ByBus Summer 2014

THE MINOANS, THE FIRST DANCERS:
THE CIRCULAR DANCE
By Marilina Paters
Official licensed tourist guide,
PGC in Prehellenic Religion and
Arts - Mythology
www.elissos.com
The dancing floor of “Ariadne of the lovely tresses”…
Evidence for circle dances in the Aegean comes from a variety of sites.
The first example comes from Crete in the Early Bronze Age. The settings of these
Dances were the Early Minoan cemeteries of south-central Crete, particularly in the
region of the Mesara plain.
Zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figurines have been found inside and around
tholos tombs, and a particular figurine from the site of Kamilari depicts four figures
holding each other by the arms and shoulders, surrounded by a low wall decorated
with Horns ofConsecration. Most archaeologists concur that this group represents
people dancing.
The construction of small courtyards, paved or not, first develops as well in the Early
Minoan Period tholos tombs, such as at Platanos and Ayia Kyriaki, and continues
into the Middle Minoan period,such as at the tombs of Apesokari. Similar enclosed,
but unpaved areas are found at Kamilari and Moni Odigytrias. Thus during the
Early Minoan period, we begin to see architectural spaces which could host the
performance of circular dances, the existence of which is confirmed through figural
representation.
During the Post Palatial period, roughly 1,500 years later the representation of the
ritual Dance becomes more specific. This is a period when the island of Crete is believed
to have been taken over by Mycenaeans from mainland Greece, who operated
out of Knossos. During this period, both architectural and iconographical evidence
again attest to the existence of the circle dance.
During Late Minoan period (c.1400–1350B.C.), architectural features were constructed
which have been linked to the performance of dance by Professor Peter
Warren in his excavations in 1982.
Such areas are situated west of the Unexplored
Mansion and the Little Palace of Knossos, and roughly
350m northwest of the Palace of Knossos itself. The
evidence consists of three circular-built platforms
standing in open ground. The possibility that these
platforms were used as dancing floors was put forward
by the excavator on the basis of several criteria.
A number of seals found within the vicinity of the
“Great Circular Building’ depicting women dancing or
performing ritual actions. Engraved mason’s marks
(sacred carvings) were also found on slabs on the
“Small Circle” and the “Great Circle”. The excavatorsuggests
that this particular mason’s marks were designed
to symbolise the lines and zigzag movements
of dancing.
During this same period on Crete, iconographical
evidence for circular dances comes from the site of
Palaikastro in the east of the island. The model shows
three small terracotta women in long dresses dancing
in a circle around a phorminx or lyre player, their arms
held out from the shoulders.
The continuance of the ancient Minaon circular
dances on Crete one can clearly find in the traditional
dances of the island, maintaining thus postures,
moves and practices of 5.000 years of age.