Mount Ida ( el, Ἴδα), known variously as Idha, Ídhi, Idi, and Ita (the massif including the mountain is called Psiloritis, el, Ψηλορείτης), is the highest

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

on the island of

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, ...

, with an elevation of . It has the highest

topographic prominence In topography, prominence (also referred to as autonomous height, relative height, and shoulder drop in US English, and drop or relative height in British English) measures the height of a mountain or hill's summit relative to the lowest contou ...

of any mountain in

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

. A natural park which includes Mount Ida is a member of

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

Global Geoparks Network UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) are geoparks certified by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council as meeting all the requirements for belonging to the Global Geoparks Network (GGN). The GGN is both a network of geoparks and the agency of the United Nati ...

. Located in the Rethymno regional unit, Ida was sacred to the

Titaness In Greek mythology, the Titans ( grc, οἱ Τῑτᾶνες, ''hoi Tītânes'', , ''ho Tītân'') were the pre-Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (mythology), ...

Rhea in

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities o ...

. On its slopes lies one of the caves, ''Idaion Antron'', the Idaean Cave, in which, according to legend, the god

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek relig ...

was born. Other legends, however, place his birthplace in Psychro Cave on the

Lasithi Plateau The Lasithi Plateau ( el, Οροπέδιο Λασιθίου, ''Oropedio Lasithiou''), sometimes spelt Lassithi Plateau, is a high endorheic plateau, located in the Lasithi regional unit in eastern Crete, Greece. Since the 1997 Kapodistrias ref ...

. An archaeobotanical study was conducted that looks at the different plant bases in Minoan villas during the Neo-palatial time period in Crete. There was a rich range of food plants that were found to contain essential nutrients like carbohydrates, protein and vitamin sources. The study took place on Mount Ida, at the Minoan villa of Zominthos.

Features

The Psiloritis is located on the

water divide A drainage divide, water divide, ridgeline, watershed, water parting or height of land is elevated terrain that separates neighboring drainage basins. On rugged land, the divide lies along topographical ridges, and may be in the form of a single ...

between the southern part of Crete, which drains to the

Libyan Sea The Libyan Sea ( Greek , Latin ''Libycum Mare'', Arabic البحر الليبي) is the portion of the Mediterranean Sea north of the African coast of ancient ''Libya'', i.e. Cyrenaica, and Marmarica (the coast of what is now eastern Libya ...

, and the northern basin facing the

Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi ( Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans ...

. A saddle at 2,321 m East of the summit connects it with Mount Agathias, while westwards the ridge continues with Mount Stolistra (2,336 m) The

Skinakas Observatory Skinakas Observatory ( el, Αστεροσκοπείο Σκίνακα) is an astronomical observatory located on the eponymous peak of Psiloritis, on the island of Crete, Greece. It has a 1.3 m modified Ritchey–Chrétien telescope and a 0.3 m Sc ...

of the

University of Crete The University of Crete (UoC; Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης) is a multi-disciplinary, research-oriented institution in Crete, Greece, located in the cities of Rethymno (official seat) and Heraklion, and one of the country's most aca ...

is located on the secondary peak Skinakas at 1750 m. It has two telescopes including a 1.3 m Modified Ritchey-Chrétien instrument. The Nida plateau is found to the east of the mountain. On the plateau are some shepherd's huts ('' mitata'') built only of local stones, and used both for shelter and for cheesemaking. On the northeast of the mountain, beneath Skinakas Peak, the site of the observatory, is Vromonero Plateau, the site of a holly and maple grove, with many endemic and endangered species. It, along with the access road through Halasia Gorge, and the starting point at

Krousonas Krousonas ( el, Κρουσώνας) is a village and a former municipality in the Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Malevizi Malevizi ( el, Μαλεβίζι) is a munic ...

, has been defined as a

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respecti ...

protected area, Krousonas - Vromonero Idis, ID GR4310009. Zominthos is a plateau that is located in the northern foothills of Mount Ida. On the plateau is the highest altitude Minoan villa ever found, the Minoan villa of Zominthos. The Kamares Cave is an Ancient Greek sanctuary located on Mount Ida. During the excavation of the cave, numerous pieces of pottery, like vases, were found in the cave. Based on the condition and pattern of the vases, it is known that the pieces of pottery were crafted by peasants at the time. Typically, Cretan pottery is known to have a polychrome ornament, and a black base. The Kamares Cave was not fully excavated however until 1913. The findings gave real insight into Ancient Greek life in relation to Mount Ida.

Mythology

Dactyls

Ida is the locus for a race of legendary ancient metal workers, the Dactyls.

Idaean Cave

In ancient times the Idaean cave, "cave of the Goddess" (''Dea'') was venerated by Minoans and Hellenes alike. By Greek times the cave was rededicated to

. The cave where Zeus was nurtured is variously stated to be this cave, or another of the same name, or the

Dictaean cave Psychro Cave ( el, Σπήλαιο Ψυχρού) is an ancient Minoan sacred cave in Lasithi plateau in the Lasithi district of eastern Crete. Psychro is associated with the Diktaean Cave ( el, link=no, Δικταῖον Ἄντρον; ''Dikt ...

. Votive seals and ivories have been found in the cave. Like the

, the Idaean cave was known as a place of initiations. It may have served as the site of an

oracle An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination. Description The word ...

, symbolized by the frequent depiction of a

tripod A tripod is a portable three-legged frame or stand, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The three-legged (triangular stance) design provides good stability against gravitational loads ...

on coins of nearby

Axos Axus or Axos ( grc, Ἄξος), also Oaxus or Oaxos (Ὄαξος) and Waxus or Waxos (Ϝάξος), was a city and '' polis'' (city-state) of ancient Crete. According to Virgil, it was situated on a river; which, according to Vibius Sequester, gav ...

, which presumably controlled the territory around the cave.Ustinova, noting Capdeville 1990, and, critically, Prent 2005:568.

Gallery

File:Idian-Cave-20070814-059834.jpg, Mouth of the Idaean Cave File:Psiloritis, east ridge.jpg, East ridge of summit Ida. File:Nida Plateau - Mitata.jpg, Shepherd's hut (''

mitato Mitato ( el, μιτάτο, archaic form: , from la, metor, "to measure off/to pitch camp") is a term meaning "shelter" or "lodging" in Greek. Appearing in the 6th century, during the Byzantine period it referred to an inn or trading house for for ...

'') on Nida Plateau, eastern side of Mt Ida File:Skinakas observatory.JPG,

File:ΙΔΗ ΑΝΩΓΕΙΑ 1.jpg, Near Anogeia

References

External links

Greek Mountain Flora
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ida Mount Two-thousanders of Greece Mountains of Crete Landforms of Rethymno (regional unit) Landforms of Heraklion (regional unit) Geography of ancient Crete Natura 2000 in Greece Sacred mountains Rhea (mythology) Zeus