13 Comments
User's avatar
Suz Thackston's avatar

Ahhhh. I see where I made the mistake. With the Two Goddesses being referred to in Linear B, I thought it was Cretan. But it was Mycenaean.

Thank you!

Expand full comment
Suz Thackston's avatar

I'd love to learn more about Demeter and Persephone in the Minoan culture, as well as the Demeter/Poseidon connection.

Expand full comment
Laura Perry's avatar

Demeter and Persephone aren't really Minoan - they're part of the pre-Greek family of deities that belonged to the people who lived in mainland Greece before the arrival of the Indo-Europeans. They were borrowed into the Hellenic pantheon, where they've stayed ever since. But they do have counterparts in the Minoan family of deities: Rhea and Ariadne, who are the "main characters" in the Minoan version of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Here's the story as we've developed it in Ariadne's Tribe: https://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-paths-blogs/the-minoan-path/the-mysteries-the-cycle-of-being.html

Expand full comment
Lucya Starza's avatar

I specifically ask for certain slots usually. I find it works most of the time. For example, at the Sussex Faery Festival I always ask for Saturday early afternoon.

Expand full comment
Laura Perry's avatar

Most of the conferences and festivals I attend are quite large and can't usually accommodate those kinds of requests. But at smaller ones, I do sometimes ask for certain time slots.

Expand full comment
Linda Gemmill's avatar

Hi Laura, I am intrigued to know more about the Eleusinian Mysteries and how the Minoan goddesses featured within these with respect to ritual, if indeed they did! I would also love to know in general more about the Minoan goddesses, their mythology (pre-corruption of original stories) and associated rituals. And some practical application/journeying to finish with.

Expand full comment
Laura Perry's avatar

It's likely that there was a Minoan version of the Eleusinian Mysteries; in fact, some scholars believe the Mysteries began on Crete and were later taken to mainland Greece. Here's the Minoan version of the story as we've developed it in Ariadne's Tribe: https://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-paths-blogs/the-minoan-path/the-mysteries-the-cycle-of-being.html I'll be including the Mysteries, in a more poetic and eloquent manner, in the book of modern Minoan myths that I'm currently writing and illustrating. But in the meantime, I can share about each portion of the sacred calendar as we come to it - the Mysteries in particular take place in September.

As for the goddesses and their mythology, as well as rituals, I've covered all those in depth in my books, so I think it may be time to start sharing book excerpts on here. Maybe I'll work my way through the pantheon (we have gods as well, which surprises many people - the Minoans were fully polytheistic, just like all their Bronze Age neighbors).

Expand full comment
Linda Gemmill's avatar

Thank you Laura, im looking forward to diving into the linked post and your future posts on the goddesses/gods of Crete 💜

Expand full comment
Lucya Starza's avatar

When it comes to short talks/workshops as part of general pagan conferences I don't think the topic matters quite so much so long as the title and description are punchy and witty. Also the time of the event - not first thing in the morning and not clashing with other talks that are likely to be really popular.

Expand full comment
Laura Perry's avatar

That's good advice. Though with conferences and festivals, the presenters generally don't have any say in where their workshops are put on the schedule.

Expand full comment
Lucya Starza's avatar

Added to that I'd say talk about what you personally are interested in. Your passion for the subject will shine through and also you will enjoy writing the talk and teaching the subject.

Expand full comment
Sheena Cundy's avatar

What was their magic? How did they practice it? And what can it be used for in the modern day?

I'd be interested in that for sure.

Expand full comment
Laura Perry's avatar

Those are some very good questions that we currently only have educated guesses for. But it's definitely a subject worth exploring.

Expand full comment