Hello,
John wrote:
> I was of the belief that labyrinth comes from the labyris - the
double axe, that was found throughout the Aegean,<
Well, as far as I know this notion has been given up years ago, although I
never understood neither the necessary connection of 'labrys' (said to be
the Lycian word for double-axe in a Greek text from much later) with the
labyrinth nor the other standpoint that said it couldn't be connected for
linguistic reasons (is anybody able to explain why?).
The connection may well have been the other way round: 'labrys' for
double-axe left over from times where chthonic rituals in
underground-temples (from Crete? from the Pelasgian Aegean?or from an ever
larger background?) known as labyrinths.
I don't see any reason for a >linguistic and ethnic divide between northern
and southern Aegean<, so I can't follow this argument. From all I know about
'Pelasgian' it was attributed to the whole eastern Mediterranean (including
Crete) - placenames seem to show that fact. And the belief that the
labyrinth was spread (or even originated) from Crete relies mainly on the
widespread trading connections the Minoans and Myceneans had that are seen
as the only possible means of spreading a symbol like the labyrinth as far
as Ireland (even more interesting when taking into account that there is a
myth from Ireland saying some of their oldest forbears, the Milesians, had
come from Crete - from our village still bearing the telltale name
'Milatos', by the way also said to have founded Miletus in western
Anatolia - :-))
But if you ask me what I think, John, I don't even believe Crete is the
'Pelasgian Urheimat' (but certainly the most important place of use in terms
of cultural connections). I see the Pelasgian culture as 'sitting' on all
the coasts of the Aegean (possibly from Neolithic times) and heavily
influencing the later cultures and languages of the same area - or even
plainly developing into them (because I don't see any reason that Pelasgian
was not a (P)IE language). As we don't know enough about the Minoan Language
(Linear A 'texts' - i.e. mainly accounts with hardly any grammar to be
seen - fill just about as much as 4 A4 pages - not more!) to judge, we must
wait for more archaeological proof.
It is certainly true that the Minoans were the only people with systematic
seafaring abilities who crossed the Mediterranean (and left their relics
around), but I personally have the gut-feeling (nothing more!) that they
were - linguistically - only the best known representatives (because of
their seafaring) of a group of people(s?) living in the eastern Aegean. This
gut-feeling I might still substantiate with some ideas (I believe not very
relevant here, except from the one that Lin.A has been found - in two small
proofs only! - in western Anatolia and Israel), but to say anything else
would be pure speculation (or wishful thinking).
The actual pattern of the so-called 'Cretan Labyrinth' is not even proved
for Minoan times - they had only certain inconographic fore-runners as
spirals and meanders said to have developed into the actual shape (this may
or may not be true...), but certainly the 'idea' of labyrinth goes back to
Minoan times and Pelasgian origins (or even those before???)
Does all this 'I don't know enough' satisfy you, John?
Best wishes from Crete
Sabine