Skotino cave A more comprehensive exploration was carried out by French and Greek archaeologists in the 1960s. They found a considerable number of bronze and ceramic votive offerings, the oldest of them dating from the earliest Minoan periods, suggesting the cave was an important sacred shrine dedicated to a female fertility deity, presumably Britomartis. The cave was still used in Classical Greek and Roman eras, when the fertility goddess Artemis or her Roman equivalent Diana replaced the Minoan deity. Skotino cave The Skotino cave () is one of the largest and more impressive caves among the many caves found in Crete. The
Munichia (festival) Greek and Roman Antiquities edited by William Smith (1870) p.769 Munichia (festival) The Mounichia or Mounichia () was an ancient Greek festival held on the 16th (full moon time) of the month Mounichion (spring) in the honor of Artemis "Mounichia". The surname of the goddess come from the hill of Munichia, where stood an Artemis’ temple, close to Piraeus and to the site of the battle of Salamis. The festival was instituted to commemorate the victory of the Greek fleet over the Persians at Salamis. Cakes adorned all round with burning candles were offered to the goddess. Young girls were