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==The historicity of the Minotaur==

There is a great deal of evidence that suggests that there is some basis for the myth in real life. The name Minos was found on a clay tablet. It does not refer to a king but was the title of the consort of the queen. The myth of the maze that was the home and the prison of the half-man and half-bull may have some basis also in fact. So far archaeologists have not found any evidence of a maze. Some have suggested that the sprawling palace complexes of the Minoans inspired the legend of the maze. However, archaeologists have found evidence of a dancing floor. This is mentioned by Homer in his epic poem the Iliad. It appears that young people may have performed intricated dances on this floor that were of religious significance. It appears that the dancing floor was an intricate mosaic and it morphed into a maze in the imagination of storytellers and poets. The frescoes that have been uncovered at the Minoan palaces have helped to clarify the roots of the myth. Paintings and figurines, dating from 1700 to 1400 B.C., show young men, vaulting over bulls. This is a ritual that was named Tauro-kathapsia. Some have suggested that the youths jumping the bulls was part of a religious rite and if they died during it, they were in effect sacrifices to the gods. It appears that bulls were sacrificed to unknown gods by the prehistoric Cretans. The Minotaur may also have been based on a Cretan fertility cult as the bull is a near-universal symbol of fecundity. The hybrid figure may even represent some priest or deity. What is clear is that bulls were an important part of Minoan religion and society. Another possible suggestion for the origin of the myth is the unpredictable geology of Crete. This island is very prone to earthquakes and there have been suggestions that the image of the bull, trapped underground in a maze, was the personification of earthquakes. The story of the subterranean monster was an explanation, by a pre-scientific society for the occurrence of earthquakes on the island.

==The meaning of the Minotaur==

No one today takes myth literally and they are acknowledged to be an interpretation or even misunderstandings of historical events or personages. However, they did impart important values, ideas and provided explanations for our forebears. The killing of the Minotaur by Theseus may represent the replacing of an old religion by a new one. This myth may tell the story of the old Minoan religion represented by the hybrid being supplanted by the new religion of the Greeks, symbolized by Theseus. It is known that the Minoan culture was very influential in mainland Greece until the Late Mycenaean Age. The story of the Athenian slaying the son of the white bull may represent the end of the influence of the Minoan religion on mainland Greece during the Bronze Age. Like many myths, there was a moral imperative implicit in the myth. They often relate what happens if the social norms are ignored and what happens when humans transgress and break the laws of nature and the gods. The story of the Minotaur shows what happens when humans disrespect the gods, as Minos had. Another important them in ancient fables was the triumph of civilization over nature. Theseus killing of the monster was often regarded as the victory of human society and humanity over animals and the forces of nature. Mythic tales are often surprisingly political, and this is also the case with the narrative of the monster in the labyrinth. Some believe that Theseus' victory over the bull-man represents the end of the Minoan domination of mainland Greece, possibly during the Mycenaean era. It also appears that the myth of the Minotaur became very popular with the Athenians and others during the Persian Invasions. It appears that the fabulous narrative was adopted by many to symbolize the threat posed by the Persians, represented by the Minotaur. While Theseus, was the personification of Greece and his defeat of the monster, represented the victory of the Hellenes over the Persians.