Description: This book presents the pottery and the clay and metal sculptures dedicated to the deity Eileithyia in her shrine at Inatos, in southern Crete. This is the second of three planned volumes on this assemblage of specialized gifts to a unique goddess. It follows the Egyptiaka from the shrine that were published in volume I. The clay vessels are discussed by periods, from the Minoan to the Roman Imperial era. Clay figurines are divided by classes. Separate chapters describe models and other items of clay, including boat models, a ring-shaped frieze of dancing warriors, animal figurines, and Roman lamps. Highlights of this important assemblage of votive objects include about 200 Minoan miniature vessels and many small sculptures from the Late Geometric to Archaic periods, including seated pairs of female figurines in preparation for childbirth, sexually embracing couples, and a boat model with standing female figures on the gunwales accompanying a fetus traveling in the vessel.
Brief description: Philip P. Betancourt is the Laura H. Carnell Professor Emeritus of Aegean Prehistoric Art and Archaeology at Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University. He is the author or editor of an extensive series of books and other scholarly publications that primarily deal with research on the Minoan civilization of the Aegean Bronze Age. He has been honored with many awards including an honorary doctorate from the University of Athens, and in 2003 he was awarded the Gold Medal for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement from the Archaeological Institute of America. Athanasia Kanta is former director of the Heraklion Archaeological Museum in Crete, which houses the world's greatest collection of artifacts from the Minoan civilization (3100-1050 B.C.). She has participated in over 100 digs on the island. In addition to the Shrine of Eileithyia at Inatos, Kanta directs several excavation projects including the religious center of the Minoan town of Knossos, the palatial complex at Monastiraki where wine and textiles were produced, the Minoan sanctuary at the cave of Skoteino, a Late Neolithic cemetery at Aposelemis, and a Neolithic cave at Pelekita. Kanta has published several books about her excavations such as the three-volume set on Monstiraki.