small bronze labrys double-axe

The double-axe, or labrys, was the supreme sacred symbol of the Minoan civilization, a holy ritual object dedicated to their Mother Goddess. Because ancient art exclusively depicts the labrys in the hands of women, it serves as powerful evidence of a matriarchal society where priestesses held divine and political authority. It has been suggested that the symmetrical blades represent cosmic balance, lunar cycles, or the union of earth and sky.

Excavations led by Sir Arthur Evans at the Palace of Knossos starting in 1900 brought these myths into reality. Archaeologists first noticed the symbol etched into pillars and foundation stones across the site, inspiring the theory that the word Labyrinth literally means "house of the double-axe." They later discovered the Shrine of the Double Axes, a ritual room containing bronze axes, and nearby graves yielded massive sheet-bronze ceremonial axes.

The labrys was also a recurrent motif on Minoan pottery, decorating ritual vessels and large storage jars (pithoi). Sometimes the axe is drawn with soft, rounded blades that look like the wings of a butterfly, a symbol which the Minoans associated with rebirth and transformation.

Today, you can see ceramic and bronze pieces on display at the wonderful, newly refurbished Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

Following the collapse of Minoan culture, mainstream Greek mythology absorbed the symbol but shifted it into male, patriarchal hands. The labrys evolved into the thunderbolt of Zeus, and Hephaistos used a double-headed axe to split open the skull of Zeus, allowing baby Athena to pop out, fully armed and ready for combat! The Amazons used the labrys too, now transformed from a peaceful symbol of priestesses into a weapon for legendary warrior women.

This double-bladed legacy takes a dramatic turn in Homer's Odyssey, when Penelope challenges her suitors to shoot an arrow clean through the alignment holes of twelve iron double-axes in a row. Only the disguised Odysseus possesses the strength to string his legendary bow and fire the arrow perfectly through the axes, proving his divine right to reclaim his island kingdom Ithaka.

This ancient history of female empowerment inspired 1970s lesbian feminists to reclaim the labrys as a symbol of strength and self-sufficiency, culminating in the 1999 Labrys Lesbian Pride Flag. Designed by Sean Campbell, this flag centers the white axe over an inverted black triangle—a reclaimed badge of resilience—against a violet background honoring the ancient Greek poet Sappho.

Flourishing on Bronze Age Crete ca 3000–1100 BCE, the Minoans were a vibrant, colourful and innovative civilization that celebrated the beauty of life, nature's rhythms, and the sea which surrounded them.

Their extraordinary artistic output reflects their love of the natural world. Their sprawling palaces, most famously Knossos, Malia, and Phaistos, were adorned with breathtaking frescoes characterized by fluid lines and vivid colors. Instead of grim battle scenes, these murals depicted graceful leaping bulls, blue monkeys, and delicate saffron crocuses. Their creativity extended to their exquisite pottery, which featured dynamic motifs of octopus and coral wrapping around clay vessels, reflecting a sophisticated society deeply in tune with its environment.

This intimate connection with nature was inextricably linked to their mastery of the sea. Developing a formidable thalassocracy, the Minoans dominated the Aegean as unparalleled seafarers. Their advanced sailing vessels, elegantly depicted in frescoes at Akrotiri on Santorini/Thera, carried olive oil and fine ceramics across lucrative trade networks across the Mediterranean world, returning with exotic ivory and gold.

The bronze pieces are cast in Greece using the traditional lost wax method. As nothing is mass-produced, there will inevitably be slight variations in texture, patina, and colour. No two pieces are ever the same. If mounted on a marble base, it will be a black or very dark grey base. There may be a variation of some millimetres in the dimensions of the base from time to time.

It's All Greek is so grateful and so proud to have been working closely with the Semitekolo family foundry since 1999. It has been a privilege and a joy to handle, live with, to photograph and describe these gorgeous pieces, before passing them on to enthusiastic customers all over the world.