Dikteon Cave, Childhood home of Zeus

On a hot day last week my guest Ian Murphy and I made the trek across Crete to Mount Ida and the Dikteon Cave.

It is about a three hour drive although less that 200 kilometres. Such is travelling on Crete through the rugged mountains. We took a wrong turn and discovered the wonderful village of Mochos- a place to which I certainly want to return.




















Zeus appears to have had his roots in Crete.

Many other places make this claim as well but this Canuck is convinced that it was here that Zeus came into existence in the minds of the people long ago. Why- because I can.

Before any written record that can be read Zeus was worshipped on Crete.

It may be that when the Linear A texts are deciphered [the Minoan writings] they will record an earlier version of Zeus' evolving story than previously known

According the oldest Greek myths Zeus was born to the sister and brother Rhea and Cronus

The goddess Rhea appear to mean "ground" or Mother Earth and she was mother to all the Olympian gods although not an Olympian herself. The second largest moon of Saturn is named for her.

Cronus had killed his own father - Uranus- to become the most powerful god and knew one of his children was to dethrone him.

So Cronus ate his sons and daughters as they were born so none could challenge him.




Rhea was disturbed by this pattern of behaviour so when the 6th child was born on Crete, Zeus, she tricked Cronus with a stone which he swallowed believing it to be Zeus.
She then secreted Zeus away to the Dikteon Cave, where he was raised by the nymph Adamanthea.




Cronus was the god of earth, air and water so hiding him was a challenge. Adamanthes suspended him on a rope in the middle of the cave so Cronus could not know where he was.

The Dikteon Cave is found within Mount Ida- the highest mountain on Crete at 2500 m or just over 8000 feet.


The mountains on Crete are quite dangerous as they are limestone and full of caves and holes into which many explorers and hikers have disappeared. Remember the old movie- "Journey to the Centre of the Earth?" The survivors of that movie emerged on Crete.


To get to this side of Mt Ida requires a trip across the spectacular Plateau of Lisithi and up to Psychro - which means the "cold village" and is one of the few villages in the Mediterrean that is above 800 meters. It gets several feet of snow in the winter.











I have a bad knee so I had an excuse to take a donkey so Dora took me to the top of the trail to the Dikteon Cave while Ian took the "scared way" and thus is a true worshipper of Zeus.

The cave is almost vertical and defends steeply into a cool, damp gloom. I can only imagine the ancient people with some sort of fire torch making their way down the treacherous rock falls with the slimy algae growths on the rock. The torch would have cast strange and terrifying images as the stalagmites and stalactites emerge from the ceiling and down the walls, walls etched in coatings akin to those found in the horror movie Alien 1.

The entrance to the cave is down a set of steep steps and care has to taken as these are damp and slippery.

This map of the cave depicts the stairways- not a boardwalk as I had first assumed when I saw it. 















The subdued cave lighting is just enough to make one's way around safely and to see the incredible rock formations yet dark enough to let the imagination wander. It is weird and magnificent at the same time and I can easily see why such a place was attributed spiritual significance for surely a god did live here.

According to an old legend mortals were forbidden to enter the scared cave. Laius, Cerberus, Celeus and Aegolius were determined to enter the cave to collect the sacred honey from the countless sacred bees that make this home.

Entering the cave they found the swaddling clothes of Zeus who was enraged and threw thunder bolts at them. I guess we could conclude they found themselves in deep "s..t on more than one level at the same time. But it was impossible to die in the sacred cave so Themis and the Fates turned the men into birds to save them from eternal torture at the hands of Zeus.

Another myth has it the Minos, king of the Minoans, met his father Zeus in this cave every nine years to receive the renewed laws of people.

This myth resulted in the myth that Minos became the absolute judge of all and after his death became the judge of Hades where all injustices of life were accounted for in the afterlife.

Another myth says that Minos was born in this cave. When Zeus abducted Europa from Phoenicia where she was a princess, he took her here and after their union Minos was born.

 Epimenides was attributed as being one the wisest men of he ancient world. He visited this cave and fell asleep. He awoke many years later having not aged but having acquired his great wisdom and insightful divine knowledge.

The Diktone Cave has been a special place for millennia and remains such a place to this day.

