pothos.org

This summer the excavation inb the palace of Zominthos in Crete resumed and excquisite artifacts were unraveled. Among the palace ruins this bronze double bladed axe was found, a characteristic tool for both ceremonial and practical uses.

http://www.archaiologia.gr/wp-content/u ... 2015_5.jpg

I am sending this because if I remember well ther has been a discussion already in this forum about double axes but I cannot remember when.
The palace of Zominthos that the great Greek archaeologist Giannis Sakelarakis found, by asking a sheep herder what was the name of the place he placed his sheep (!) is located on an altitude of 1200 m. and has an unusual minoan architecture.

What made an impression on me was the stattuete of a man placing his hand on his eyes and therefore cloding them in order to protect his sight from gazing at the gods, as mentioned by Sakelaraki's wife (also an archaeologist who excavated the palace).

http://www.archaiologia.gr/wp-content/u ... 61x338.jpg

But I do have some reservations to this theory. The only story of blindness due to divine presence we have after that period is from Semeli's punishment.

Anyway these religious artifacts bear great investigation as well as professional archaeological testimony.

Hi, system1988!
Thanks for posting other photos from the Sparta's excavations! It seems that the man apparently covering his eyes is very similar to the bronze figurine I have seen in Heraklion Museum (Case 89, no.1831). The same scholar, J. A. Sakellarakis, describes it as follows: "A feature of this, as of all the human figures, is the dramatic rendering of the forward movement of the body and the ritual gestures of the hands - the votaries place one hand on the forehead (see above) or to the breast (Case 89, no.1832) to indicate the awe they feel in the presence of the deity." (Herakleion Museum, Athens 1987, p. 68)