A Neophyte Bull-Leaper’s First Leap (a poem)

/ Rei Arkangelakis / Leave a comment

a mythological poetic story about a nervous yet brave novice bull-leaper (inspired by “The Bull-Leaping Fresco” and Martis, the main character of Eleanor Kuhn’s book “On the Horns of Death”)

an ivory figurine of a bull-leaper recovered from Knossos, 1600–1500 BCE

Body frozen in place by neophyte’s first-leap nerves.
Neither a blink nor a breath as she nears her turn.

First, it is her soul who leaps out of her chest and enters the ring
as a bull white as ivory charges towards her in full swing,
galloping hooves syncing with her quickening heartbeat.

And so, she grabs the creature by the horns and flips,
ironclad her determination and grip,
then smooth as still sea, vaults over its back,
landing feet first assuredly upon the sand.

But as her turn arrives in real-time, she averts her eyes
and side-steps, barely veering from her demise.
Her fellow leapers try to pull her from the bull’s line of sight,
yet she remains a pillar unmoving; she must give it another try.

So, as the bull comes back around,
heaving as it tires from countless rounds,
she takes a deep breath and braces herself,
and as if divinely guided by The Goddess,
grasps the beast by the horns with calloused hands,
vaults, and lands, freezing in place upon his coarse back.
Her arms quiver in both excitement and fear
while her comrades gasp and cheer.

a line drawing by Sir Arthur Evans depicting the steps of bull-leaping

A Union Blessed by The Minoan Snake Goddess (a poem)

/ Rei Arkangelakis / 2 Comments

a mythological poetic story inspired by the Minoan religion and their sacred rites

Black snakes coil down The Priestess’ arms,
and like fine silk in steady wind, slither upon
a stone pillar etched in Linear A,
where they entwine like DNA
alongside offerings of bull’s blood, honey, and olive oil.
All falls silent, between sky and soil.


It is then that The Priestess and her procession make a plea
to The Snake Goddess:

Hail, A-ta-no-dju-wa-ja,
Goddess of Fertility!
Bless this union as sacred as sea:
one a celebrated bull-leaper,
the other an adept healer.

May she, the contender of bulls, continue to leap unscathed.
May he, the alchemist of medicine, continue to restore the sick’s fate.
As souls united,
may their love remain requited.
May their children lead bountiful lives,
and may the lineage continue to thrive.

Both bride and groom reach their arms out towards the dual snakes,
and, as if by the Goddess’ decree, they reanimate
and start to coil up their adjacent arms and conjoin at the tails.
The blessing of Atana Potinija is now upon them!
The union shall, through devastation and elation, prevail!

a fresco of a Minoan bride and a groom. It is customary for women to be depicted as pale and men to be depicted as tan in Minoan frescoes.
a Minoan-fresco-inspired illustration of a Minoan bride and groom by Luisa Donber. It is customary for women to be depicted as pale and men to be depicted as tan in Minoan frescoes.

The Wildlife of Ancient Crete: Cretan Owl (Athene cretensis) 🦉

/ Rei Arkangelakis / 8 Comments

Long ago, during a time period far before Minoan civilization (the Pleistocene or Ice Age), the Cretan Owl dwelled and thrived before its untimely extinction. The last of this species tapered off after the island was inhabited by humans. While 130,000-year-old stone tools were found on Crete, denoting the brief settlement of early hominids, humans officially settled there around 6,500 BCE. Late Miocene (approximately 11 million years ago) fossil remains from Northeastern Hungary have been assigned to this genus of owls (Athene).

Athene cretensis’ first appearance was in a scholarly paper by paleontologist P.D.M. Weesie titled “A Pleistocene endemic island form within the genus Athene: Athene cretensis” (published in 1982).

a reconstruction of the Cretan owl

Key Traits of the Cretan Owl

At roughly 23 inches (60 centimeters), the Cretan owl towered over the present-day little owl (Athene noctua). Flightless or near-flightless, its short wings and long legs ensured a terrestrial advantage over its feathered counterparts. Its legs gradually lengthened over time. Athene cretensis also had a notably different humerus from other owls. The bone structure reflects the fact that this owl didn’t have any known predators, so flight wasn’t entirely necessary for its survival.

What the Cretan Owl Ate

Due to the Cretan owl pellets that were recovered from the Liko cave, this owl’s primary prey was rodents, but especially the endemic mouse Mus minotaurus, which was one of the largest in its genus.

Why the Cretan Owl Went Extinct

One of the likely reasons that A. cretensis went extinct is that its main food source also went extinct. The arrival of humans also introduced a new predator into the area that this bird didn’t need to worry about before. At that point, its ground-dwelling tendencies were a major disadvantage.

Source

“A Pleistocene endemic island form within the genus Athene: Athene cretensis” by P.D.M. Weesie