Who is the Minoan Snake Goddess? What are her functions? How do we worship her? Here are some resources to help you learn more about the Minoan Snake Goddess.
In my introduction to the Minoan Snake Goddess, I described how we don’t know if there even was a Minoan Snake Goddess. We have not deciphered Minoan writing. The Greek and Roman myths about King Minos, the Minotaur, and other Minoan figures come hundreds of years after the collapse of the Minoan civilisation. Still, the wasp-waisted figure Sir Arthur Evans found in 1903 captured the public imagination. The Goddess Movement helped cement her place in feminist theology and contemporary Paganism.
Learning more about the Minoan Snake Goddess means turning to history and archaeology and learning more about Aegean Bronze Age and the Minoan civilisation. You’ll have to fill in the rest. Here is a working collection of resources to help you learn more about the Minoan Snake Goddess.
Papers and books
Much of what I know about the Minoans comes from reading academic papers and books. There are many books about the Aegean Bronze Age, the Minoans, and the excavations. These books can be dry and pricey.
Academic journals are a treasure trove. Unfortunately, some academic databases are locked behind paywalls, or you must be associated with a university to access them. However, academic search engines can help you find articles freely available online.
For academic research, I also recommend Academia and JSTOR. Both are freemium services. Academia lets you find, read, and download papers for free. You can also connect with academics. Academia Premium unlocks features such as mentions and analytics. Register for free at JSTOR and you’ll be able to read up to 100 free articles a month. If you want to access more articles, you can subscribe for a monthly or annual fee, which includes downloads. If you’re not a subscriber, you can download articles for a fee each.
I also recommend Caroline Tully, a scholar of ancient religion and a Witch. You can find her research papers online and she sometimes presents on these subjects. Visit her website, Necropolis Now.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of contemporary Pagan work on the Minoans that is accessible. Thank goddess for Laura Perry and her community.
Laura Perry is a well-known Pagan priestess, author, and artist. She is the founder of Modern Minoan Paganism, the author of Labrys and Horns: An Introduction to Modern Minoan Paganism, and the creator of the Minoan Tarot. Laura also writes about the Minoan Path at Witches & Pagans and leads a related Facebook group also called Ariadne’s Tribe.
Ellen Lorenzi-Prince, creator of the Dark Goddess Tarot and Tarot of the Crone, also created a Minoan Tarot.
Finally, be sure to check out all my blog entries about the Minoan Snake Goddess.
Videos
Here is a YouTube playlist I have created with videos on the Aegean Bronze Age and the Minoan civilisation. I will continue to add to it.
Beginning and advancing your practice
Learning about Minoan Snake Goddess and the Minoan civilisation through books, articles, lectures, and other educational resources is important, but it will only get you so far in terms of a modern Pagan practice. If you want to connect with the Minoan Snake Goddess and other Minoan figures, you’ll have to experiment.
You don’t need anything to get started. You don’t need any supplies to call on the Minoan Snake Goddess, meditate on her, speak to her, invite her to reveal herself to you, and listen.
Your next step might be to set up a shrine or altar. My shrine includes a statue by Sacred Source, a decorative metal serpent that appears to be in motion, and a little bottle containing snake skin. For my altar this year, I’ve added a piece of fabric that appears to be snake skin, a blue altar cloth, blue candle, and the Snake Goddess card from the Goddesses of the New Light oracle deck by Pamela Matthews.
You can advance your practice in a variety of ways. Learning more about the Minoan civilisation will give you more to study and consider exploring in your practice. For example:
- contemplating the labyrinth
- the symbolism of the labrys
- other figures, such as Ariadne and the Minotaur
- the animals and fantastical creatures that frequently appear, such as the snake, bull, lion, and gryphon
- the importance of caves and nature
You’ll need to be a good listener, discerning, and creative to build a Minoan practice or incorporate the Minoan religion into your Pagan practice.
Come back from time to time. I’ll add more resources to this page.
