Sacred caves of Crete

Sacred caves and peak sanctuaries are characteristic holy places of ancient Minoan Crete. Most scholars agree that sacred caves were used by the Minoans for religious rites. While all peak sanctuaries have clay human figurines, only Idaeon and Psychro have them among the sacred caves. Clay body parts, also called votive body parts, common among peak sanctuaries, appear in no caves with the exception of a bronze leg in Psychro.

Eastern and East-Central Sacred Caves

• Psychro (also called the Diktaean Cave)
• Phaneromeni
• Skotino
• Liliano (this cave has never been found by archaeologists)
• Arkalochori

South-Central Sacred Caves

• Kamares

Western Sacred Caves

• Mameloukou

References

Jones, Donald W. 1999 Peak Sanctuaries and Sacred Caves of Minoan Crete ISBN 91-7081-153-9