Mount Ida, Crete
Encyclopedia
Mount Ida, known variously as Idha, Ídhi, Idi, Ita and now Psiloritis , is the highest mountain
on Crete
. Located in the Rethymno Prefecture
, it is sacred to the Greek
Titaness
Rhea
, and on its slopes, according to legend, lies the cave
, Idaion Andron, in which Zeus
was born. As an island high point at 2,454 m, it is the mountain with the highest topographic prominence
in Greece. Interesting features are the plateau of Nida and the forest of Ruva on the east side. The observatory
of the University of Crete
is located on the secondary peak Skinakas at 1750m.
Mount Ida is the locus for a race of legendary ancient metal workers (Dactyls
), whose roots are also associated with Cyprus
.
Along one flank of Mount Ida is the Amari Valley
, a locus settled by expansion of ancient Phaistos
, when the settlement of Monastiraki was established.
A small, open stone chapel of Timios Stavros is located on the summit, surrounded by numerous bivouac sites used by mountain walkers.
A small, abandoned alpine skiing centre is located on the eastern flank of Mount Ida, accessible by road from Anogeia
, which also offers the easiest route of ascent from the Nida Plateau.
In ancient times the Idaean cave, "cave of the Goddess" (Dea) was venerated by Minoan
s and Hellenes alike. By Greek times the cave was rededicated to Zeus
. The cave where Zeus was nurtured is not this one but Psychro Cave; there the two nymph
s who cared for the infant were Adrasteia
and Idê.
Votive seals and ivories have been found in the cave. Like the Dictaean cave, the Idaean cave was known as a place of initiations, and it may have served as the site of an oracle
, symbolized by the frequent depiction of a tripod
on coins of nearby Axos
, which presumably controlled the territory around the cave.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. Located in the Rethymno Prefecture
Rethymno Prefecture
Rethymno is one of the four regional units of Crete, Greece. Its capital is the city of Rethymno. Today its main income is tourism. The countryside is also based economically on agriculture and herding.-Administration:...
, it is sacred to the Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
Titaness
Titan (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
Rhea
Rhea (mythology)
Rhea was the Titaness daughter of Uranus, the sky, and Gaia, the earth, in Greek mythology. She was known as "the mother of gods". In earlier traditions, she was strongly associated with Gaia and Cybele, the Great Goddess, and was later seen by the classical Greeks as the mother of the Olympian...
, and on its slopes, according to legend, lies the cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
, Idaion Andron, in which Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
was born. As an island high point at 2,454 m, it is the mountain with the highest topographic prominence
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
in Greece. Interesting features are the plateau of Nida and the forest of Ruva on the east side. The observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
of the University of Crete
University of Crete
The University of Crete ' is the principal higher education institution on the island of Crete, Greece.The University of Crete, is a multi-disciplinary, research- oriented institution, located in the cities of Rethymno and Heraklion...
is located on the secondary peak Skinakas at 1750m.
Mount Ida is the locus for a race of legendary ancient metal workers (Dactyls
Dactyl (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Dactyls were the archaic mythical race of small phallic male beings associated with the Great Mother, whether as Cybele or Rhea. Their numbers vary, but often they were ten spirit-men so like the three Curetes, the Cabiri or the Korybantes that they were often interchangeable...
), whose roots are also associated with Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
Along one flank of Mount Ida is the Amari Valley
Amari Valley
The Amari Valley is a fertile valley on the foothills of Mount Ida and Mount Kedros in Crete. The valley was known as a center of resistance to the Germans during the Battle of Crete and the German occupation...
, a locus settled by expansion of ancient Phaistos
Phaistos
Phaistos , also transliterated as Phaestos, Festos and Phaestus is an ancient city on the island of Crete. Phaistos was located in the south-central portion of the island, about 5.6 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea. It was inhabited from about 4000 BC. A palace, dating from the Middle Bronze...
, when the settlement of Monastiraki was established.
A small, open stone chapel of Timios Stavros is located on the summit, surrounded by numerous bivouac sites used by mountain walkers.
A small, abandoned alpine skiing centre is located on the eastern flank of Mount Ida, accessible by road from Anogeia
Anogeia
Anogeia is a municipality in the Rethymno peripheral unit, Crete, Greece. Population 2,507 .When exactly were Anogeia founded and by whom, is not accurately known...
, which also offers the easiest route of ascent from the Nida Plateau.
Idaean Cave
Minoan
Minoan may refer to the following:*The Minoan civilization**The Eteocretan language**The script known as Linear A**Minoan pottery*Minoa, name of several bronze-age settlements in the Aegean....
s and Hellenes alike. By Greek times the cave was rededicated to Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
. The cave where Zeus was nurtured is not this one but Psychro Cave; there the two nymph
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
s who cared for the infant were Adrasteia
Adrasteia
In Greek mythology, Adrasteia was a nymph who was charged by Rhea with nurturing the infant Zeus, in secret in the Dictaean cave, to protect him from his father Cronus .-Zeus:Adrasteia and her sister Ida, the nymph of Mount Ida, who also...
and Idê.
Votive seals and ivories have been found in the cave. Like the Dictaean cave, the Idaean cave was known as a place of initiations, and it may have served as the site of an oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
, symbolized by the frequent depiction of a tripod
Tripod
A tripod is a portable three-legged frame, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The word comes from the Greek tripous, meaning "three feet". A tripod provides stability against downward forces, horizontal forces and moments about the...
on coins of nearby Axos
Axos
Axos is a village in the Pella Prefecture in Central Macedonia, Greece, 4 km from the city of Giannitsa and 52 km from Thessaloniki. The village is home to the football club Niki Axou. From Axos originate the famous footballer Marios Nikolaidis....
, which presumably controlled the territory around the cave.
See also
- Mount IdaMount IdaIn Greek mythology, two sacred mountains are called Mount Ida, the "Mountain of the Goddess": Mount Ida in Crete; and Mount Ida in the ancient Troad region of western Anatolia which was also known as the Phrygian Ida in classical antiquity and is the mountain that is mentioned in the Iliad of...
- There is another Mount Ida in mythology, the Phrygian Ida.
- 243 Ida243 Ida243 Ida is an asteroid in the Koronis family of the asteroid belt. It was discovered on 29 September 1884 by Johann Palisa and named after a nymph from Greek mythology. Later telescopic observations categorized Ida as an S-type asteroid, the most numerous type in the inner asteroid belt. On 28...
, an asteroid named after the mountain. - Mount KedrosMount KedrosMount Kedros , is a mountain on the island of Crete in Greece. It is located southwest of the Ida massif with which it forms the two flanks of the Amari Valley. Mount Kedros is conical-shaped and made of limestone. Its landscape abounds with canyons and rock cliffs and is almost barren, with dry...
External links
- Ski Centre in Psiloritis. Crete Tournet.
- Skinakas Observatory. University of Crete.