Ideon Andron Cave

The cave of Ideon Andron is located on the eastern slopes of Mount Idi, at an altitude of 1538 meters and at a distance of 20 km from the village of Anogia.  It is one of the most important caves of Crete and is known from mythology as the place where Zeus grew up. Rhea, the wife of Cronus (Titan) the ruler of the world at that time, hid her son there to save him from his father. The myth says that Cronus (Titan), fearing to be overthrown by his own child, he ordered his wife Rhea to bring him all the newborn children he swallowed. But one day Rhea decided to save at least one child and went on a deception. She temporarily hid from Cronus (Titan) in a hard-to-reach cave high in the mountains of eastern Crete, where Zeus was later born. The father had no opportunity to see the newborn, and Rhea instead of the baby decides to slip him a boulder wrapped in baby's diapers, and Zeus himself left for education Diktei Kurites secretly from his father. The nymphs Adrasteia and Idi nursed little Zeus with wild honey and the milk of the goat Amalthea. He was guarded and cared for by the Ides Dactyli and the Dictae Curites, who drowned out the baby's cries with their shields and noisy dances in front of the cave. According to myth, King Minos met with Zeus every nine years to establish his parliament. Related to this myth is the foundation of the ancient Zomintos in the area, as well as the Minoan trail that starts from Mount Idis and ends at Knossos. Geologically, the cave is not particularly impressive as it lacks decoration and much development, although there are three impressive stalactites near the entrance.  The cave is 800 m² in area with a large main hall and a side gallery 22 meters long. Inside, it is divided into three halls and a sanctuary. The descent is on a steep slope and some sections have a small stone finish. The importance of the cave in antiquity is confirmed by the valuable finds discovered during the first excavations in 1885 by F. Halbherr during archaeological excavations. In its present form, this place appeared thanks to the efforts of archaeologist Yannis Sakellarakis, who in 1982 began the second excavation in the midst of unfavorable weather conditions. In the cave were found many tributes, vases, utensils, weapons, coins and jewelry that are now in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. Among them are the famous bronze shields from the 7th-8th centuries, used in rituals dedicated to Zeus.