm holding an entirely speculative snake and the head. Perhaps one aspect that has elicited the most intriguing debates on the ”Snake Goddess” is the name chosen for it by Arthur Evans.
After the change of name to ”Snake Goddess” the implication of the figuring and its symbolism in the lives of the Minoans is a question that many archeologists do not seem to finalize. Some studies suggest that the figure depicted the way of life of the Minoans and in particular regards to the way of dressing of the women. In this case, women in the Minoan culture are supposed to have dressed in a tight bodice that often left the breasts bear, a long flounced skirt with overlaps, and an apron made of embroidered material with woven decoration (Lapatin 40). However, the symbolism of the tiara on the head of the figure may have implied a deity of some sort. In this light, it is essential to understand the symbolism of the snakes. Snakes, in ancient mythology, in most cases exemplified the renewal of life or the beginning of it due to their ability to shed their skin. In this regard, the ”Snake Goddess” may have been a goddess of fertility and especially in relation to the fertility of the earth. However, as Arthur Evans believed the figurine to be a depiction of a deity, it is prudent to note that there is no substantial evidence in Crete where the figurines were found and are currently situated to substantiate the alleged symbolism of the figure. Nevertheless, as a religious figure, it is obvious that the figurine would be found in the house sanctuaries as the ”goddess of the household” due to its representation of fertility (abundance). With the discovery of several goddesses is debatable whether the ”Snake Goddess” represented a single deity or several deities with different functions in Crete.
Visual Analysis
Medium
The medium of the ”Snake Goddess” is clay. This can be explained by the fact that most of the figurines of goddesses and ritual equipment discovered in shrines outside the palatial dwellings of Knossos were primarily in clay. Besides, it is obvious that the adoption of pottery that was essentially in clay revolutionized art in the Neolithic period across the Asia-Pacific region during that age. As such, it is definite that the figurine was in clay.
Size
The figurine is a relatively large figure with the skirt being the most dominant feature of it. The skirt comprises of seven overlapping flounces with the lower edge of the first six overhanging the upper edge of the seventh one below. The last flounce covers the feet and touches the ground. Visually, the flounces seem to be made of several square panels arranged sequentially each measuring about 12 to 15 centimeters. With the torso of the figuring measuring roughly a third of the skirt, it is apparent that the entire sculpture would be at least 112 centimeters in full length.
Shape
This is a three dimensional figure as it is an artifact of a goddess. The artifact has no definite background on which it is placed. It is a figure that can be moved from place to place and detached from its original place of discovery. In this regard, the figure of the ”Snake Goddess” is not a relief sculpture but a sculpture on the round. It is, therefore, apparent that the sculptor intended to have the figure viewed from all sides and all angles. As a clay figure, it is quite obvious that the figure was molded and not sculpted from a particular medium. The figure is currently located in the Harakleion Archeological Museum in Crete. With its significance closely tied with the history of ancient Crete civilization, it is quite obvious that the viewing location of the figure bears the significance of its historical ties. Closely related to households it is obvious that the household environment would imply the religious importance to which the owners place on it.
It is also prudent to note the combination of shapes in the figure itself. The flounces are made of several square panels sown together in a horizontal strip. The alternating panels alternate in a vertical pattern thus creating a checkerboard effect. Over the hips, there is an overhanging tongue-shaped apron bordered with several patterned stripes. It is quite obvious that the artist was keen on the regularity of the patterns depicted especially in the clothing and garments of the figure. The shapes are seen in the lines and the overlapping of the clothing.
Light
It is quite obvious that the figure depicts different aspects of lighting as seen in the shadings that the artist employs. The artist gives more light on the breasts and the hands. Perhaps the light on the breasts are essentially in underlining the femininity of the figure. However, owing to the fact that the sculpture had to be reconstructed, the light parts of the sculpture are probably a depiction of the difference in age between the various parts. Nevertheless, it is quite obvious that the light is not equally distributed on the figure with the right hand side being much brighter than the left. Perhaps it is prudent to note the apparent shadow formed by the face on the left shoulder of the figurine.
Color
The figure depicts various shades of color. Diverse hues of brown are dominant on the figure with the shades being applied to different parts of the figure. For instance, the headgear and the face are the darkest shades of brown with the upper arms depicting various shades of the same color. The skirt also contains various shades of brown with the right side being lighter. This is perhaps a depiction of the unequal rays of light on the figure. Besides the different shadings on the arms and the breasts, it is quite obvious that the artist restricts themselves to limited colors and the figure appears almost monochromatic.
Texture
The organization of the lines in the sculpture gives it a rough texture. Likewise, the unsystematic organization of the colors on the figurine, the visual depiction of the sculpture is that of a rough texture. The visual representation of the figure may not necessarily be the actual texture of the figure. The fact that it is in a museum implies that it is probably dusted and thus smooth to the feel.