I feel wiser for just having been here

Worshippers throughout many centuries made their own pilgrimages to this cave to worship Zeus and offer sacrifices such as these incredible, but impractical, bronze shields from the Bronze age. These appear to have been buried in the cave as offerings to Zeus. 

Thank you for reading this post. I would welcome some feedback or questions and of course any inaccuracies that you may have found.

A Canuck visits Loutro- a hidden paradise

Loutro is a little isolated fishing and tourist village on the Libyan Sea, about an hour's drive across the White Mountains and a 20 minute trip by ferry from Chora Sfakia.


The following block of pictures are from
Chora Sfakia.

Anyone familiar with the Battle for Crete know that the British army had many "Dunkirks" in 1940-41.The Germans were pushing them hard everywhere.

On Crete the British had the first real opportunity to stop the Germans but the British were still working on old leadership ideas that were not good for war.

Incompetence at the top led to gross failure to prevent an invasion they knew was coming and had the resources to stop. The British retreat, together with the ANZACs [Australian and New Zealand forces], ended at Sfakia where most were rescued by Australian and British naval vessels.

These monuments commemorate their lives- those rescued and the 1000's who died.

The Cretans on the south end of Crete value their unique "tough" nature. Feuds still happen here.

This canon points to a dock where, last spring, 2 taxi drivers got into a fight over a pickup. One pulled a gun. Others got into it. Dozens of shots were fired. 4 were injured including the 2 taxi drivers. The police said "oh well- Sfakians".

While a little unusual the event is simply another example of life in Sfakia.



The following are ferry pictures between Sfakia and Loutro.






















yes- it is this blue here!













Crete is largely limestone and so extensive caves and cave systems are everywhere





























Loutro is peaceful. It is small. It feels like a village even though 95% of the people here in the summer are visitors.

It takes less than five minutes to walk from one side of Loutro to the other. It is composed of hotels,  tavernas, mini-markets, the "Blue Houses", the pebble beach, a church  and a few other buildings - that's it!

Loutro is somewhat unique. The blue white style of houses, most common in the Cyclades Island group but also found along parts of the south coast of Crete, contrast brilliantly with the steep, harsh, rock mountainsides, audibly decorated with the clinking of goat bells.
















































As the sun moves across the sky the mountains visibly change the panorama in view as its ark lights different aspects of the slopes forming the bowl. The bay is warm and sheltered. This is a magic place.

No road leads here. In fact there are no roads in Loutro. Therefore no mopeds, cars and trucks disturb contemplation, conversation and consumption of food and wine. 

According to the Bible it may have been the port where St Paul found shelter from a storm that shipwrecked him on his way to Rome. At least that is the story they are sticking too. 

Small, stunningly beautiful with a conscious decision to offer no nightlife or discos this is a peaceful place. It his composed multinationals staying in its closely grouped buildings.



During the day, even when all rooms are full, Loutro can feel almost empty - many have gone for a hike along the ocean side trails to private beaches and to sauté in the sun, read the summer stack of books, strolls, walks or try to meet the challenge of some serious hikes up the mountains. 

The ruins of the old Venetian fortifications litter the old hillside with walls, mostly collapsed houses and numerous other structure.














One can relax and gaze at the Libyan sea from the ruins on the hilltop, watch the ferries that ply the coastal waters regularly come and go. decide whether to read a few pages more or walk over the hill to one of the out lying tavernas or plot a route to Anopolis a thousand metres above...it's up to you. Time passes.

Loutro village was named for the baths (Loutro or Loutra) found in the area, and from which water was directed to nearby Anopoli Village.

















Loutro also served as the port of ancient Anopoli. Later it became the winter time port of the town of Sfakia, due to the fact that the enclosed bay and the small island at its entrance create a natural harbor where ships can be safe even in very bad weather conditions.

Mountains rear straight up from the sea with deeply wooded gorges, ravines and valleys. They naturally attract your eye. 

The Sfakia region has been the site of heroic deeds, ancient civilizations, and constant intrigue for thousands of years, and the home of brave tough people, made so by their hard life on the land and their experiences of the sea.

And finally there is the sea- warm and clear. The fish are abundant swimming in schools of radiant colours.

The swimming is wonderful. Loutro is an oasis of peace.