Space
Real space is a three-dimensional aspect and refers to the feeling of depth or the dimensions. It is quite obvious that the figure is three-dimensional figure being that it is a round sculpture with a lot of free space. However, the figure appears rather bulky and rugged. With the inconsistency in hues and intensity of color, it is apparent that the appearance of the figure makes it look quite rugged.
Line
Lines play an important part in the production of this figure. The lines on the sculpture play essential roles towards the form and the general outlook of the figurine. For instance, lines are used for decorative purposes on the clothing of the goddess. On the tongue shaped girdle on the waist of the figure, the lines crisscross each other to form a checkerboard pattern to decorate it. The lines are also used to show the different elements such as the flounces and the overlaps. On the arms, the lines are part of the decorative body art. Despite the obvious functions of lines on the figure, it is quite obvious that there is no particular direction towards which the lines are directed. Besides, the lines are not defined or distinguished.
Formal Comparison
The aspect of a goddess or a deity holding snakes was a common depiction of several ancient deities for different purposes. The Minoan Snake Goddess has often been compared to these goddesses including the Egyptian goddess Renenutet (Lapatin 12). This was the goddess of nourishment and harvest in Egypt. Comparatively, the ”Snake Goddess” depicted fertility both for the household and the earth and can be easily compared to the abundance depicted by the Egyptian goddess. Further, there is a depiction of the snake in both figures. However, while the Minoan goddess held the snakes in her hands, the Egyptian deity was depicted as a woman with the head of a cobra. The symbolism of the snake in both instances is based on its ability to shed off its skin. The visual elements shared between the two artworks and representative of the period include the use of color, spaces, light, line, texture, shape, size, and the main medium clay. The period was clearly focused on having a physical figure full of symbols that portray certain ideas and present to the people with an intention of carrying specific messages and explaining cultural undertakings including sacrificing he nest fruits to the goods.
Also, while the ”Snake Goddess” was discovered as a sculpture, the depictions of the Renenutet were first discovered in tombs of the pharaohs (Hall 39). Most notably is the fact that it was the depiction of the goddess that was worn on the crowns of the pharaohs and its significance implies that its drawings were often found on walls of shrines and palaces as well as pharaonic tombs.
Some of the
Artist: Unknown
Title: Renenutet
Date: c. 1200 BCE
Location: Knossos, Crete
Contextual Analysis
The Minoan culture existed on the island of Crete from 2600 to 1100 BC. This was a civilization that has been described as the earliest of its kind in Europe after having been discovered by Arthur Evans. The culture got its name from King Minos of the age of pottery of the same time. With more than 90 cities in Crete it is quite obvious that religion played a significant role in the structure of the society. The Minoans were capitally traders and craftsmen and the influence of their economic activities is also visible in ancient Egyptian discoveries in ceramics and pottery. The religious organization of the people depicted strict reverence to great goddesses with the senior deities being women. The implication of this was a matriarchal system of the society. However, unlike most traditional religions, there does not seem to be an apparent hierarchy of the gods of the Minoans (Wallace 50). The collapse of the Minoan civilization is attributed to several factors. In the late Minoan period, it is alleged that there was an eruption of the Thera Volcano. However, the Minoans managed to survive the catastrophe and rebuild their settlements. In 1450 BC, however, it is alleged that the Minoan culture was quashed by a terrific earthquake then followed by a volcano. Despite the fact that most of the Knossos area remained intact after the series of calamities, the Minoans were significantly weakened and overrun by the Mycenaean Greeks (53).
Conclusion
The ”Snake Goddess” is an existing piece of art that seems to have survived the calamities that highlighted the culture it intricately represents. In its presentation, the sculpture represents a lady holding two snakes and may be taken to represent several aspects of the Minoan culture both socially and religiously. Socially, it is apparent that the deity represents the position of the women in the Minoan system. As a deity, the figure represents the religious belief of a culture that would ultimately be faced by a series of calamities leading to its downfall. The artist may be unknown, but the meticulous work on the artifact underscore the position of art in the Neolithic period and its significance in the Minoan way of life.
Works Cited
Hall, James. Illustrated dictionary of symbols in Eastern and Western art. Routledge, 2018.
Lapatin, Kenneth. ”Mysteries of the snake goddess.” Art, Desire, and the Forging of History (2002).
Varner, Gary R. The Gods of Man: Gods of Nature-God of War. Lulu. com, 2007.
Wallace, Saro. Ancient Crete: From Successful Collapse to Democracy’s Alternatives, Twelfth- Fifth Centuries BC. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
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